With the significant calendar flip freshly behind us, I thought not so much about resolutions but instead about what one simple thing we might embrace to help us get on solid footing and make our collective 2024 be all it can be.
How about looking up?
In all its forms and fashions, look up.
Think about it. Might we all be better off if we …
Look up to folks who have a good, moral and kind compass. Or several people in or out of your sphere who live intentional lives and have humility in their hearts.
Look up to the stars and the heavens.
Look up to breathe a sigh of relief because there is someone more significant than our problems. And He’s got you.
Look up to the mountains and the trees.
Look up old friends. Keep in better touch with cherished companions who help you feel rooted, think outside of yourself, and practice forgiveness and love. Relationships make life worth living.
Look up your kinfolk. Say hey. Check-in and let your family know you care.
Look up local places to volunteer.
Look up random and fun stuff on Google. Search willy-nilly for knowledge and information.
Look up history and learn from our past. Open Wikipedia each morning and check out the homepage’s “Did you know … ” and “On this day … “.
Look up words. How could you meet a word you don’t know and choose not to learn what it means or perhaps choose a different word to use? Words are cool!
Look up from your cell phone. In fact, put it down. You’ll survive.
Look up and always look eye. So important. Think for a second about everything you can tell by simply looking directly at someone. That is how you get the true meaning of the message being communicated. Yours and theirs. Mr. Miyagi was right, albeit for a different reason. Look up and always look eye.
Look up with a sense of wonder and approach the world with open eyes and heart. Look up and listen.
Yep. That’s it. Look up. The simple act is big-time underrated. I can’t think of a time when looking up is not a good idea. Looking up is the best, most straightforward way to keep going forward. To be challenged, encouraged and enlightened. To be ready to invite new experiences. To catch stuff.
You’ve got to look up.
And if you look up enough in 2024, you just might find that “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
Kent Olson
Thank you, Lee, for such a thoughtful and inspirational post.
Reed Sprague
This blog post has special meaning to me because I have always believed that huge numbers of people have serious problems (and many are literally in danger) looking down and backward with regret, shame and even a thirst for vengeance. I love the fresh encouragement you offer here, Lee. Look up! Go places! See what’s new! See what’s coming! Look where you can go, by looking up, instead of living with your head down in shame or anger about the past! Choose anticipation over regret! Love it!
Juliette
Happy New Year, Lee!
Victoria Limauro
Love this in so many ways! Happy New Year to you and your sweet Deb.