Welcome, January, the month we ring in the new year with renewed hope and promise.

Along with counting down the seconds to the New Year, you probably sang, mumbled or listened “Auld Lang Syne”, Robert Burn’s 1788 ode to times spent together. (The title translates to “for the sake of old times”.)

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
For auld lang syne”

– Robert Burns

As we look back at the times we had in 2018, let’s raise a cup of kindness to all in hope of a peaceful, healthy and happy 2019.

Enjoy these January GEMS. These quotes have given me many moments of reflection and inspiration.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach. – Benjamin Mays ” quote=”The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach. – Benjamin Mays ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day. – Gary Vaynerchuck ” quote=”Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day. – Gary Vaynerchuck ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”We lose ourselves in the things we love; we find ourselves there, too. – Kristin Martz ” quote=”We lose ourselves in the things we love; we find ourselves there, too. – Kristin Martz ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Remember this: You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel. – Anonymous ” quote=”Remember this: You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel. – Anonymous ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice. If your plan is for 10 years, plant trees. If your plan is for 100 years, educate children. – Confucius” quote=”If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice. If your plan is for 10 years, plant trees. If your plan is for 100 years, educate children. – Confucius” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”If you want to make everyone happy, don’t be a leader. Sell ice cream. – Steve Jobs” quote=”If you want to make everyone happy, don’t be a leader. Sell ice cream. – Steve Jobs” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”A library is a hospital for the mind. – Anonymous ” quote=” A library is a hospital for the mind. – Anonymous ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons. – Anonymous ” quote=”Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons. – Anonymous ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day. – Shira Tamir ” quote=”Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day. – Shira Tamir ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Wishes cost nothing unless you want them to come true. – Frank Tiger ” quote=”Wishes cost nothing unless you want them to come true. – Frank Tiger ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right or better. – John Updike ” quote=”Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right or better. – John Updike ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Your direction is more important than your speed. – Richard L. Evans ” quote=”Your direction is more important than your speed. – Richard L. Evans ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”The heart that gives, gathers. – Marianne Moore ” quote=”The heart that gives, gathers. – Marianne Moore ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Make your breaking point, your turning point. – Dennis Kimbro” quote=”Make your breaking point, your turning point. – Dennis Kimbro” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”If your compassion does not include yourself, it is not complete. – John Kornfield ” quote=”If your compassion does not include yourself, it is not complete. – John Kornfield ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Encouragement helps people to change their story. – Michael McKinney” quote=”Encouragement helps people to change their story. – Michael McKinney” theme=”style2″]

Over the years, I often reflected on what it meant to be happy and wondered if I considered myself happy at a particular moment.

As I look back, I can say with certainty that I have been happiest when I chose to live in the moment rather than allowing my busy mind to ping pong me from the nostalgia of my past to the uncertainty of the future.

If there’s anything I learned from my time on this planet it’s that clichés exist because they hold universal truths.

If I had children, I would like to think that I would take the advice that William Martin gives on sharing with them the value of treasuring the ordinary things in life. Because I don’t have children, I hope to share this wisdom by example with the children of others – regardless of their age.

Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.

– William Martin