Today is the  last day of the month of Elul.  (Many Jewish months have two days to celebrate the advent of the new moon- this is one such month.)  That means that some 30 days of our extended period of self-assessment and personal improvement program has elapsed.  The goal has been to determine how we can make our lives- and the lives of others- better.  (You can also search for Elul in the index to the left and see more of my thoughts on this “resolution-making” period.)

I have been examining how I can improve over the past few weeks.  I hope you all have been doing so, too.  Not because you are Jewish- or not- but because we need to evaluate where we all routinely- and plan how to become better still.

(By the way, the meeting I attended this week ended it’s program with the star of MJ [the Broadway play] and his retinue entertaining us with my favorite Michael Jackson hit- The Man in the Mirror. While the cast was highlighting Climate Change, I resonated in its simple message.  Fix myself as part of my introspection for the holidays.)

Tonight starts the holiday of Rosh Hashana- the New Year.  The end of Elul is leaving me- and you- only 10 days left to complete our self-assessments, determining what changes we should effect, how we can help others, and ensure we leave this world just a little better off because we walked upon it’s surface.

These are the questions we must answer…

What do w++e really want to see happen for us next year?  Not just one thing.  We need to pick two, three, or four areas.  (No, winning the lottery doesn’t count as a valid choice!)  And, that means we need to list two or three small steps for each that we will make- NOW, not tomorrow- to make it possible for these three or four things not to be a dream, but a reality before the next Elul rolls around.

What are we really afraid may occur for us in the next year?  I’m guessing you- like me- can think of a whole bunch of them.  But limit this assessment to two or three scenarios, because we want to devote our time to their preclusion.

A big task always happens by making the little steps.   And, that’s what this exercise is for- to find those little steps to insure we make progress.

My list includes financial changes,  helping my smaller clients become the bigger ventures of which they dream, and to finish writing my book on leadership o f small-to-mid business ventures.  And, ensuring that my (now 47 months long) illness reaches a successful conclusion- restoring my ability to walk, swim, ride a bike, and drive a car.   Without sacrificing the time I devote to my family and friends.

And, it would be really useful to put our list to paper (or perhaps to computer as I do) now?   That way we can review it often during the coming months.

The good news is that I am sharing this holiday with my son and daughter-in-law at their home in Brooklyn.  It would have been nice to have all the children together, but that is getting harder and harder to accomplish.

May you be inscribed in the book of life.  And, have a glass of wine on me.  (If you are wary- examine the  alcohol study results I presented.)

 

 

You might find this piece by Elyse Ash  to provide more information on the High Holidays of interest