It’s a new beginning! It’s the start of another new year. I have had the privilege of contributing to
The Washington Informer
for more than a decade, and I am still excited to provide estate planning tips and thoughts with the start of the new year.
As we mark this significant change in the world with the turning of the calendar, there is a truth we can be certain of: Life is dynamic and change is consistent. It does not allow us to focus completely on Jan. 1 and disregard the rest of the calendar. It doesn’t relegate change to the alignment of the calendar.
As folks say, “life be life-ing,” and it is not based upon the calendar. In the past 10 years, I have had the privilege of sharing information about the loss of my mother, the blending of my family with my second marriage, and the addition of my two beautiful granddaughters. None of these things happened at the beginning of the year.
Yet, I embrace the measurement of time, and I am inspired by the change of the calendar as metrics. We can choose to use time as either a resource or as a constraint. We can celebrate the measurement of time while considering all the opportunities that time provides for us.
I choose to celebrate the start of the new year by setting my focus on the opportunities for new beginnings. At my church, we start the year with the Daniel Fast. The Daniel Fast is a 21-day commitment to focus on enhancing spiritual discipline, prayer and seeking wisdom. Without even realizing it, we often use food to provide us with emotional and physical comfort. But during the fast, we refrain from certain foods to challenge our minds and bodies to rely on the great comforter, Jesus. It requires growth and focus. For me, this is a kickstart. While the calendar should not be the only thing that creates the commitment for growth, it is an opportunity to recharge and reset after the holiday season.
While many people do not achieve their New Year’s resolution goals that they set for themselves at the beginning of the year, we ought not let that be the reason to eliminate the goals. I continue to create goals that include discipline and progressive enhancement that are modified slightly each year. I celebrate the ability to set goals with action plans that allow me to be better. A goal without a plan is a dream.
As an estate planning attorney, I work with people who set goals and dreams for the impact they want to have on the lives of the people they love. Our goal is to create multigenerational strategies for wealth creation and preservation. We work with families to develop checks and balances for their loved ones, because we understand how important it is for families to have the support necessary to impact their capacity to move forward and achieve new heights.
As an estate administration attorney, I work with families helping to unravel the aftermath of people who didn’t plan. Over the years, I’ve seen the devastation caused by a lack of planning. In addition to grief, these families were often left wondering what their loved ones would have wanted. The lack of instruction and clarity caused distress and conflict that could have been avoided.
We take for granted many things that have significant positive or negative impact. By being thoughtful with foresight, we can have a goal with action steps that can be implemented to achieve the outcome that changes lives. As we look ahead for the new beginnings this year, let’s challenge ourselves to plan for what we desire. Let’s take this time as an opportunity to refocus, reset and plan with great intentions.
