Last week, I wrote about New Year's Resolutions vs. A Theme word. (I'll leave that posted below in case you missed it.) In that discussion, I promised to unveil my theme word for this year, so here goes: Steward

At 48, I can feel the season of my life-changing. I am no longer in the "pull myself up by the bootstraps" phase of my life. For years I have achieved goals simply because I was willing to work harder and stay committed longer than most. Those are great attributes instilled in me by a very hard-working family, and It's advice that I would give any young person. A lot can be accomplished if you work harder and stay committed longer than the competition. However, it is exhausting.

One thing about keeping your head down and working hard is, at some point, you look up and there are a lot of people that rely on you. No longer does your hard work just affect the outcome of your goals, it all of a sudden affects the livelihood and happiness of others. At this point, it becomes more important to steward the things you have rather than maintain the nose-to-the-grindstone mentality that got you to this point. As I look forward into this next phase of life I see a lot more things that I need to steward than build.

Some examples are:

My Spiritual Walk - I'll never finish nurturing a relationship with God. That is something to work on until your last day.
Health - I can't steward these other things if I don't steward my health first. Eat right, exercise, blah blah blah. It's no fun, but it's part of the process.
My Marriage - I am blessed with an amazing wife, and we have a great relationship. We keep it that way by intentionally spending quality time together, being honest, open, and listening.
Our Children - At 8,12, and 15, Our kids probably will need me (us) more in the next 5-10 years than ever. I intend to be there for every moment.
Our Farm/Business - I love what we do here at Carlton Farms. I want to create success for our employees, our partners, and the next generation.
Employees - We long ago surpassed what we can do alone. Success only comes when a good team is committed. We have that, and it's my job to keep it that way.

Happy New Year. I wish you luck with your word or your resolution. I'm cheering for you.

Chad