A new year, a new season

Another year has ended and a new one has begun. Just a few weeks ago the holiday season kicked off, and before we could all blink the season is over.

If you stop and think about it, we all live our lives in seasons. Just as winter, spring, summer and fall have beginnings and endings, so do the seasons of our own lives. We’re living in a fast-paced world with lots of uncertainty about the future. In the midst of all this change, what’s certain is our lives will change with the seasons.

Now that we have begun a new year, we should let go of the past—past failures, past successes, past pain, past joy. With the new year comes a clean slate upon which we will build with the benefit of insights gained from last year—both positive and negative lessons.

Some people have been surprised about the down swing in our national economy, apparently forgetting about history’s seasons and the fact that there are economic cycles. What goes up comes down, and what goes down comes up. I believe our state has been down for so long that now it is our season to rise up and make a positive impact on the country.

Football season is wrapping up. Basketball has tipped off. Before you know it baseball season will start. Right now is a great time to decide what you plan to sow and do in this season so that, in due season, you reap the fruits of your labor and commitments. As you prepare to achieve your goals in 2009 (hopefully you’ve written them down), I want to remind you there are only two kinds of pain we all suffer from in life: regret and discipline.

You must decide up front that at the end of this year you’ll have no regrets. Make sure you understand what season of life you’re in to maximize the moments.

Be sure you have a clear vision of what you want to do, have and accomplish. Then develop a strategy that maps out how you intend to achieve your goals. Whether it’s losing weight, expanding your business, volunteering in the community or spending more time on meaningful relationships, now is the season to decide what you want and to go after it. Remember this: Your decisions this month will determine your season in the future.

2009 People to Watch

For the fourth year in a row 225 is kicking off the new year with our People to Watch. This year, we take a look at three-dozen Baton Rougeans who are poised to shake things up, challenge the norm or go on to great things. Chosen by our editorial staff, the 2009 group’s contributions will be felt in every aspect of life, from education to politics and medicine to entertainment. Check out the people and faces who will be shaping our world in the coming year in this month’s cover story here.

Thriving on the ice

The Baton Rouge Kingfish are long gone, but our city’s short-lived pro hockey team helped plant a seed of enthusiasm that’s flourishing still today. This month we report on Baton Rouge’s thriving ice hockey community, a group of enthusiasts who suit up and play the physically demanding sport. A variety of local teams play at Leo’s Rollerland & Iceland, as do teams from LSU and Tulane University. Writer Jeff Roedel shares their passions—and their pains—in his story here.

Check out Baton Rouge’s own film fest

Already in its third year, Baton Rouge’s Jewish Film Fest kicks off again Wednesday, Jan. 21 with a slate of thought-provoking films. This year organizers added a comedy night to their usual mix of drama and documentary films that may not have headlines at your local cinema, but that you won’t soon forget. Check out this year’s line-up here.

Mardi Gras Race

If one of your goals for the new year is to get fit and have more fun, then mark your calendar for Saturday, Feb. 14 to run in the Amedisys Mardi Gras Mambo 10K race, which runs through downtown Baton Rouge and the LSU campus. The Mambo also serves as a qualifier for the Crescent City Classic and the Louisiana Senior Olympics. There will be plenty of food, drinks and festivities for everyone in your family to have a blast. For those who don’t want to run that far but still want to be a part of the Mambo, there’s a one-mile fun run. To register or for more information contact Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation at brasf.com, or send an e-mail to [email protected].