Are you a doer or just a reader?

When I'm out in public, I run into people who tell me they read this column and appreciate the tips. When I ask whether they are acting on what they've read, it's the rare reader who responds in the affirmative.

How about you? Have you been a doer or just a reader? This column recaps the tips and action steps for the first third of the year.

1. In January I shared the idea of establishing a simple buzzword for the year, in lieu of New Year's resolutions. Did you create a compelling word or phrase that reminds and inspires your desired results? Did your buzzword become a brain pop-up that keeps you on track?

2. Because people are so busy and racing through each day, I encouraged readers to slow down and really pay attention to others and ourselves. Do you get off the expressway regularly and pay attention to and make a difference to a child, family member, friend or co-worker?

3. In February I posed that wasted time can never be recouped, that time-wasters need to be identified and that sometimes we are our own worst time-wasters. How many time-wasters have you identified? How many have you eradicated?

4. For those overwhelmed with projects, I shared that they are doable one day at a time. When overwhelmed, do you identify what tasks apply to today, and bypass other tasks until the proper time? Are you completing your projects one day at a time?

5. For those who buy so much that it spills out of closets and drawers, in March I suggested a return to a simpler time of having fewer but needed things. Are you prioritizing your buying? Resisting impulse purchases? Buying with a purpose? Buying less, but the best you can afford? If so, you're on your way to having quality instead of quantity.

6. For those who run out of time at the end of the day, leaving important tasks undone, I encouraged you to focus on doing the important things early in the day. Have you been using the first minutes of the day instead of depending on the last? If so, isn't it good to get important things done early and have that margin of peace?

7. In April I wrote about a “;helpful”; fear, one that spurs us into action and spares us negative consequences. Have you detected the voice of helpful fear? By listening and acting, have you enjoyed the ensuing peace of mind?

8. I also shared some steps to clear out the clutter. Have you CLARIFIED your vision for your home or work space? COMMITTED anew to working for the desired change? CAPITALIZED on your mood? CONCENTRATED on a specific area? CHISELED away and removed what doesn't fit your original vision? If so, good for you, for being a doer and not just a reader!

See you in two weeks for more of this year's recap!