For those who took advantage of our free public workshops in starting and growing a successful business with no money, this will be an exciting year for you.  Everything has already been provided for you to prosper during this time of severe austerity, so go forth and prosper.

For others, the only thing holding you back from prospering is you.  Selfish politicians, employers, managers, and work colleagues will always exist.  They are not holding you back, unless you allow them to by blaming them for your situation.  Do not fret about them because they will regretfully reap what they are sowing.  Let me explain that.

We spend our entire lives on Earth planting seeds, cultivating what we have planted, and reaping what we have cultivated.  Our seeds will either benefit us and others or they will not.  Therefore, it is wise to plant good seeds to help your future self.

We cannot reap unless we go through the habitual routine of cultivating.  If you have planted good seeds, then expect to be criticised and ridiculed for continuing to do what is right and responsible, despite long periods with no apparent results to show for your efforts.  Being responsible is an investment in yourself and others.

Eventually, you will reap.  While you reap, continue planting new responsible seeds, and keep cultivating.  In this manner, you will continually reap good things.  These seasons of sowing, cultivating and reaping occur in every area of your life.  However, I have observed that persons tend to reap the fruit of bad seeds much sooner than the fruit of good seeds.

The New Year is typically a time of sowing good ideas in areas of your health, relationships and business.  You sow by making determined decisions.  You cultivate by implementing plans, either carefully or carelessly.  You reap intentionally, otherwise the cultivation effort can be wasted.

You can make good decisions about your health, like eating less processed foods and more whole foods.  You can also make good decisions about your relationships, like being more helpful and polite, and trying to represent those who are unfairly disadvantaged.  You can also make good decisions about improving the management of your business.

Here are some tips to invest in your future self while helping others.  Eat more ground provisions grown in Barbados, and less imported processed foods.  If you are in a supermarket line and there is an elderly person in front of you, then quietly offer to pay for their goods.  If you are paying a utility bill and there is an elderly person behind you, then overpay with an instruction to the cashier to apply it the elderly person‘s bill.

You want to treat others the way that you want to be treated.  In your old age, do you want others to assist you in your time of need?  Well, invest in your future self by helping others in their time of need today.  I can guarantee that you will feel the approval of your Heavenly Father as you become His means of assisting one of His creation.  If you work for God in this manner, then it is highly unlikely that you will experience lack.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer and President of Solutions Barbados.  He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com