Here we are, two weeks into May and two weeks away from June. Why is this significant? Because June marks the halfway point of 2009.

We’ll be halfway through a year in which we may made promises to improve in some way or to achieve a particular goal, and halfway near a New Year, in which we’ll find ourselves eager to make more (or the same) resolutions and set more (or the same) goals, and attempt to move forward without regrets.

Few of us literally tie our fulfillment to the dates on a calendar; but when a current year is fading and a New Year looms, we seem to feel the most hopeful that wherever we are on our journey, we have the opportunity to start over, try again or take a first-time leap.

This year, rather than waiting for late December or early January to go through these motions, consider doing it in June. Pull out the list of promises you made to yourself in January 2009, or, if you didn’t put them on paper then, do so now. Check off any goals that you’ve accomplished and give thanks. Chart your progress on the goals you’re still working to achieve and map out the strategies you must adopt to succeed.

If your goal is to write 120 pages of your novel or nonfiction book by early December, decide to write at least 20 pages a month, which comes to about five pages a week. Choose one or two days during the week to set aside an hour to write, then put those dates and times on your calendar and honor them.

If your goal is to run a marathan or maybe a 10k, talk to other runners who can advise you on the best way to prepare – which running shoes to buy, the best times and temperatures to train, whether there’s a group of runners you can join, what to eat, et cetera.

If you want to build better relationships, start with yourself. Look at how you treat yourself and whether you value you. If you’re unsure or if the answer is no, there’s a good chance it will be hard for you to value others. Work on loving yourself and knowing that you are a special, unique creation of God. Give yourself gifts. Pat yourself on the back. Laugh at your blunders and go easy on yourself when you make mistakes. Then reach out to others. Care about their interests and needs and offer your support when they need a listening ear, help completing a task or encouragement. You’ll find that as you combine self-love with a giving heart, you’re right where you want to be.

When June arrives, consider it your mini-New Year, and embrace the opportunities it offers to jumpstart your life and finish 2009 with a bang. Visualize yourself in the position you desire to be in by January 2010 and begin pursuing your goals with renewed confidence. God will bless that faith in action, and you can begin planning a celebration.

On your way there, find joy in the process and recognize blessings on the journey. The lessons you learn as you strive for a better tomorrow are just as important, if not more valuable, than the rewards of reaching your destination.