As I was walking my dogs the other day in the early morning hours, a couple of things caught my attention. You see, it had snowed the night before, but now the morning sky was bright and the sunrise was truly magnificent.

So although the sunrise was the first event that captured my attention and got my day off to a great start, it was really the next thing that happened that morning that I would like to share with you. It was early in the morning, fresh snow the night before, and so as I walked with the puppies, we found ourselves making new footprints and paw prints with each step and stride.

Okay, so maybe that part is normal and happens to all of us who are fortunate enough to see and experience the wonder of freshly fallen snow against a brilliant blue sky and sparkling sunrise. But that morning it was also fairly windy, and as we made the loop to return to the house, our footprints and paw prints were gone, as if we had never been on the path at all.

You may have experienced the same thing walking along a beach at some time in your life, making footprints in the sand, and turning around to see that the tide lapping against the shore had erased the physical memory of your toes.

What struck me at that moment was this … as we approach the New Year, we will all be able to create new footprints each and every day. We have gone on many journeys this year and we have been down a lot of roads. We have left our impressions in the ground everywhere we have gone and in the memories and hearts of all we have had the opportunity to meet. Some of those imprints and memories will last forever, while others will fade over time, unless … unless we understand that we have the enormous privilege of making new footprints, paw prints, imprints and memories every minute of every day.

Sure, maybe the wind or tide will come and cover our marks again with fresh snow or sand, but that only gives us a chance to have a greater impact on our own lives as well as the lives of others. So let's remember with pride and joy all of the positive footprints we have made on this world, and at the same time we can even let the wind and tide wash away those imprints we would like to forget. Because from this day forward, from this minute forward, all of the snow is pure, the sand is smooth, and both are just waiting for us to leave our fresh new mark upon our families, the community, and the world.

I would love to hear all about the footprints you have left on your journey that have been covered over and the new ones you plan on making at gotonorton@gmail.com. New footprints can lead to a better than good week for us all, will you join me?

Michael Norton, a resident of Highlands Ranch, is the former president of the Zig Ziglar organization and CEO and founder of www.candogo.com