As we move into each new year, it's smart to recognize who, what and where we've been. In our personal lives, as well as our careers, taking time to recognize and appreciate our personal foundation lets us continue to create goals in alignment with our vision for the future.
Here are some great questions you can use to:
- remind you of what you've accomplished
- recognize things that you have completed
- create completion on things yet undone
- recognize what you'd rather not 'do' anymore!
- re-evaluate the vision of what you desire/want
We encourage you to play big here, jump in and have fun doing this…get some real answers and enjoy the process along the way.
Ready to play?
____________Completing This Year______________
- Think about what you created this year. Which have given you satisfaction and joy? Which ones didn't turn out the way you wanted? Which would you like to change?
- Now think about what have you completed (accomplished) this year. As you identify what you've completed, ask yourself what did you learn as a result? And how has that increased or solidified your foundation?
- Is there anything that is incomplete for which you would like completion? What will it take to be complete, finished, over?
- Now ask yourself, what are you through learning – that you don't ever have to learn again? And how has that added to your foundational strength?
__________Moving into the New Year___________
- Now, think about who and where you are today. What do you want to create in the next year? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to start?
- What do you want to complete (from 1999 – or earlier!!) and what are you finally ready to let go of once and for all?
- And finally, as you think about the next year, who do you need to become in order to have your life be exactly the way you want?
The most important step to creating the life you love is clarity – about who you are and what you want. Who you become creates the environment for having what you want. And remember, this as a work in progress, rather than a finished piece (just like life!!).
You can start whenever you'd like.Personally, I like to take stock each year on my birthday, rather than on December 31. It is the beginning of my Personal New Year. Many businesses use April 1 or July 1 as the beginning of their new year.
What matters is that you take stock and chose the path that takes you where you want to go.
© 1999-2006, Katie Darden
Thanks to Business and Personal Coach, Alison Hendren (www.transitioning.com) for suggesting this process and providing some foundational questions that led to this article.