It’s that time of year when everywhere I turn I see lists. There are top ten lists, best of list, lists of lists, and of course there are the what I can do better in the New Year lists.
For me, these lists don’t really do much, sometimes they actually make me feel worse than I think they’re supposed to. So over the years I’ve created what I believe to be the best way to say goodbye to a year and welcome a new one.
If you’re anything like me, and like to think hard about life, what you’re doing, how you’re living, then it might make sense to take some time and try out what I believe will set anyone up for a great year to come.
Saying Goodbye
1) Divide a piece of paper into personal, career, family.
2) Underneath each title write what you’ve accomplished or what you’ve done this past year. What are you proud of doing?
3) After you’ve written them read them aloud. Smile while you do it and at the end of each category say to yourself, great job, you did so many wonderful things this year, I’m proud of you.
4) Then take yourself out for a coffee or something that makes you feel cozy. Treat yourself – give yourself a present for all your hard work, love, and creativity.
For a long while I rarely looked at things I’d done over a year. My focus was only on the next year – how could I be better. But there’s something extremely powerful in recognizing our accomplishments, how far we’ve come, what we’ve been able to change in a year. Mine range from seeing the world with loving eyes, being open creatively, sharing more, laughing when I want to. When I began to acknowledge my accomplishments I started to feel better about myself.
Saying Hello
Now it’s time to sit by yourself and think about what you’re craving in the New Year. What it is you want to feel in the year ahead. In your career, love life, family life, alone. What role models are out there that you want to emulate? Think of how you want to feel and then think of the actions you can take to get yourself there.
On a piece of paper, again divide your life into categories. Write down the feelings you want to feel – energy, partnership, financial freedom, authenticity, passion – then write what action you can take to feel that way.
The point is to get us excited about the possibilities of the New Year. To get us pumped about starting anew, making different choices. And what better way to begin then with cultivating all the feelings you want to feel for the year ahead.
Part Three
Keep the feelings chart close to you at work, at home, where you can see it. When you start to feel blah, pick it up and read it over. If anything, it makes you stop for a minute to think about your life and how each moment is a choice. You can choose at any moment how you want to be in the world … It’s up to you!
I know that this year is going to be filled with laughter, dancing, creative abundance, and many magnificent surprises – better than could ever be expected. And I’m excited to share all of what’s to come with all of you.
Enjoy the moments ….. It’s all we have.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year
xx
Cynthia
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