Three things to consider in moving into the New Year
As 2016 is ending and 2017 is quickly approaching I can’t help but notice the impact the end of the year is having not only on myself but also my friends, family, and clients. Ending this year and moving into the new year ahead is an opportunity to take some time for reflection. To help you reflect and prepare for the New Year here are three things to consider:
1. What was good about last year and what made it good?
I think it can be easy to think back over the last year and find some stuff that happened during the year that you are happy about- and maybe some of these moments were bigger than others. Taking a moment to focus on what you are grateful for can be centering in itself, but I believe it is also helpful to consider how the good things came to be good.
Ask yourself:
§ What did you do to contribute to it being good? It may come natural for you to overlook your own influence with the successes in your life.
Take time to give yourself a pat on the back.
§ What did others do to make a positive impact on your life? Look around you. Who is your support group? Who is a part of your village that helps you keep your head above water?
Take time to recognize your village and offer your thanks.
§ What external influences helped bring about the good? This may be a spiritual or opportunity based part for you. What resources did you seek out and lean on when needed?
Take time to make a mental note of the resources that served you. You may use them again.
2. What was bad about this year but then how did you persevere?
2016 was a challenging year for many and many people I have talked to in the last few weeks are beyond ready for 2017. The new year signifies a fresh start- a clean slate. If you look back on 2016 and are overwhelmed with all of the bad become curious about how you survived those experiences.
Ask yourself:
§ What kept you striving forward to where you are today? It may be tough to look inward to determine this right now but try.
You survived. Take a deep breath and acknowledge your resilience.
§ What innate survival skills kicked in just when you needed them? You may have felt weak in many moments but you pushed through.
You are strong. Take a moment to notice how strong you were when you felt weak.
3. How can you use this year's experiences to move into next year?
Looking back on this year’s experiences- good or bad- can help you determine what you want to keep doing and maybe what you want to change. I think it is also helpful to look at your current priorities to see if they are as balanced as you need and want them to be. The end of an old year and the beginning of a new year is an ideal time to reassess priorities and re-center.
Ask yourself:
§ How balanced are your priorities in life? To name a few: how balanced do you feel with your physical health, emotional health, professionally, socially, and in your spiritual life?
Take time to determine your priorities you want to focus on in 2017. Believe in yourself.
§ What needs shifting to get your priorities realigned? This may be the challenging part. And this is probably where those New Year’s resolutions come into play. Create a game plan and pace out the changes you want to make.
Be compassionate towards yourself and the new year ahead.
Whether 2016 was good or bad for you- you did it. And you will do it again in 2017. You got this.