Navigating the year-end transition
/
As we head into the last two weeks of the year, you may feel drawn to look back, or eager to look ahead, and maybe both.
Whether this has been a year to cherish or a year you are eager to leave behind, you surely have meaningful opportunities for insight.
You choose the lens
Let’s first consider reflecting back on 2023 — which I suggested in my last post.
Looking back can reveal a lot for us, and can help us look ahead with clarity and intention for the year we want to live after the calendar turns on New Years Day.
All of us can spot times when things went well. It is important to recall things we took pride in and things to celebrate.
And, all of us can spot times of challenge, disappointment, pain or frustration.
It's in reflecting on the challenges that we get a choice about the lens through which we want to process them.
If you choose a lens of regret you may beat yourself up for not doing better or for having made poor decisions — leaving you with a sinking sensation, or worse.
If, instead, you choose to look at unfortunate events of the past year through the lens of observing lessons learned, or recognizing ways you moved ahead, you may well be able to feel gratitude for positive aspects of those events.
Perhaps you will see that you were resilient.
Perhaps you can appreciate your strength.
Can you spot creativity in ways you thought about paths forward, or ways you approached a situation?
A focus on gratitude sets you up for success
When you choose to look through the lens of gratitude, for both the great things and the ways you dealt with difficulties, you fill yourself with positivity.
The energy you feel when you can appreciate the full spectrum of your experiences is powerful. And that energy will support you to think and feel differently as you look ahead to 2024.
Try this next
Pull up your calendar and set aside a little time for yourself to look back, and look ahead. You may want to do this with a buddy, you may want to schedule two sessions — one for looking back and one for looking ahead. You may want to do this in a place you especially enjoy, like a cozy cafe or a comfy chair.
Any way that works for you is great.
It is helpful to scan your 2023 calendar and note the things that jump out to you. There are likely to be highlights you did not acknowledge, or special things that you lost track of. Jot them all down.
And jot down the rough stuff, too. There may be big ones you are thinking of now, and you may well see some reminders of smaller challenges that offer insights when you think about how you responded, overcame obstacles, or found solutions.
With all of the discovery noted, its time to do some writing about the outcomes in 2023 you can appreciate and savor.
And then it is time to look ahead to the fresh new year on the horizon.
What dreams do you want to pursue? How do you want to show up
Consider questions like these:
What qualities in yourself will you leverage in new ways?
Do you yearn to lead more boldly?
Do you want to be more compassionate (to yourself and/or others)?
Are you ready to stop doing something the way you have in the past?
Does it feel like time to try something big or new?
Write about all of the thoughts and ideas that come to mind, without evaluating or judging them, or thinking about how to do any of those things. (There will be time for those questions soon enough.)
Give yourself the gift of time to dream
In this season of gift-giving, spending time to dream is a precious gift you can give yourself.
Let yourself dream big about the life you want to create in 2024!
It does take any more energy to dream a big dream than a small one. Honor yourself and the desires in your heart, and declare your dreams!
I am dreaming about a year filled with more love, abundant peace, and women (and men!) everywhere living their dreams.
We can collectively bringing more greatness into the world as we all create in meaningful ways. This world needs all of us to show up and live our biggest,best lives.
