The Closing of a Year and a Decade – December 16, 2019

This is the time of year when our minds tend to wander into the future. We write goals, make plans and set resolutions (by the way, I am not a fan of resolutions; I prefer “intentions,” which I will write about in my next blog post).

Before jumping right into 2020, let’s take a moment to thoughtfully reflect on 2019. This year marks a particularly special transition because it is the end of a decade, which in my mind, calls for even more self-reflection.

Celebrate the Person You have Become

You are not the same person you were in December of 2009. I know I’m not. In 2009, I had a 3-year-old running around, had just moved across the country and I was only six months into a new job.  Today, my son is 13, I’m four years into running my own business and I found a level of courage I never knew I had. My world could not look more different.

Where were you, and who were you, in December 2009? It’s worth taking a look back to recognize and honor your growth, and to celebrate the person you have become.

Look at What’s Working

Sometimes when we look back, what immediately comes up are all the things we wanted to accomplish or create and weren’t able to or didn’t for whatever reason. This is normal, and those things should be acknowledged… and I always like to steer people toward noticing what is going right and the wonderful things they have created.

Maybe you hoped to be healthier, or be in a new relationship, or to land a new job or become a parent. The pain that can sometimes accompany what may feel like a loss in those areas is valid and should be acknowledged. There is a period of grieving that we all must go through in order to move from one vision of the life you thought you would lead and become fully present to the life that you actually have.

All that said and acknowledged, I invite you to have grace with yourself and look for what is good. Even if you are not where you hoped to be right now, celebrate what you did do. Focus on what is right with your life whether it’s your personal or professional growth, your relationships, or the opportunities you did go after.

Here are some reflective questions to help get you started:

• What are you most proud of in the last year? In the last ten years?

  
  

• What are the top five things you are most grateful for now? What do these things bring to your life?

  
  

• What do you want to be better or different than it is today? What’s important to you about what you chose?

  
  

• What do you want to let go of as you transition into a new year and a new decade?

  
  

I invite you not to move too fast and enjoy the process of answering these questions.

In my next blog, I’m going to talk about setting goals and intentions for 2020. In the meantime, I’d love to hear about the things that went well for you this decade!

Photo Source: Chiropractics Economics