The year 2021 is coming to an end in rocket speed.
The world as we have known it has been going through massive transitions in the last years. Poverty, social inequality, the pandemic, climate crisis, etc are global events that are changing the way we live and work.
You may have also been through personal changes. You may have changed your job or started a family. Some are getting divorced or immigrating to a new country.
In this article, I would like to share with you the end of the year reflections I use in my coaching sessions and of the year workshop. These help to draw all your learnings from this year and to start the next one intentionally.
Why we feel pressure at the end of the year
Emotions can heighten during the holiday season. For example, you may feel more lonely than usual or feel depressed because of the low daylight exposure. If you are sensitive, you may experience the pressure to be in a mindset of peace and harmony. In reality, this might be shadowed by illness, unmet expectations and conflict in families. Similarly, you may have exponential to dos and work commitments before closing the year.
Hit the PAUSE bottom
If you feel the collective worries and anxiety, cut yourself some slack this month.
Switch to your deliberate, slow, conscious thinking by pressing the pause button. Take a moment to acknowledge yourself for making it through this year, or even thriving in the midst of chaos. Acknowledge all the times when you have overcome challenging moments in the past.
Don’t sit and wait around for some else to take decisions for you
We can easily shift to survival mode when things get stressful and just run through our day-to-day life. Don’t skip your new year’s reflection because you don’t have time. You take an opportunity away from yourself to learn from your experiences and proactively shape your future.
With all the doom and gloom in our world, action is needed more than ever. Don’t wait for someone or life to make decisions and callings for you. Focus on what is within your control. How you start your day and how you take care of your mental, physical and emotional needs. The people you socialize with, the media you consume, the amount of time and other resources you invest into the change you want to see in this world. In this article, I share how you can redirect your energy and make effective changes if you focus on your Circles of Control.
How to look back at your year
When looking back at your year, take time to write down your reflections. Writing things down enables a higher level of thinking, and therefore, more focused action. Instead of focusing on setting blurry new year’s resolutions that you will forget about by mid- January (lose weight, better work-life balance, …) make time to consciously reflect on this year and your lessons learned first.
Important is that you get out of your monkey head and into your body and heart. You can do this by listening to inspiring music, creating a nice atmosphere, e.g. lightening a candle, breathing deeply and being still.
Here are some journal questions that can help you get more in-depth insights of what has been truly going on in all areas of your work life (health, personal and professional growth, finances, relationships, recreation, ..):
Start setting conscious intentions for the next year
You can start setting intentions for the next year by connecting to your most courageous and true self. You can do this through being in stillness, connecting with your heart and writing down your personal vision.
What are your dreams for work and play this year?
Where are you hungry for change?
How do you want 2022 to feel?
What will you say NO to?
Ask yourself “What if I wasn't afraid of change, uncertainty and trusting myself? What would I decide and do? Don’t engage with your inner critic at this point. Set yourself free from self-sabotage and worst-case scenarios just for a couple of minutes. Here is a guideline I wrote on the most common inner critics that can help you do that. Where do you want to be at the end of 2022, what do you want to look at? Be honest with yourself and be bold.
It helps me to look at my values and choose my top value that I want to truly embody in my every day in the next year. If you don’t know what your top values are, you can take inventory with the step-by-step activities described here.
What would it look like if you embody your most important value at work, in your relationships, etc? How would you feel? What would you keep doing or do differently?
Take action
As the next step, you can identify intentions for each area of your life and write down the steps you will take to ensure it happens. Share your intentions with a friend, mentor or accountability partner. Work with your calendar to make sure you have planned concrete action and also time to review your intentions, monthly or quarterly.
I hope these suggestions will help you to take time for end of the year reflections, acknowledging and forgiving yourself. I hope it inspires you to take responsibility for how the next months of your work life will unfold.
Would you like to receive support and courage to take the right steps that are aligned with your purpose? Do you dream to become a more truthful and impactful woman in your work life? Then please get in touch with me for a free initial consultation. Through it, we get to know each other, discuss your intentions and how I can support you best.
I wish you a blessed New Year 2022!