In my December Working with Wisdom newsletter, I encouraged readers to delay writing their New Year’s resolutions until they had written their 2009 success list. Why? Because you’re much more likely to be focused and confident that you can achieve new goals when you first acknowledge and celebrate your past accomplishments. Few of us take the time to do that.
Start by making room by writing numbers one through 20 down the left margin of your paper so you’ll list at least 20 successes. Consider what you’re most proud of this year, including family and friends, health, work, finances and fun. Then, go deeper to the lessons learned and gifts that come from disappointments and setbacks. Once your list is complete, share it with those you trust and encourage them to do the same. Celebrate all you’ve accomplished. Now you’re ready to write your resolutions!
The successes on my list include improving my Working with Wisdom website, launching my short-term, one-on-one Wisdom Mentoring for Entrepreneurs program, creating an 11-part webinar series called “Working with Wisdom for Project Managers” for PDUs2Go, losing my excess weight and spending nearly two months at the beach. What are some of your successes this year?
Dear Tricia:
From the foot of Mount Fuji, Japan, thank you for this very positive approach to reviewing the year. Too often we berate ourselves for what we didn’t do and where we fell short. We focus only on our shortcomings and downplay our accomplishments. A list like this shows us that we are doing just fine in so many ways. And while we are at it, why not go outside, weather permitting, and let nature remind us that each moment of our lives we are naturally nurtured and sustained in an intelligent and loving universe that supports our existence. In 2009 I can congratulate myself that my Japanese publishing company Energy Doorways, small in size but big on energy, released a pioneering book in Japanese on energy medicine. I look forward to opportunities and challenges in 2010. Happy New Year to you, too, and thank you for your post!
Thanks for replying, Catrien, and best wishes on Energy Doorways!