At this time of year, I'm always looking to pause, as though taking a breath before submerging myself into a new year.
In my 20s, I always prioritized pushing, doing, hustling.
I was convinced that if I ever stopped to take a breath, I would fall behind. Instead of thinking that I was walking a path, I felt like I was running up an escalator coming down and that if I ever paused, I would lose any of the momentum I had worked so hard to build.
You can imagine how well that turned out. Now in my 30s and on my second business venture, I am so grateful to have the "being" energy much more easily embedded into my day-to-day. And during this time period, I lean heavily into it to prepare for the following year. What do I do exactly? I come back to the following questions time and again, in this specific order:
1) What have I learned this year?
One of the most efficient ways of countering shame is by looking at things through the eyes of your inner student and trying to identify what lessons there are to learn in any given situation.
Recapping all of the lessons you can take away from the past year encourages you to embrace everything as something you can give yourself credit for.
You didn't collect failures, rejections, or NOs - you actually collected lessons - and this can be a really powerful part of a yearly reflection. 2) What am I most proud of?
We often find ourselves lost in the day to day, rarely taking the opportunity to savor our wins or celebrate our courage, so it's essential to give ourselves the opportunity to do just that.
Not only are you giving yourself the credit you deserve, but you're also building resonance with yourself, affirming parts of your identify by celebrating your values in specific moments.
3) What still feels challenging?
This question is key in helping clarify and zoom in on the areas that still need focus and energy.
It helps you name what feels hard, making it that much easier to be able to address it in the coming year.
As you pause and take your breath before closing out this year and entering the next, take some intentional moments to reflect on those questions.
And if you want more...
Join a powerful, virtual group on Saturday, December 17th, 2022 for this community coaching event with fellow freelancers, business owners, and creatives.
Together, we’ll dive deep into what you’ve learned from this past year, address what you’ve been avoiding, and create action-minded strategies to apply to your business as it enters a new year.