Reflection

"Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand that things that lie ahead." ~Yvonne Woon

It’s so easy in our daily lives to feel like we don’t get enough done.  We have kids to take care of, we have “to do” lists a mile long, we have to go to work, some people have businesses that they also do on the side, or maybe your business is full time.  When you’re in the day-to-day of just living life – maybe even you feel like you’re just trying to get through the day – it’s not easy to take a moment and reflect upon the things you did accomplish.

At the beginning of last year I did take some time to reflect on the previous year.  I’ll do the same this year.  I actually took time at the halfway point of this year to see where I was.  I was amazed to actually see many of the things I wanted to achieve I actually did achieve at 6 months.  Goals I had set had been accomplished.  Or, if they hadn’t been accomplished, I had gotten a lot further on it than I realized.

I had made a list of 100 things I wanted to accomplish in 2012.  Without looking at the list – honestly, I don’t think that I did look at the list in 6 months – I had done many of the things on the list.  Even though a lot of them didn’t appear on my day-to-day “to do” list, I found myself marking them complete.

I got extreme satisfaction in this.  It made me feel so much more like I am moving in the right direction and that I am getting closer and closer to living my life in the way I want and doing the things I want to do.

Had I not taken these few precious moments to reflect upon it, I probably wouldn’t have even realized.  I probably would keep pushing forward as usual, but without realizing the satisfaction of completing so many of my goals.

I want to give credit where credit is due.  Although I usually make “Resolutions” each New Year, I never really thought about completing the previous year in this way.  I love the fresh new start of a fresh new year and usually am hurried and happy to get on with the next year and put the past year in the past.  But last year I got the Create Your Incredible Year Workbook and Calendar fromLeonie Dawson and it gave me this different perspective.

I haven’t yet started on this year’s workbook.  I’m not quite ready to put 2012 to rest yet, but I do have it all ready to go when I am ready.  I wanted to bring it to your attention in case you are craving a peaceful time to reflect and put 2012 to rest. 

Of course, planning for 2013 is also a big part of the workbook.  I have heard it again and again from other women who have also used the workbook that if you just set the intention for your goals, they start to – almost magically – start to come true.  Even without you actively thinking about them!  When you look back at your list of 100 things you want to do this year, so many of them are done.  (And you don’t have to make a list of 100.  Make a list of however many you want.)

I hope you take some time to reflect upon your year and make some goals for next year sometime soon.  I wrote a post on my Emerging Tutorials blog about reflection with some ideas.  If you would like to check out Create Your Incredible Year, click here.  There’s a life version and a business version or a combo pack.  (I got the combo pack!  This is the first year for the business version!)  (Oh, and feel free to take advantage of the deal I have at the end of the post here!  I'm offering free tutorials when you purchase the planner, workbook and calendars!  Or join the goddess circle!)

I hope you have a safe and happy holiday!  And a beautiful new year!!