End-of-Year Review

The definition of year includes 12 months. While the suggestion is that January is month one and December is month twelve, consider:

  • Does your personal cycle have 12 months? More? Less?
  • Does your personal cycle begin with January and end with December?

It occurs to me to that this year, 2021, may call for something entirely different.  Everyone across the globe has been impacted for nearly two calendar years now by the pandemic. We spent the better part of the first year in much uncertainty as scientists were trying to understand it. And this calendar year, with the creation of the vaccines, we’ve had to grapple with the safety of the vaccine as well as the need for ongoing mitigation tools such as masks and social distancing. Then of course there are the variants.

So … in addition to what follows as a helpful annual review process, you may consider a time-frame  which resembles pre-pandemic – pre-vaccine – now, and ask yourself:

  • Who am I? Consider all aspects of your body, mind, spirit, heart.
  • How have I changed?
  • How have I expanded? Contracted?
  • How have I been more fearful?
  • How have I been freed from fear in the wake and acceptance of so much uncertainty?

If now, December, is your time to do an annual review, then mark your calendar for a minimum of two hours, maximum of 4-8 or maybe an entire weekend to do your personal year-end, year-begin process.


Why do a year-end review?

As your personal calendar year draws to a close, I’d like to invite you into a very intentional pause – a pause to reflect, release, soak up the learning, and set intention. Think about this statement:

Today is merely the sum of past choices.
If that is true, then we need to look first at what is and how we got here. Then, we decide if “here” is where we want to stay and, if not, vision where we want to “go”. Finally, we set the course for the journey ahead. Notice that we don’t dwell in the past. We look at it in order to get a clear picture of how we arrived in today so we can make informed choices about tomorrow.

Ready?


Step One: What is present now?

First, we’ll begin by noticing what is present now. Take a few moments to get quiet, become still. If you meditate, consider using meditation before each step of this process.

What do your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies reflect?


Step Two: How did you get here?

Take a look at the year just ending and ask:

What did you do?
Who did you spend time with?
What habits did you practice?
What did you avoid?
In what ways did you honor your personal core values?
In what ways did old belief systems, inner gremlins, take charge and divert you from your intentions?
What breakthroughs happened?
What accomplishments are you celebrating?
In what ways did you let your unique essence shine in the world?
 

Refer back to your daily planner, if it would help, to jog your memory!


Step Three: What will be different?

Third, what do you want to be different one year from now? Pretend it is 12 months down the road. Answer that first question again:

What do your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies reflect?
 

You may even with to write a letter from your future self describing in rich detail what it feels like “now”.


Step Four: Get clarity on the year ahead

Finally, use any of the inspiration cards you’ll find HERE or HERE to assist you in clarifying your action steps for the upcoming year. Then …

If there was a single overriding theme for the year ahead of you, what would it be? Create a statement:

2022: The year I ______ for the sake of _____.
2022: The year I say YES to new opportunities for the sake of my fully empowered self!
2022: The year I listen to my heart and soul truth for the sake of my growth.

With that theme in mind, consider breaking the year ahead into quarters or months, and create a simple focus, a stake for your personal life leadership, for each. Here are some examples:

2022-Q1: The quarter I love myself into full expression!
2022-Q2: The quarter I begin piano lessons.
2022-March: The month I courageously go on that silent retreat.
2022-June: The month I create a daily meditation practice in nature
2022-December: The month I connect to my inner self and share from gratitude in my relationships.

Mark your new year calendar with these simple, clear intentions and remind yourself daily as the year moves on.


Step Five: Enhance your support system for the year ahead

Consider whether life coaching would be the ultimate in support for your expansive life in the new year. My practice has room for two precious human beings who desire a deep dive into inner integrity and wholeness.