Welcome back on day 2 of this 7-day series of review, reflection and resolutions! I’m honored to have you join me! In case you missed day 1, click here to catch up.
Working off yesterday’s prompts, I’m going to go through the review questions myself and then offer us a few more questions for tonight. Let’s get right to it!
What worked in 2013?
:: What felt successful about 2013?
I don’t know about you, but this question just makes me feel better. I’m used to measuring the end of the year by what’s not finished or what’s been left undone. Looking back at this year to consider my successes made me feel wonderful. Here’s what made me feel successful about 2013:
- Adjusting after a major transition. I came home to Virginia from New Zealand this year and moved into a lovely new house (manifesting this far-reaching visualization – another success).
- I co-launched a new e-course for small business owners (Build a Better Creative Business), and it was a great success in its first year.
- I created Your Best Year and the print version made it to the best-sellers list in its category on Amazon.com! Overall, that little project has been a major success.
- I took time off when I needed it most. I only worked for about six months this year, and I made almost as much as I have in a full-working year in the past. This feels like success on so many levels for me: that I valued my wellbeing more than my professional to-do list, that I put my family first when they needed me the most, and that my income is ever-increasing.
The next answer covers both of the following questions:
:: What actions did you take | skills did you learn | new beliefs did you adopt to make that success happen?
:: What did you learn | grow | change about yourself in 2013?
The first thing that comes to mind is how I’m changing my ability to turn off and relax. My entire family is home on vacation (an after-Christmas stay-cation, if you will) and we’re all moseying around the house doing our own thing. Here’s a true story:
I’m trying to break a habit of using alcohol + reality TV to shut down my busy mind for the day. Don’t get me wrong: I still love my Housewives. But, they don’t fill a whole evening which leads me to channel-surfing the rest of the junk on TV. There’s no nutrition in channel-surfing reality shows I don’t care about over a few glasses of wine, but that’s what I’ve been doing these last few months. I wake the next day feeling bloated and dull rather than rested and reinvigorated, and that’s gross.
Typically for Christmas, I ask for and receive a stack of business and motivation books a mile high. Full disclosure: I always reprimand myself for working on Christmas Day because I can’t wait to tear into all the new materials.
This year was no different, and I’m not sorry. The truth is, I love this shit. But I knew this at-home stay-cation would turn into all work and no play if I didn’t actively make some different choices. I figured getting back into some leisurely fiction-reading might help, so I wish-listed Doctor Sleep.
Yesterday, I spent the whole day in bed with Stephen King. That’s not what’s interesting, though. What’s interesting is that I was somewhat of a nervous wreck about using up that much relaxation on my perfectly healthy and capable self. Now mind you, my whole family was using the day to zone out and do their own thing, but I was the only one internally fussing about it.
I hopped around my husband, are you sure you don’t need anything before I go back to bed with my novel? I circled my kids, what are you guys doing? Is everything okay? And the truth of the matter is, I was interrupting their relaxation to get permission to enjoy what everyone else was already enjoying.
Mid-day, I realized I had an issue. The last time I’d had a day in bed with a book, I was miserable with the flu. Full disclosure: I secretly love the flu because, up until I learned this about myself just yesterday, it was the only time I felt fully justified to just be and do whatever I wanted with my time. The flu gives me permission to turn off.
I had a belief that, unless I desperately needed it, I wasn’t worthy of taking pure leisure time for myself, by myself. I’m happy to release that idea going into 2014.
My Doctor Sleep story sums up my most successful lessons of the year: self-care is important. I took actions, learned new skills, and (just yesterday) adopted new beliefs that would benefit me and my quality of life next year.
:: Who supported you? What or who encouraged your success?
My husband – #1. He backs me 1,000 percent with sincerity and honest encouragement. I love that about him.
My blogger friends (Tom and Megan at Create Hype, Kerri of Handmade Success, Bonnie of Going Home to Roost, Tracy and Robin of Flourish and Thrive, Jess of Create & Thrive) and my course partnership with Tim Adam (Handmadeology) were also sources of major support and inspiration this year.
:: What was time very well spent this year?
Your Best Year was hugely worth the time it took to create it. It combines my love of business with my love of planning and reflection. I’ve had a smile on my face ever since I released it 🙂
:: What’s your greatest memory of 2013?
The time my children and I met my husband at Dulles airport after seven weeks apart. That was a really good day.
What didn’t work in 2013?
Next, it’s time to identify what needs fixing or rearranging in your life. Here are a few journal prompts to run with:
- What felt like a waste of time or energy in 2013? If you feel any mistakes were made, list them here.
- Are you currently still involved with this activity | person | situation? If so, how does it make you feel? How would you like to see it changed? If not, how does the break make you feel? What activity | person | situation might have replaced it?
- Who held you back this year? What or whom made you shrink into yourself or defend your dreams?
- How did you hold yourself back this year? What beliefs | ideas | excuses did you use that stopped you from pushing forward?
- What was your biggest obstacle or worst setback of 2013?
Ready to continue?
:: Day 3
