Every year, just before my birthday, I find myself reflecting back on the year behind me, as well as looking forward to the year ahead. I think it's always a good idea to take time out once in a while and pat yourself on the back for things you've done well and goals you've reached... sort of like giving yourself your own "performance review".
The trick is to stay focused on the positives -- because we're already much too good at being down on ourselves for what we're NOT accomplishing. How often do you stop to celebrate your achievements? How often do you give yourself an "attaboy/attagirl" for doing something and doing it WELL? I think birthdays are a natural time to celebrate not only your life, but the ways in which you are living your life successfully (by your own standards of success, of course).
Thinking back to what was doing -- and even more importantly, who I was being -- during the past 12 months:
- I took regular weekly French lessons to support my goal of becoming more fluent in the language, since I plan to move to France.
- I made some major decisions about where I want to go, professionally. This required a lot of honest soul-searching on my part and a willingness to let go of things that simply were not working well.
- As a result of those decisions, I cut my coaching practice down to a limit of no more than 5 clients -- and high-calibre clients who I truly look forward to coaching. Currently I have 3 such wonderful clients, which is perfect.
- I decided to put more energy into freelance writing with web design as my second area of focus, and I launched myself as a freelance writer, complete with fresh new web site.
- I started getting paid for freelance writing and copyediting work, which is beginning to grow in recent months.
- I learned to ask for help when I needed it - never an easy thing for me.
- I did a great job of surrounding myself with unconditionally supportive friends and colleagues.
- I decided to make a transitional move to share living space with my mother and to put most of my things in storage... so that when I am ready to move to Paris I will be able to do so very easily.
- I started two new blogs (here's the other one) and continued with my two newsletters (here's one; here's the other) -- so I am doing some of my own writing almost daily and becoming a bit more disciplined with my writing.
- I know I helped people. I know I supported people well through my work, and through my friendship. I know there were many times when I got the chance to make a difference in some way.
As I think about it more and more, there are other accomplishments I could add to this list. Some of them might seem like small things to an outsider, but they are significant to me -- things that have to do with internal changes, attitude adjustments, and shifts in perspective. Those are the things that aren't visible to others but which make themselves felt very strongly within -- and those are the subtle changes that allow for the big OUTWARD changes to happen.
Whether or not you are celebrating a birthday this month... take a little time today and think about the past year of your life. What have you done that you are proud of? Did you learn a new skill? Make a new friend? Fall in love with someone wonderful? Get a new job? Start a business? Get into a smaller clothing size after a lot of hard work to reshape your body? Get a great new haircut that made you feel fabulous? Take a trip to somewhere you'd never been before? Take a risk? Tried something new?
Whatever your accomplishments, they are worth celebrating. Have a "party for one", do something special, and take the time to acknowledge yourself for your efforts!
