There are many things I love about the transition from one year to the next. I remember when I was 7 years old and, for the first time, my parent’s let me stay up to watch the ball drop. I thought that this was such a special occasion, it must be a once in a lifetime opportunity!
I have now watched the ball drop….countless times (a lady never reveals her age). While the excitement of that particular activity is no longer awe inspiring, the magic of transitioning into a new year continues to be there for me.
It’s About Reflection
What I love about New Years is that it provides a consistent time for me to reflect and look back at the previous year. For many of us, we’re so fixed in our future orientation that we forget to look in the rearview mirror at all the ground we’ve covered. It’s quite powerful to compare your past as a snapshot in time with your present.
Reflection helps us realize how far we’ve traveled and how much has changed! Plus it lends itself nicely to pondering what’s next.
It’s About Looking at the Big Picture
The other nice thing about New Years is that it provides a choice opportunity to look at the big picture of your life, business, career, etc. Once you’ve reflected on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come, it’s nice to then consider how all of that will get you to where you’re going.
January is named after Janus. He has two faces, 1 for looking forward & 1 for looking backward
What do you want to continue? What do you want to stop? What’s missing, the presence of which would make a difference? And what are you going to do to make it happen (not just today, not only tomorrow but over the next year)?
It’s Not About New Years Resolutions
What I don’t love about this transition are the New Year’s resolutions. Don’t get me wrong, I am a goal setter. I love setting my sights on some future outcome I so desire, and celebrating the moment that intention becomes a reality.
The problem is that New Years’ resolutions are emotion filled declarations intended to assuage guilt and give people a false sense of “control” over their life. I know, I’ve been there! I have set stupid resolutions, overly ambitious ones, I’ve even set the good old 3 pack punch (eating healthier, exercising more and procrastinating less)….all because I was filled with this deep seeded desire to “do something.”
Well, New Years Resolutions are not action. Either you’re vested in actively setting new intentions and achieving them or you’re coasting. Passively letting life slip by you with the occasional, feeble attempt at getting in the driver’s seat once again. And if you’re proactively making your life what you want it then you know it doesn’t matter whether it’s January 1st or July 21st. If you desire to make a change you can set your intentions to accomplish that at any point in the year.
So I ask you. Are you going to enjoy the magic of the New Year as an opportunity to further your continuous efforts to create the life you want? Or are you going to let this moment be like a bouquet of flowers? Beautiful for a week but soon dead and forgotten.
Do you have a plan for 2014? Join us for a hands-on workshop on January 11 and you’ll walk away with a road map for making 2014 a breakthrough year! More information and registration online.