Four
years ago at this time, I wrote about the process I go through at the end of
each year, which I call “Closing the year”. A lot of people wrote in saying
how much they appreciated the process, so I reprinted it the following year,
and the year after that… Taking a few minutes to go through this powerful
process is a gift you can give yourself today.
It’s
December, and soon it will be the end of 2008. The New Year is a time when
people often look back at what they’ve accomplished and learned, and look
forward to the year ahead. Once I’ve written this tip and sent a few emails,
I’m going to go through a process I do every year, a process I thought I’d
share with you.
The
process is what I call “Closing the year”, and it’s a simple ritual that
helps me to really enjoy my time off, and to go into the new year with
maximum energy. I suggest that you do it when you finish work for 2008. I
spend 5 or 10 minutes doing each of the following steps:
1)
Brainstorm all the things you’ve accomplished this year, the memorable
experiences you’ve had, and everything you’re grateful for. Spend a few
minutes making a list of everything you’ve managed to achieve. Use a pen &
paper for maximum effect (this process is most effective when you actually
do it J)
You might
be surprised at just how much you’ve accomplished in twelve months (if you
are saying “I haven’t accomplished anything”, I’d challenge you – at the
very least, you have survived. I expect that as you think about it, you’ll
realise that you’ve accomplished much more than that!)
2)
Next, brainstorm the things you no longer want in your life; make a
list of the things you’d like to leave behind.
We all have
things in our lives that are past their ‘use by’ date. Physical objects,
unhelpful habits, limiting beliefs, thought patterns that hurt, people we no
longer wish to spend time with, etc.
3) Think
about your dreams for the future. What do you want to bring into your
life? What experiences would you like to enjoy? What new skills would you
like to learn? What would you like to do? How would you like to be? Make
notes, draw a picture or speak into a tape recorder to help you remember
your dreams.
Spend as
long as you like dreaming about the future you desire. If you don’t know
what you want, you can ask yourself the ‘miracle question’: “If there were a
miracle in the night, and when you woke up tomorrow, everything in your life
was exactly the way you’d like it to be, how would you know there’d been a
miracle? What would you see, feel and hear that would let you know a miracle
had taken place?
4)
Brainstorm the things you’d like to bring into your life. What are the
things, experiences, qualities, and ways of being you’d like to experience
more of in the future. Make a list of these.
These can
be quite general: Do you want to spend more time with your family? Get
fitter? Enjoy earning more money? Spend more time in the present moment?
List the things you’d like to attract into your life.
5) Make
a list of your goals for the year ahead. What would you like to
accomplish? What would you like to learn? What would you like to get? Who
would you like to meet?
There are
all sorts of claims made about the power of goal setting, but I’m going to
spare you the rhetoric. Instead, I’ll make a blindingly obvious point: you
have a much better chance of hitting a target when you know what it is.
Human neurology is goal-seeking, so get your unconscious on your side, and
make a list of what you’d like to achieve in 2009. (For more about setting
goals, go to the Salad archive -
http://www.saladltd.co.uk/archive.htm - Tips 1 & 2 are particular faves
of mine).
6)
Read through the your list of accomplishments and congratulate yourself
for them. Put this list (#1) on your left. Read through the list of things
you’d like to leave behind. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you feel
you’ve made, and put this list (#2) on your left also. Take the materials
relating to your dreams (#3), and place them in front of you. Review the
list of things you’d like to attract into your life, and put this list (#4)
on your right. Read through your goals for the year ahead, then put this
list (#5) on your right also (if you are left-handed, lists 1 & 2 on your
right and 4 & 5 on your left).
7)
Sit quietly for a few minutes. Imagine all the good feelings,
thoughts and energies from your accomplishments coming into your body (you
can visualise this as a stream of light, sparkling dust, or anything else
you imagine). Then become aware of any of your energy that’s tied up in the
things you want to let go of, and see it returning to your body. Look to
your dreams, attractions and goals: any of your energy that is tied up in
those (eg. in wishing or wanting) can also return to you in the present
moment. Notice how it’s possible for you to feel even better about those
dreams and goals when your energy is in the present.
A great
deal of people’s awareness is often wrapped up in wishes for the future, or
memories of the past. It’s great to have access to these dreams and
memories, but it’s also good to have our energy available to us in the
present moment.
8) Allow
yourself to be fully present in this moment. Become aware of the fact
that all your accomplishments and activities of the past year were
accomplished in an earlier present. Become aware of the fact that all your
future accomplishments and experiences will take place in a future present.
Really experience how it feels to be fully present (For more tips on getting
into the present moment, see
http://www.saladltd.co.uk/nlp_tip_55.htm ).
Relax,
and enjoy yourself!
Your friend
Jamie
Jamie Smart
