A time to Celebrate the old and prepare for the new 2023 year.
We are coming toward the end of the year, but we all have the Christmas season’s busyness ahead of us! As we approach the end of this year most of us shift our attention to the next. Not so fast.
That strategic planning is great, but do not move forward without making time for a critical, and often forgotten key to growth: reflection.
Whether you are in your busiest business period, or the quietest period with family holidays to organise, most of us will spend time reflecting on the past year during the next month.
“Sometimes the most important thing is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
Etty Hillesum
Regardless of how last year went, you will have learned more than you knew the previous year. It would be a big mistake to break for the holidays without having mined this year’s successes and challenges for insights you can carry forward.
Here is a simple process you might consider for your reflections.
Take an hour or even half a day, a notepad or A3 sheet of paper, or even a new Planner, plus a quiet space in your life. Plus, a good cuppa or glass of wine!
Acknowledge, Reflect and Prepare
Acknowledge: What new opportunities or problems did the year create? Write down your thoughts on the successes or challenges that 2022 has brought? Take this opportunity to look back at what has been done well and why. What have you achieved, and what have you overcome? What almost worked but not quite? Are there any patterns in behaviour or outcomes? Are you being honest with yourself? Acknowledge your successes and give them a place in your business life notebook. It is about acknowledging the contribution your efforts make to yourself, your staff, and your business. Give yourself (and your team) a pat on the back for those achievements. Without acknowledging achievements and the little successes, we are not acknowledging our self-worth – it is what motivates us to pursue our future goals next year.
Reflect: What Happened? Take the time to look at the good, bad, and ugly of 2022. What have you learned? Who have you met? What will you try again, and what do you need to try again? How did you go with your strategies for 2022? Did you achieve your targets? Did you create anything new and exciting? Am I being realistic and Honest? We learn from our reflections on our experiences, and even other people’s experiences within your business, so even ask some customers or your family for their input. Write everything down (that way you can go back and reflect on it at a later stage) – even make your reflections into lists of “The Good,” “The Bad” and the “Ok”
“The Best view comes after the hardest climb.”
Prepare for 2023. What can I do different in the coming year? Start your new year with hopes of different opportunities. Be creative and Dream Big. Jot down things you would really like to achieve, learn, or do. Think about your life and your business and write down the big and the small. What type of clients do I want to work with this year? What projects do I want to take on this year? Is my health getting in the way of my business? Should I get fitter to help not only my physical means but my mental one as well? Do I want to allocate more time towards my family and hire help? Should I get professional help to further my business? Are my Finances in order and do I understand what they mean? Make them into SMART goals. You may not want to do this on your own so contact Helen or you might like to try our Boost your success for 2023 program.
“If you want something you have never had, then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.”
Wishing you all the absolute best for a well-earned Christmas break with your family and friends.
HOLIDAY PROGRAM OFFER:
Boost your success for 2023.
30-Day Program: Online, Limited numbers PHONE NOW Ph 0418 769 531
Helen Cowley
