December 16, 2008

Goodbye 2008   Goodbye.  Good Riddance!  I'll miss you.  Thanks for the memories.  Wow, what a ride!  Adios.    Say it however you want, 2008 is coming to an end.   How do you feel about the closing of the year?  Good, bad, ecstatic, indifferent, frustrated, pumped, let down...?    It's reflection time.  Time to look at the past year by asking yourself these questions:   What specific 2008 goals did I reach? Which goals did I not reach?  Why? What were my greatest challenges? How did I meet those challenges? What were my greatest lessons learned that will help me move forward in 2009? What worked really well in my life? What didn't?  What needs improvement? What am I most proud of? What am I least proud of? Am I winning, losing, or just holding on? Is there any unfinished business I must take care of? What am I grateful for? How did I stop myself from having a great year?  Am I healthier, wiser, wealthier, and happier than I was last year? What habits/behaviors do I need to change to ensure future success? How is my attitude and how has that contributed to my success this past year?   Pick one question a day for the next few weeks and find a quiet place to sit down and reflect.  Write your thoughts down in a journal or notebook and use them as a guide to help you plan ahead for the New Year.    Say goodbye to 2008 and get ready to say hello to 2009.     P.S.  Don't forget to recognize and celebrate the good times you had in 2008!!     "And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come.  Because, most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings and the celebration of life."             Taylor Addison,BlueMountainArts   "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."             Hal Borland   "For last year's words belong to last year's language And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning."             T.S. Eliot     Another year is coming to an end and it is beneficial to reflect back on all that has transpired, and yes, even on that which never did come to fruition.  I am no different than you.  I have accomplished much, have several irons in the fire, and yet fell short on several of the goals I set for myself.  I'll be answering those questions above and coming up with strategies that will put me in position to have a fantastic 2009.   Are you feeling guilty about what didn't happen in 2008?  Furthermore, does guilt get the best of you much of the time?  Read "I Feel Guilty...Oh So Guilty", my latestMentor's Mind Column. Don't let guilt infect your 2009.    I am taking a few weeks off for the holidays.  The Balance Beam will return on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 with thoughts for the New Year.   Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all of my readers.  You inspire me to inspire you.   Have a fantastic few weeks as you say goodbye to 2008.   Stephanie       We grow by "word-of-email" so please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone whom you think might benefit from and enjoy it. Thanks so much! Contact Us: stephanie@7steps2abalancedlife.com