A client of mine got laid off six months ago from a very lucrative position that offered him leadership and creative responsibility. Following the layoff he was grateful for his new-found downtime and even began to do some volunteer work in his community. Nonetheless, with the end of the year right around the corner he has started becoming very anxious and negative towards himself. We were clear that this anxiety was coming from the fact that he has not yet found a new position. We decided that we would review job search strategies and make some new choices in support of his landing a new role in 2009. However, I encouraged him to engage in consciously completing 2008 by acknowledging what he had accomplished and what he had to be grateful for.
He was able to identify some accomplishments that he was proud of both at work before his lay off, his volunteer work and more. He also knows he has a lot to be grateful for, including the family that he is spending the holidays with. In addition to allowing him to honor himself for his accomplishments this exercise also helped him shift away from the slippery negative slope he was about to get on, which will support him in manifesting his dreams for 2009.
I know how easy it is to ambitiously dive into new opportunities. Many of you (and me) are thinking about the New Year and what you want to accomplish. You are aggressively mapping new visions as you anxiously await opportunities that 2009 will bring. Tapping into the power of your imagination and mapping visions well in advance is critical to turning dreams and intentions into reality. However, many of you will sacrifice being fully present to another year ending as you do this, which as visible in my client's example, is a disservice to you and the ones you love.
It is imperative that in consciousness and presence you end with the end in mind before jumping into new action plans for 2009. What I mean by this is that you fully acknowledge the completion of 2008. This will support you in clearing the past and any regrets you may be harboring, which will help to empower your new visions.
I am offering three tips to help you remain conscious and present; and powerfully complete 2008.
1. Accomplishments
Before the New Year arrives I encourage you to take the time to make a list of all your accomplishments in the past year. When you have made the list, acknowledge yourself. Take a few moments to congratulate yourself and really honor yourself for your accomplishments. I know I could easily end the year bummed out thinking I hadn't accomplished enough. However, whenever I consciously engage in this exercise I always discover that I have not given myself enough credit for all that I did accomplish.
2. Gratitude
Before the year completes make a list of what it is you have been truly grateful for in the past year. You can be grateful for adversity and joy. More often than not there are great lessons that only come through our adverse experiences. In December of 2007 I was laid off from my last full time corporate position. Up until this layoff my coaching, seminar work, and writing had always been part time. It was this layoff that facilitated my decision to pursue my love and enthusiasm for this work full time. As a result, I can honestly say that my lay off was a gift. I am truly grateful. I believe it was this lay off that helped pave the way for my achievements in 2008. I encourage you to look for the gifts in your life whether from adversity or joy and to step fully into gratitude before 2008 is over.
3. Letting go and calling forth
Make a list of what it is you intend to let go of, therefore, leave in 2008. In addition, make a list of what it is you intend to call forth in your life in the New Year. I suggest creating these lists separately. When you are complete with the lists and have read them I encourage you to burn your "letting go" list. For instance, perhaps one of the qualities you want to leave in the past year is procrastination. As you let go of procrastination, perhaps in 2009 you are choosing to call forth the qualities of joy and inspiration. I am grateful that as 2007 ended I chose to consciously let go of the job from which I had just been laid off, including regrets and judgments I was harboring. I called forth new, great opportunities known and unknown. As stated above, I have had a fruitful year following my heart and sharing my gifts. My wish is the same for you in 2009.
These three simple exercises are a powerful way to complete the year in full awareness. They will support you in experiencing gratitude for the gifts and lessons that come from both adverse and joyful circumstances. In addition, this kind of completion will allow you to enter 2009 with velocity and clarity about what you intend to create next year.
****************************************************************************************************************
Learn more about Jason and A.C.T.ion Centered Transformationat www.jmannino.com and sign up for free newsletter and e-books.