It’s the final countdown to 2020! I don’t know about you, but it feels a little hard to believe this year is almost complete. Time just keeps going, seemingly faster and faster every year. We could go a little deeper on that topic, but I will keep it light today. As my brother, Brant, likes to say: “We are time traveling!”
If you’ve been reading the BZen Newsletter over the last year, you have seen my enthusiasm for reflecting on this life, our actions, our accomplishments, our failures. This time of year absolutely feels like an appropriate time to reflect upon the incredible 2019 we have had. I believe spending time during the Thanksgiving holiday is best for reflection, invoking feelings of gratitude and appreciation. I think December, while still being a wonderful time to reflect on the year, is best suited for planning ahead for the year to come.
I have a tendancy to sit into what I call ‘Default Mode’ which is essentially when I am reactive rather than proactive in my life. Perhaps I am coasting through the day, not finishing what I start, or just being lazy. My Default Mode does not serve my higher self whatsoever. Thankfully, I catch myself on occasion while I am in this mindset and propel myself forward into proaction. I believe the most important part of this process is having grace with the awareness.
When I am proactive, I get shit done. I plan my days, my week, and my life smooths out accordingly. This has seemed to be a task I can accomplish with ease, as long as I am future focused on what I desire. However, when I am in Default Mode, I find I don’t accomplish nearly as much as I would like or what I know I am capable of. From that point, I know I need to turn it around.
For me, this is the season it feels good to plan ahead for the upcoming year, and is definitely a beautiful time to reflect on all we have done in the past. I like to think about it a little bit differently. The end of the year can be an opportunity to combine the skills of planning and reflection. Let me explain.
As I sit and plan what I want to accomplish, the risks I am willing to take, or the desired outcomes I have for 2020, I have to think logically. Sitting with my calendar to have some visual reference for my finite time is helpful for this. I don’t want to ‘over-book’ myself. With my calendar, I can consider my upcoming business travels, workshops/masterminds, family vacations, etc. I can also set dates and times of when I will accomplish my goals by. Thinking ahead on all my accomplishments provides me the framework to make my goals of today specific, measurable, realistic, and time sensitive.
When my visual reference has served its purpose, it is time to bring in the emotional aspects of my planning. I am not talking about nerves, anxiety, fear, or confusion. The emotion I call forth is gratitude. Say out loud “Thank you, thank you, thank you” and feel how it vibrates in your body. That is the energy to bring forth when planning any accomplishment or success.
This year, when I make the time for myself to plan my 2020, I will be doing it from a mindset of appreciation and abundance. There are already big things in the works for Brittany and I, and I am already feeling the gratitude for what is to come. For example, I am so grateful at the opportunity to serve such beautiful souls at our upcoming retreat Belize With the Boersma’s. I am so proud of myself for my Life Coach Certification and appreciate the opportunities and connections it has sprouted. I am thankful for the network of Co-Creators I have been fortunate to be a part of with Fit For Service. What a beautiful 2020 it turned out to be!
The energy you put into this process makes all the difference, and the process is simple.
Write your accomplishments out on paper. I suggest on a calendar or in your journal. Be specific, keep it measurable, and make them time-sensitive.
Put yourself in a state of Gratitude. This is a major key. Start by saying to yourself “thank you, thank you, thank you” until you feel the vibration of gratitude in your body.
Thank yourself out loud for each individual accomplishment or achievement as if it has already happened. It is done, you did it! Spend several minutes truly feeling appreciation for what you have achieved in the upcoming year.
Move forward with your mindset of gratitude as if your upcoming accomplishments were already happened or are a thing of the past. When you put yourself in a state of gratitude for what you already have, the universe will deliver more abundance to you. So act as though these accomplishments are yours already – abundance, not scarcity.
Journal about your achievements. Tell your friends of your accomplishments. Sure they are coming in 2020, but remember, they are as good as done. Don’t get hung up on the “how” of your dreams – you can create any way you want. Brittany always says “there’s 1000 ways to get to Rome.”
Give yourself a big hug, a high five, a pat on the back. Know just how badass you truly are.
Easy-peasy-Cherrie Pie.
I can’t wait to see what you all create in this world. Maybe I am optimistic, but the future is bright.
What do you plan to accomplish by December 2020? Shoot us a comment and let us know! Let’s create our lives together.
Photo by @andrewtneel
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