Reflecting and Looking Ahead

Reflecting and Looking Ahead

Occasionally, I will open the dictionary and ask if there is a word or message for the day and then I’ll flip it open without looking and point to a spot on the page. On December 31st, much to my surprise, the one word I picked was “reflection.” And truly, the end of the year brings us a special opportunity to do just that – to reflect, to look back, to be contemplative.

On New Year’s Day I picked up the dictionary again and the word of that day was “itinerary” i.e. a plan of travel or a proposed route on a journey. How fitting that was, too. The new year is a perfect time to both reflect and to look ahead and think about what we want. Our planned route does not need to be detailed or exacting, but an itinerary of sorts that lifts us up and inspires us to new possibilities.

So take some time to write or think about 2009. Look at your achievements*. Take a moment to celebrate yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back. Also, look at the challenges you faced, what you overcame and also what you could have handled differently.

Then shift your focus to the new year and to what you’d like it to look like. What new vistas would you like to explore? What do you want to create? This is your life’s journey and you have a new canvas to paint upon.

When in doubt dream big, but start small and just take the next indicated steps toward your key goals and enjoy the ride.

Wishing you peace and levity and well-being in the new year.

Lisa

*Achievements can be internal (i.e. a change in attitude, being more light hearted, more compassionate, more flexible) and external (i.e. learning a new skill, accomplishing a goal, taking up a hobby, lending a hand, et