As the year draws to a
close, and we reflect on our accomplishments to clarify our vision for the year
ahead and set new goals, it's tempting to focus on the gap between where
we are and where we want to be, especially if the past year didn't go quite as
we had planned.
I had planned to finish another book this year then try to find
a good home for it.
I feel a wave of sadness as I write that sentence. Last
February, we came home from a two-week vacation to find our new house flooded
with 119,000 gallons of water from a broken pipe under the kitchen sink. We
then spent half the year living in a hotel during the restoration. Sure, it was
nice to redecorate and get some new stuff, and we met a lot of wonderful people
along the way. But, it definitely wasn't the way I had hoped to kick off the New
Year.
I did eventually finish the manuscript I was working
on like I had planned, but I didn't close the book deal with that
agent I was working with, although I got really close this time.
Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a success coach says, "No matter how “bad” you believe this year has been, I guarantee it has been better than you think. And no matter how much (or little) you think you’ve accomplished in the past twelve months, I guarantee you’ve achieved more than you know!"
Canfield
goes on to list several accomplishments to take stock in during your
year-end evaluation process that I hadn't considered:
·
Successfully dealt with an unexpected
challenge
·
Experienced pure joy
·
Lifted someone else up
·
Cleaned up a “mess” in your life
·
Dared to dream big
·
Felt deep peace and contentment
·
Made the world just a little bit better in
some way
"By taking stock of these moments, you
remind yourself that THIS is the kind of person you are -- and that these are
the experiences you want MORE of in your life!" - Jack Canfield
Canfield's
words flipped my glass from half empty to half-full. I suddenly realized just
how much I have accomplished this past year. And, instead of time wasted, I see growth.
Wishing
you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, & Happy New Year!
