So let’s wrap up this 2019 properly, shall we?

Every year I’m sharing with you a little practice, how to wrap up the old year, and set the tracks for a new, successful, happy and fulfilling year to come.

This year, I want to do something different, and decided two go for a two part exercise. Each of those parts alone is extremely powerful and important, but done together, they’ll help you to make a proper closing of 2019 as well as a grand opening for 2020.

So how does it work?

Today will be the first part. I’ll give you some guided reflections to help you make a powerful assessment of 2019.

The second part is a live training (Bootcamp) in my closed Facebook Group, and will be all about how to create a great outlook for 2020. Everyone who’s already on my mailing list, has already received the invitation automatically in my newsletter. For everyone else, it’s absolutely free to join my training classroom, all you have to do is sign up at this link to get access: Sign up here

After signing up, you can watch the replay of this training, and all my previous ones, anytime you like.

Give Your 2019 a Very Special Closure

So let’s get started with this first part. All you need is a notebook and some undisturbed time.

Get yourself a soul-warming tea (or cooling ice-tea, if that’s more appropriate), light up a candle and make it a little celebration. In honour of your 2019, with all its ups and downs, great surprises and unexpected challenges aka learnings.

1. Step: Scroll Back

First, look back at your 2019. Just thinking back isn’t enough, because our mind is a tricky companion. Our negative experiences usually stick much harder to our memory than the good ones, thanks to our negativity bias, so we have to get a little reality check.

Take your smartphone or your agenda, or both, and scroll back. Look at all these wonderful, colourful pictures or happenings in your foto album/ agenda, all those good times with friends & family, all the trips and little weekend escapes, all the job happenings and write a list.

Compile all happenings, events, gatherings, both professionally as well as personally and allow your list to grow, as you move backwards through your agenda or picture feed.

2. Step: Get Specific

Now it’s time to dive even deeper into your 2019 assessment. Write down following categories and brainstorm everything that comes to your mind in relation to this area, every positive happening, every good surprise, every accomplishment, short, everything that has been good and positive in these four areas of your life:

• Your Love Life, Your Family Life, Your Friendships
• Your Physical Health & Wellbeing
• Your Intellectual Wellbeing & Leisure ( new learnings, hobbies, activities in your leisure time)
• Your Professional Life

3. Step: The Biggest Learnings

Now it’s time to look at the more challenging aspects in each of those four areas. Write down the things that didn’t go so well, the failures, the rejections, the detours, the disappointments. And for every aspect or happening, I want you to find and write down at least one learning.

Yes, we want to look at this 2019 with all it’s ups and downs, that’s why this is an important part of the exercise. But we also want to remind ourselves, that every setback or obstacle has valuable and important learning potential. And that’s what we want to focus on, when closing this year.

4. Step: Three Things You’re Proud of

Now is the time to honour yourself in a proper way. Write down at least 3 things you’re proud of in 2019. And nothing is too small, not to be honoured.

Write it down and look at it, black on white! You deserve to receive these honours. If not already from others, then at least from yourself.

5. Step: Letting Go

Is there anything you need to let go of, before you can start your 2020? A feeling, a relationship, a work project, an outdated dream, a regret, an excuse?

Write it down and decide to let go! You don’t need this any longer, because your 2020 has so much better things in store for you.

So take your time with these reflections, to give your 2019 a worthy closing. And if you’re up for it, do this exercise together with some friends and share your reflections. It’s such a wonderful ritual to close this year, and doing it together with friends is even more powerful.

I hope you enjoyed this first part of this End-of-Year-Exercise and I’m looking forward to see you at my live training for the second part.

New Announcement !

Supercharge your 2020 and design the life you always wanted. Join me for my next 8-week Group Coaching Program, starting February 17th 2020, and let me support you in:

• Overcoming your limiting beliefs
• Identifying counterproductive behaviour patterns
• Finding clarity about what’s essential in your personal and professional life
• Learning how to build ideas and a plan of action “the Life Designer’s way” and much more…

For more information about the next training, click link below or send me an e-mail at info@workinbalance.org

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash, Photo by Ethan Hoover on Unsplash