Happy Holidays my friends!
I hope that you are taking some time to relax and recharge. While you probably already know I decided to take the time between Christmas and New Year off (okay mostly off lol) I couldn’t help but pop in and send you all a quick message because this really got my feathers ruffled.
It’s at this time of year you’re going to hear a lot of stuff about your past resolutions and making new ones for this year and some folks will tell you how bad you are (or make you feel that way) because you didn’t keep all your resolutions or reach all your goals. You know what?
Screw that!
We, my darlings, are NOT going to waste all of our precious energy on the negative stuff!
No freakin way.
We are not only too smart for that but we have too much love and joy not to celebrate it.
So before you buy into all of this stuff about why you didn’t get every thing done on your resolutions, before you beat yourself up for not being perfect, I have a different way of reflecting on 2011 for you to try on.
Throw out that self depreciating way of looking at life. Get some paper and a pen (okay..use your ipad or playbook if you want!) and start a list. From last year I want you to think back…way back and start listing all the amazing, wonderful and super things that you did do.
You see, you may not have lost all 30 pounds you wanted to; but you did make some gains right? 10 pounds is still worth celebrating! So is being healthier because your broke you soda habit and the fact that you may have slipped on occasion, but you got up and kept on going.
There isn’t a single person who gets everything on their resolutions accomplished every single year. So what? Goals are places we want to get to. They are not the stick by which we should measure our possibilities or our worth.
Honest to goodness I get so mad when I hear people talking like they are complete failures because of it. It is simply not true. You have done great things, you have made a difference in yours and others lives. I want you to put those things in writing. Then…read them! Bask in the joy and warmth of all that fabulous!
These ARE things that need to be whohoo’d! So get on that.
I’m right there, doing a happy dance with you! Much love and congrats on all that you did accomplish this past year.
Warm hugs, Bonnie
p.s. You just started an accomplishment journal! Keep going with it! I’m going to be talking about those again soon.
[…] A Different Kind of Reflection […]
What a great way to celebrate the new year and learn how to use my new Kindle! Love this exercise to think on the past year positively and bring in the new year with optimism! =) Haha! *High five!* =)
Great post. After taking the Year in Review with my friends @Ultimate Game of Life, its much easier to look forward to 2012 with renewed energy… that I can accomplish a lot based on my look back at 2011. Based on that review, I’ve taken a calendar look at the year, written down goals, travel, time off, celebrations and dreams for 2012 rather than making resolutions. With the year in mind, vs. unrealistic resolutions, and equipped with a list of 2011 Wins, I’m feeling a higher vibration for the new year!
Wow Hobby, it sounds like you’ve already done a ton to get ready for what 2012 will bring you. Plans are fantastic as a guide and to keep you motivated as long as you understand that long range plans need to incorporate a lot of flexibility right? You nailed it with the point about unrealistic resolutions though. I think many people have great ideas and real intent but the goals aren’t realistic and when they falter they simply stop. Best wishes for all you well-laid plans in 2012 Hobby. 🙂
Great post. I haven’t set a list of New Year goals in years. I always felt it was enough to grow and get through the year with love and life.
Hi Daisy, so wonderful to meet you. You know I refuse to set New Years resolutions. I set intentions. I think growth and celebrating love and life are super intentions for a new year! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Keep i positive is my claim to fame too Bonnie. I agree with you totally. Forget what you didn’t accomplish, and work towards a new positive mindset. I learned many years ago that negative is heavy baggage and it must be shed to keep you moving forward. Besides, when you let go of that baggage, you just feel better. Like you can conquer the world – right? So High Five back atcha kid – loved the positive post to end the year, thanks Bonnie!
It’s true! Lynn you are certainly one of the most positive people I know which is why I really enjoy connecting with you. What part of the world are you going to conquer in 2012 I wonder? Can’t wait!
Very encouraging post, Bonnie!
As I took a break from writing a bit, I came to my Reader and saw that you had a brand new post. I scurried over to see what was going on with My Rivendell. 😉
To my usual delight, I found this gem. You psyched me up so much that I gladly threw you a cyber high five. 😀 Loved it!
It’s so easy to start beating ourselves up over the things we aren’t getting done, that we often lose sight of the things that we have actually accomplished. This book I’ve been working on for most of 2011 was supposed to be completed by now. But instead of kicking myself on it’s incompleteness, I’ve done exactly what you’ve mentioned here and started listing the things I have accomplished. I’ve made leaps with updating my website, producing some awesome content, and I have continued to write on the book; just because it wasn’t finished at the date I set for myself, doesn’t mean it won’t be completed.
I so needed this today, my sweets. Thank you so much for pushing me forward.
Wishing you a phenomenal New Years ahead, darling. Cheers! 🙂
So glad you took a break from writing to pop over and visit Deeone. Your comments are always fabulous and thought provoking.
Deeone, the committment you have made to your book is an accomplishment alone. All that you have written is huge! You better celebrate that one my friend. I can tell you I know for a fact that the time spent on your blog has been worth every second. You have grown, you have touched many live and changed a few! You can’t tell me THAT isn’t worth a high five…or a happy dance (*grin*)
2012 is the year of possibilites! You my dear have so many I can’t wait to see what you do.
Yah! A post after my heart, celebrating the good is where it’s at. This is a great time to reflect on what we have achieved during the last 12 months and look ahead to some more ways to improve the track that we are running.
Like the dance. Unfortunately the high five kind of covered the message but great message. I started to write hope but then realized that you have already planned that Christmas would be special
Hey Bonnie,
I love this post. As a matter of fact, I am writing down my list today and all this week. There are two columns. One for my accomplishments for this year and the other one to write down what I need to accomplish my first accomplishments that were not necessarily complete from 2011.
This has been a touch year of struggles and set backs. Your post helped me put in into perspective and reminded me that I did accomplish a lot, even though I don’t think I did.
Thanks for the post and here’s a high five for you too. 🙂
Cindy
WHohoo! Alright Cindy. I’d bet you will need lots of paper to write down all the wonderful things that you have done. I can add one for you that you may not even be aware of. You really encouraged ME at one point the last part of 2011. I suspect you don’t even realize how helpful your comments were so I’m letting you know…and you can take that and add it to your list.
Thanks for the high five! Yeah!
Yeah, I high-fived you!
Whohoo! I KNOW you have a HUGE list of great stuff Amethyst!