Featured photo by Tim Mossholder
[Tweet “Wrap the year up with a bow & feel excited about your future. “]My year end routines have evolved over the past decade. Being a business owner for 10 years now, a mom of 2.5 year old twins, and a wife, there is always so much to reflect on. However, we are usually so busy that many of us don’t get to slow down and take time to review our year in all areas of our lives.
What accomplishments did you have?
What lessons were learned?
What will you never do again?
What did you gain?
How did you grow?
How do you feel?
Are you happy?
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to wrap the year up with a bow and have that big sigh of relief, achievement, and accomplishment?
I believe that no matter how your year went, if you start with the tips I suggest below, you’ll be able to wrap the year up with a bow and feel excited about your future.
Here are 5 Ways to Wrap Your Year Up and Feel Proud
1. Reflect: It’s always nice to reflect on your year. Carve out some time to journal about all the amazing things that happened and reflect on the positive moments. Think about all that you’ve achieved like getting up every single day to go to work, paying your bills, loving another, caring for your children, husband, and/or parents.
I suggest sitting down and listing the 12 months of the year. Break down each month to reflect upon and jot down all that comes to mind in terms of what occurred during each of those months. Recap, reflect, and reward yourself for those successes, so yes 12 rewards for you, girlfriend!
2. Connect Offline: It’s the perfect time to take a break from the online world and connect offline. Make an effort to pick up the phone and call all your friends and family to catch up and connect. Set a goal for your weekly calls. Maybe it’s 3 calls a week or a phone call each night. It will feel good to connect and hear the voices of your loved ones.
3. Give Back: There are so many wonderful organizations that you can give back to. Whether it’s your time by volunteering or a donation of $5, $10, or more. It’s the little things in life that lead to and create miracles.
One that we donate to every year is OneSimpleWish.org. This organization shows a foster child or a child in need the hope and love they deserve… from bikes to music lessons to laptops and more!
4. Self-Care: If this hasn’t happened for you within this past year, then shame on you. Don’t give me “I’m too busy” or “I have too many other people to take care of.”. If you want self-care bad enough you will find the time, even if it’s ‘10 minutes. Sometimes I have to wake up before anybody else does to fit in self-care.
I’m not trying to be mean. I’m being honest.
Self-care IS important–it’s been proven over and over how essential it is to take care of you and take part in activities or rituals that support your mental and physical health.
5. New Goals: This is where you must let loose and have fun! Create an unlimited list of all the goals you would like to reach during 2017. Think vacations, excursions, dates, work, motherhood, family, etc.
Look at your list and prioritize it. What is most important to you to accomplish? What is the most fun, what will fuel your happiness. Is that goal attainable?
After you create your list and prioritize, make your first two goals come to fruition. Take action each day to accomplish them and the remaining list throughout the year. Heck, maybe you choose 12 and shoot to accomplish one per month!
That’s a wrap! Go ahead and tie your year in a neat bow 🙂
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the above article. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
I’ve accepted sometimes I will make poor decisions throughout the year. It’s how I respond and what I learn that’s important. You can’t dwell on the flops because the blessings and successes will always outweigh them.
2. What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
I appreciate my amazing body for being strong and flexible. I appreciate my mind for wanting to be a student for life. I love learning and appreciate that more than ever.
3. What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
Being an Amazon Bestseller for my quote book, Get All A’s in the Game of Life: Entrepreneur Edition. We hit bestseller and listed for #1 Gift Ideas and #1 New Releases for over a week!
4. We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
Ugh, so many, LOL. Sometimes I’m too optimistic it can be annoying to others.
5. “I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!) Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I love my courage and strength in motherhood, I love how I have the opportunity to spend the days with my twins and I’m extremely grateful for it.
