Set Yourself Up for Success in 2013 in 15 minutes

2013 is almost here and you can help insure it’s what you’d like it to be by taking a few short minutes and following the exercises below. You can take stock of what you’ve liked, what you’d like to keep, what you want more of, and what to let go.  You can even create an overarching theme for the year. The calendar provides an easy marker to gauge your progress and attitudes, and your thoughts and theme offer inspiration and guidance as you go through the months. Set you timer for 15 minutes and let’s get to it!

1. What do you want to leave behind? Not everything that happens is something you want to repeat … take a minute and think about what you could do without from 2012. Make a bullet point list on whatever is handy (napkin? envelope? spiral notebook from you kid’s class?) and work quickly. Things you may want to leave behind: saying yes too much, settling for less, people who don’t support you, second guessing yourself.

2. What do you want to bring with you into 2013? Review the year’s highlights and jot down on a new napkin / envelope / page what you want to make sure you carry forward and have more of. Apple pie? Yummy. Fantastic clients? You bet. Meaningful time with friends and family? Right on! Trips and adventures? Yippee!

3. Set a theme.  On a final napkin / envelope / page set a theme for 2013. A theme provides a guiding idea which serves as a filter for what you do, an inspirational thought that compells you forward. Some of my favorite themes from the past have included “simple”, “freedom”, “courage”, “put out the effort”. You can get inspiration for your theme by looking over your *leave behind* and *take with* lists, or maybe there’s something that has been on your mind that you’d like to try on?

4. Post your lists and theme where you can see them regularly – near the computer, on the fridge, or even write them with a dry erase marker on your bathroom mirror. By giving yourself the gift of these intentional and focused 15 minutes you hugely increase the chances that 2013 will be the kind of year you want it to be.

By doing this exercise with less (less time, less thinking) you may actually gain more; it’s amazing what truth your gut reactions can tell.  As always I’m interested in hearing from you; email me what 2013 has in store for you!