Many businesses choose this time of year to review successes, setbacks, and goals. It can be an insightful exercise and a powerful learning opportunity.
I like to conduct year-end reviews of myself, broken down into three steps:
Step 1: Review my intentions from the previous year. Where did I move forward? Where did I not? Where must I course correct to steer my life and business in my intended direction?
Step 2: Ask myself what I truly want for the upcoming year. Revise my vision board, the big picture vision of what I am working towards, and break that down into actionable steps.
Step 3: Determine my plan of action. Set new intentions and write the story I will create for myself in the New Year.
The cornerstone of this review is asking questions and being truly honest in my answers. I'd like to share with you the questions I ask and my responses, with the intention of inspiring you to review your own year, so that you can start moving towards becoming the CEO of your life.
My Year-End Review
Q: What were you most proud of and grateful for this year?
A: My relationships, my clients, starting CrossFit, the weekends I biked 250 KM, spending more time in nature, and becoming a contributor to The Huffington Post and Entrepreneur.com.
Q: Looking at your 2015 intentions, what did you accomplish?
A: By being brave and putting my true self, my values, and lived experience into my marketing, I am attracting clients I truly love working with.
Q: What did you not accomplish?
A: Spending a full week of vacation with my son. I wanted to spend more quality time with him, and I did. Yet I missed my intention of a full week's vacation with him. Making this happen is important to me and I am promising myself I won't be writing this again next year.
Q: What held you back?
A: Determination to take my business to the next level, and giving time to people that did not positively contribute to my life kept me from taking that full week.
Q: What must you say "no" and "yes" to in order to create space for what you really want?
A: "No" to working when I have my son. "No" to sneaking in a few emails or social media updates when I am with him.
"Yes" to giving him my full attention when he's with me. These years go by fast. I want to enjoy each moment and give him the best of me. He will have these memories for the rest of his life. I want him to remember me as a mom that was present.
"Yes" to being more selective in who I share my feelings and dreams with, and spend my time with. I will only share things and spend time with people that support, fuel and help me to reach my big picture vision.
Q: What lessons did you learn?
(A big part of this review is identifying lessons and truly learning so you will not attract unpleasant situations or fall back into old habits.)
A: Trust. Trust that there is a bigger power and if I fully trust it, it will provide everything I need. If I only trust sometimes and doubt other times, that's what I will attract -- doubt.
Surprises will always come. Trust that what happens, happens because it needs to. Learn to embrace every situation, not fight it.
What you focus on is what expands. Look for the gift; the lesson. Ask, "What else is possible?" Connect with your inner voice. Partner with it fully. Let that expand and guide you.
There's always a gift, a lesson, another possibility. Look inside yourself and follow your intuition. Trust, fully.
Q: What will you carry over into 2016?
A: Continuously stepping out of my comfort zone, in every way -- physical activities (let me tell you, CrossFit is a challenge; you will never get comfortable with it), personal growth, and taking brave new steps in my business.
Speaking my truth in my personal and professional life. This is the way to attract the right people and opportunities.
Q: What will you leave behind?
A: Old stories, old conversations. I truly believe success requires a successful mindset and thoughts, words and actions aligned in that direction.
If, for example, you tell yourself selling is hard, that becomes the story, the conversation and the outcome you create. If you tell yourself selling comes to you with ease, joy and glory, that becomes the story, conversation and outcome you create.
I will leave behind the conversations in my head that no longer serve me.
Q: What are your intentions for 2016?
A: To launch an online "CEO of Your Life" business coaching program that guides people, step by step, in creating full time businesses doing what they love, aligned with their values and hearts.
To do more public speaking.
To be truly present with everyone I choose to spend time with.
To take a road trip across Canada.
Q: What word will be your 2016 theme?
(I believe in choosing a word that excites and motivates you towards your biggest intentions as your theme for the year.)
A: Light.
I believe that when assessing a situation and feeling it in your body, if it feels "light" that means it is the right path. If it feels "heavy", it is the wrong path. I want to continuously choose my "light" path; to connect with the light, follow it and be enlightened by it.
I hope that by sharing my year-end review with you, you will be inspired to ask yourself similar questions.
I promise that doing this will help steer your life in the direction you choose, so that you can become the CEO of Your Life.