Many people, like me, seem to be welcoming 2011 with gusto. Whatever may have gone right or wrong in the previous year or two, however crisis-ridden or simply frustrating things may have gotten, it seems we're all looking at the new year as a chance to get grounded, focused, and back on track to working on our lives and shaping them into what we want them to be.
Transitions are like that. Sometimes they are small and incremental, steps on our journey that take us from one point to the next. It's similar to rolling dice on a board game and moving forward one, two, four or six steps in sequence.
But sometimes transitions are much bigger and more complex. Life almost stops temporarily and rumbles and roars like an earthquake. Though it feels like eternity, we realize only after the earth finally stands still and we regain our balance that the transition period was short but intense. Our lives have been turned upside down and inside out, the landscape is no longer the same, and we simply don't walk away from the scene the same person we were before the earth moved beneath our feet.
But if we've been paying attention, we learn a lot about ourselves while riding out the seismic activity. We have a clear understanding of how we must rebuild our lives brick-by-brick, and instinctively know what must be done first. We have a chance to sift through what remained standing and what crumbled into debris. We can make conscious choices about what we'll choose to build again in a newer, stronger form and what we can let go of.
Here are five suggestions for rebuilding your life in 2011 if you've just weathered tough times or personal/professional challenges:
Reevaluate the 5-year plan. It may not change; it may change slightly; it may need to be totally revamped. But when you've dealt with a crisis or a particularly trying period in your life, just like after the earthquake the landscape may have changed. Step back, evaluate where you're at, and restate where you want to be in five years.
When I did this, I realized my vision was the same but two data points entered the picture: in six years my first-born would be going to college (this I knew) but the big aha was that in ten years I no longer needed to live where I do. I also realized my medical issues had put me behind in my retirement planning. This got me thinking about differently about what I needed to focus on this year and what needed to be put on the back burner until 2012.
Think small and short-term. For those of you who know me, this is sort of the antithesis of my thinking. But what I've learned is that emerging from tough times means you need to build back your resilience. Plan for smaller, achievable goals that will get you incrementally back on track while continuing to lead you toward the big picture.
Recruit expertise and support. Determine one or several people who can help you achieve what you need to accomplish this year. Not the people who are great for a conversation over coffee about what you want to do. Identify the perso(s) who can serve as a mentor or advisor and address a specific need you have to move forward. I just did this with someone and we've agreed to meet once a quarter so she can help me with a particular area of training. I reached out to my bank to help me establish a financial infrastructure to support my business.
Clean out your environment. I ended 2010 by "unsuscribing" to numerous e-mails I received that I no longer had a need for or time to read. I've taken advantage of my wood burning stove to throw out papers I no longer need. I found out that February 2nd is the next nonprofit pickup in my area and gathering my donations to put out that morning. I'm finally arranging a "staging" area in my loft so we can do some e-Bay sales of things we no longer need, something my entrepreneurial nine-year-old has been wanting to do! Let go, live on.
Commit to fun. When I look back at the challenges of 2010, one thing I am proud of is that we still as a family managed to do some fun stuff and I personally took time for myself. Both are important. This year, as I assemble my calendar and quarterly matrix, I'm building in time for me for strategy work, writing and family time. I truly believe the balance makes the difference to being successful in reaching goals.
Here's to a 2011 filled with small victories leading to the lives we want to lead in 2016!
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