Ever noticed that taking breaks can boost your productivity? It might seem counterintuitive but resting…
What Were Your Accomplishments?
Woo Hoo! A new year means a new you, right? Have you been writing lists and lists of resolutions? Maybe you should take a look back at some of your accomplishments from the past year instead. That’s what I’ve been doing and it’s been really fun taking a trip down “Yay, Me!” lane. You should give it a try … it’s pretty helpful.
Here’s why:
You Get to Celebrate Your Rock Star Moments
“If it ain’t broken” applies here. Because it’s not broken at all. In fact, it’s a whole lotta fabulosity! With all that awesomeness comes a good dose of confidence and a sprinkle of “feel good” with a cherry on top.
Positive vibes mean that you’re more likely to see things with a “glass half full” mentality. That will come in handy when things don’t always go the way you plan, and you’ll be more likely to push through the tough times. So, go ahead and totally savor those times when you aced it.
And you can only do that when your reflect on your accomplishments. Whether you closed that really huge deal, already put away all your holiday decor, or, like me, spent more quality time with your family, go celebrate!
You Get to Capitalize on Your Assets
Strolling through your wins is a great ego stroke that also helps you figure out what you should keep doing. But, don’t let “senior moments” rob you of the memory of what those things are. If the wins are that awesome, you need to write them down. Put in all the details and let it be the road map for more success. Even the smallest win can have a huge impact.
One of those things for me was a simple plug-in. I used to use a digital calendar to track all my blog posts, but I recently made the switch to the WordPress Editorial Calendar. It’s easy to use and lets me plan ahead. Simple. Effective. Not broken. So, it stays.
Think for a minute. What’s been working for you? What were your accomplishments and high points of the past year? Now, go get a pen.
You Get to Plan Out New Rock Star Moments
Isn’t nice when awesome things happen just because? Isn’t it even better when you bust your butt and everything comes up roses? So, why not err on the side of greatness and use some of your rock star mojo to plan out your future successes?
At this time of year, lots of us are looking back at what sucked. Anybody can do that. We’ve all done that at one point or another. You can take a look, just take off your pointy boots and stop kicking yourself in the pants. Be a bit more thoughtful about it. A thoughtful, future-driven person, looks for opportunities to turn unsavory moments around, and finds ways to make new fabulous, rock star moments.
Think about the results you want to achieve, add a few shakes of realistic possibilities, a couple of pats of motivation, and voilà! A plan is born. You know what’s coming next, right? Get that pen and start writing. Don’t ignore the power of putting pen to paper as this will help you solidify your thoughts, to really think things through. Read more about how to make good on your rock star goals.
Btw, since January is Get Organized (GO) Month, it’s not a bad time to plan how you’ll shine in that department. In the meantime, let me be the first to say congratulations on all that you did well last year!
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@Julie: It’s not often that we pat ourselves on the back. But, when we do, it sure is fun! …and, you’re right, it’s also very motivating. Thanks for leaving a comment. =)
Deb
P.S. YOU rock! So glad we’re in the same club together. 😉
i started a gratitude journal earlier this year – 3 things every day. Now would be a good time to look back at my past entries!
I started a gratitude journal a couple years ago and then I stopped keeping up with it. So, thanks for the nudge to start it again. =)
It’s so easy to let it slide – this is my third attempt (you can read about it on my personal blog) and some nights I just don’t feel like doing it, but I’ve been consistent for 265 days now so I’m determined to keep going.
I agree, it is very easy to put this off. I’ll check out your blog post for inspiration. This will be attempt number two for me.
Hey Janet – I’ve started using a gratitude box instead of a journal. So far, so good. =)
After being inspired by a post by Hazel Thornton, I’ve switched to a gratitude box too!
As entrepreneurs, we often are always looking ahead and forward, forgetting to take time and celebrate all that has been accomplished. In fact, we often forget what we’ve done by the end of the year. Even the things that didn’t turn out as planned probably resulted in some learning, so I like being thankful for all the year brought, and then looking ahead to what might be fun next year!
Great (positive) outlook to have! =)
How do I love this blog post? Let me count the ways: 1) I celebrated 10 years in business all year long (it’s 11 now) and wrote a blog post mid-year called “Org4life: The First 10 Years”. It was very satisfying to see my professional accomplishments all in one place! 2) I do that thing where you write down nice things that happen and put them in a jar (I use a pretty wooden box), but I think I need to read through the slips of paper more often than at year-end. 3) I also wrote a blog post that refers to “the exercise where you make a list of your past accomplishments to remind yourself that you are awesome, and to lift your spirits when needed” but my post puts a spin on it. If you don’t mind, I’d like to link the phrase, “It’s a worthwhile exercise,” in my post to your post. Take a look and let me know? It’s called “Always Believe in Yourself”.
So glad you like this post, Hazel! And, you know what they say about great minds. 😉 I’d be happy to have you link to my post. Thank you for offering. =)
This post deserves extra props for using the word “fabulosity!” Reading this reminded me how I encourage my clients to make Ta-da lists of great things they’ve accomplished. I should probably get on that myself :).
Haha! I forgot how much I liked that word! I must use it more often. =) And, I love the idea of Ta-Da lists. Sounds fun and I’m sure it motivates your clients to think about their successes.
Great reminder, Deb. When I feel down and like I’ve made no progress, I’ll do this and I am always amazed at what I have accomplished but have chosen to forget about.
Interesting that we tend to forget the good stuff and hang on to the not-so-good stuff, isn’t it? I think I’ll start to keep more of my accomplishments in mind when I begin using my gratitude journal again.