What Will You Do With the Next 8 Weeks? The Final Months of 2103? (No Pressure!)

This article is not about the holidays.  Nope.  Not shopping, turkey or decorations.  Clear those from your minds.

      This is all about you.  You.  What will You do with the rest of Your year?

     I attended a workshop this past weekend, where I met wonderful women doing great things,  explored creative writing and encountered inspiration!  One article our speaker mentioned was "The Final Stretch of 2013: Three Questions to Ask Yourself" (www.eatyourcareer.com) .

 The three questions are:

1. What have I accomplished so far?
2. If I had to choose just two priorities for the rest of the year (one personal and one professional), what would they be?
3. What intention do I want to set for the next two months?

So......

      Accomplishments so far?  (This is often really tough for people.)

      Recall your new year's resolutions, if you can.  I won't share my whole January self's list, but I am proud of what I have accomplished this year:

       I raised over $1,000 for children's cancer research by shaving my head for St. Baldrick's, and registered to be a bone marrow donor through Be the Match (www.BeTheMatch.org).  I went "back to school", taking coaching classes to expand my mind, business and skill set.  I met with and shopped with a wardrobe consultant.  I said yes to people and invitations. I've worked regularly with my accountability partner to move my business forward in great ways.

Next - Priorities and intentions.  These are very important, but you have to determine these for yourself.  Let me share a few suggestions, to help You determine Your priorities and intentions:

1. Turn your thinking around.  My client today admitted to fearing the unknown. Just last week, a client, making a huge life transition, was fearful of 'what could happen'.  She stated "This could be the worst situation ever."  But it's the 'unknown', right?  Which means it could also be the best, most amazing situation ever.  We just don't know.  So let's assume the best for a change.
2. Find self-care that works for you.  I'll never tell you to take a bubble bath, drink more wine or carve out "me" time.  Look instead for small and regular moments to nurture your spirit.  A friend mentioned getting together with friends to put together a self-care calendar for the next few months.  Just meeting with friends would count, right?!  Personally, I head to a local coffee shop and spend an hour with pen and paper, letting creative ideas flow.  And in this moment, I promise myself that I will blow off an afternoon and see a movie in the next 8 weeks, something that no one else in my house would ever see.   And I'll eat all the popcorn myself.
3. Who do you want to spend time with?  Spend the time.  Honey, can we watch more movies together?  Watching the scary one last night, and having you laugh when I hid my face behind a blanket made me laugh, too.  We need to do that more often.
4. Get connected.  The word "connected" keeps coming up.  Listen to it.  Reach out to a friend you've lost contact with.  And I mean actually reach out, and not just on Facebook.  Hand-write some thank-you notes this month, to people you are thankful for.
5. Forgive yourself.  I'm forgiving myself in advance for not getting through my reading pile by 2014. I am confident that it will not happen.  But I will read more of what I really want to read, and less extraneous stuff that just appears in front of me.  To that end, this moment I just purchased a kindle book for my IPad from one of my favorite authors.  Can't wait to start it!
6. Here's a thought - take on less!  Perhaps you don't take on more for the next 8 weeks - how about you take on less?  Get more sleep, take more breaks.
7. Get just a little uncomfortable.  Stretch, try something new, feel just a little nervous.  Nothing new will happen unless something new happens. Get it?

     So, what's it going to be?  How will you choose to make the most of the end of the year?  Share!  And talk to you next week.