While getting ready for another new year, I often find myself organizing and cleaning up as if it was Spring or something. It feels really good to clear some of the clutter from the past year in anticipation another new beginning.
A few days ago I was sorting through some of my old journals and came across an entry I wrote on December 31, 2014, on the last day of what I thought at the time was the best year of my life. It was the year I became the owner of my very own newspaper and second business (a high school dream realized), the year I decided I was ready to be a Mom (even though that wouldn’t happen for many years later), the year I worked tirelessly on my studies to become a Real Estate Broker so that I could open my own Brokerage the following year. We moved into the only house I’ve ever truly felt at home in, I bought my first brand new vehicle, and I started reading – prior to 2014, I had only read maybe 5 books my entire life, and this in itself has been a game changer for me in so many ways.
My journal entry goes a little something like this:
It is New Year’s Eve of one of the best years of my life. I have had so much change and reflection this year, and yet there is still so far to go. Kaizen – a constant striving for improvement. Even though there is so far to go, I have to give myself credit for how far I’ve come. Sometimes it’s too easy to be hard on yourself for not measuring up to the standards – yours or otherwise.
I am heading into a new chapter in my life, a year one, which could shape the next 10 years of my life. I think I know the person I want to be – someone with inner peace. Someone who only needs that which I already have and nothing more. Everything else is not essential to my happiness – being me has to be enough for me. I need to have faith that I’m heading in the right direction and that the important thing is this very moment. I have to just work on being happy as I am and let nothing stand in my way. I think that is the ultimate goal in life – to be the best you possible while being happy maintaining inner peace.
Everything extra is just a bonus, life is good right now.
*What is the biggest room in the world? The room for self improvement.
As we head into 2020 and I reflect back on what 2019 has brought my way, I’d have to suggest that THIS year was the most transformational year ever, and 5 years after my entry from 2014, I feel like I’ve finally achieved every intention I set out for myself back then. Everything has finally coming full circle and I'm exactly where I want to be.
Becoming a Certified Professional Coach and all that was involved in that process, both personally and professionally, has changed me in some pretty profound ways. As I end 2019, I finally feel that inner peace I was striving for 5 years ago but never completely achieved until the last quarter of this year. In 2019 I was able to let go of all that was weighing me down so that I could focus on consistently being my true self, and I can’t fully describe in words how amazing that feels. I’m in a really great place in my life right now in every aspect, and I am grateful every day for that. They say when you feel gratitude, it's hard to feel anything negative - it's true!
So what’s up for 2020? A whole lot of focus and growth! I’m looking forward to all the opportunities coming my way, the people I have yet to meet and work with, and just being in total alignment with my authentic self in everything I do – from family interactions and how I spend my time, to how I grow my businesses.
Happy New Year – make it amazing!
