Three steps to make 2019 the year you want
- Check in with your ‘why’
The start of a new year is a great time to check in with the purpose and values behind what you’re doing.
Practice telling your story to other people, how does it feel?
Are there parts that bore you, parts that you’re really excited about but not focusing on very much or parts that feel scratchy? Start to pay attention to what you notice and how you feel as you talk about specific areas of your business, project or role.
It’s possible that some parts of your ‘why story’ need to be refined, dropped, changed, adjusted and adapted? Sometimes it’s only when we say it out loud to someone else that we start to notice how it really does feel and how aligned what you’re actually doing is with your ‘why story’.
The more congruence there is between what you’re doing and your values, interests and goals, the greater the sense of wellbeing and attainment will be for you. And as a consequence, you’ll power ahead with your business and your objectives. - Grow YOU as a person not your issues
Personal growth often happens as a result of a significant experience that develops learning. And there’s a cycle to learning that you can tap into to consciously increase how you learn and consequently grow. Follow these simple steps for anything new or important you take on whether a success or not.
Think of a recent experience that has had an impact on you. Some examples might be pitching your business for funding, meeting a new client, drafting a business plan or perhaps disagreeing with a fellow worker? Set aside some quiet time to reflect on what happened. What sort of assumptions were you making about yourself and others before you even began?
What did you notice about yourself and others? What were you feeling when it happened? Go right into the moment, what did you notice? Try not to analyse too deeply and avoid judgements about yourself and others.
Can you tap into the feeling you had when it was going well or you felt confident and energised, when others were connected positively to what you were saying or doing
What thoughts can you consciously recall which powered your successful encounter?
Write them down, choose the most powerful and have them ready for your next similar occasion, ready to revisit and remember. Repeat!
Let the learning continue as you adapt, refine and experiment with how you interact with others and approach potentially stressful situations. - Capital and Revenue Matters
Most businesses have a capital fund set aside for important expenditure and investment. And to offset spending the capital on day to day expenses, a business needs revenue coming in, no matter how small, in order to keep it going. Without both, the business is unlikely to be sustainable for the long term.
Imagine your inner world in the same way.
What’s going to give you energy and emotional revenue to keep you from dipping into your energy capital?
Ask yourself whether you’re working with people who are meaningful to you? Run a quick audit across the relationships you have in place, do they support you to become who you want to be?
Check into your contacts, arrange a coffee every so often with someone you’re curious about or haven’t seen in a while. Tell them know what you’re doing and what’s important to you right now. Ask them how they can help you, maybe a new skill or contact, a nutritious discussion to provoke new thinking, refinements you can make to push ahead towards your goals?
And always make sure you take time to do something you love even more than your business; do it to bring in just that little bit more emotional revenue, think of it as a daily deposit. Go for a walk, a run, yoga, cook, read a new book, write in your journal, explore some new music, garden, meditate, talk to a stranger, stroke a dog or a cat, all of these things are ways to bring in that much needed revenue.
Overall, try to be kind to yourself and others, be compassionate.
Listen to what’s going on in your inner world; it’s what equips you to make better choices and unlock your potential to realise your dreams.
Find out how iOpening can help you plan your next steps into a purposeful 2019.
