A Job Well Done!

Beth Lawrence, Copyright 2012

As this year draws to a close, I bet many of you, like myself, are asking 'where did the time go?'.  This year just flew by, and as I look back I fight the feeling that I didn't accomplish all that I would have liked.  Not wanting to end the year on a note of frustration, however, I have decided to have a new approach to year-end anxiety, turning it into a celebration instead of a consternation!

So here's what I did.  I looked back at my calendar, month by month, while also concentrating on emotional breakthroughs; landmark moments; and grand epiphanies that I had during the year.  I took a big-picture look at all that I actually accomplished, realizing that I had had an AMAZING year!

We tend to be so hard on ourselves, demanding so much from our frantic mind, body and spirit, that we are in a constant state of hand-wringing dissatisfaction at our 'performance'.  Ask yourself this question - ' how did I reward myself after a day, week, or month of hard, stressful work?'  Or, "was a walk in the park; a dinner with friends; a long conversation with a loved one counted as non-productive time?'

Just like the old story of the hard-driving business man on his death bed whose last words are NOT 'I should have spent more time at work!' -- we, too might question where our priorities lie when it comes to the end-of-year assessment.  My first inclination is to rate 'grew my business'; 'wrote a book'; 'created successful Corporate Team Building program' etc. as 'accomplishments' over the last year.  While those are feathers in my cap that I am proud of, and they help me heave a sigh of satisfaction, what about 'everything else'?  Isn't it the 'everything else' that is the real stuff of our lives?  This year, I'm going to celebrate all of the elements of my life, even those that were challenging; gut-wrenching or uncomfortable.  For if it is everything in between the 'big stuff' that we tend to forget, then perhaps we aren't fully living in the moment, and it's that not living in every moment that gives us the feeling that we haven't done much, or enough, or lived life to it's fullest.

So as another year slowly sinks into a blazing sunset -- look for the 'green flash'!  Look at all the magnificent conversations you've had; look at the heroic acts of kindness or service you've given;  look at your courageous resolve as you faced a tough challenge; look at the quiet moments that allowed you to think, to dream, to just Be.  In our memories, all the big stuff stands out shouting our praises, but it's the 'everything else' that makes up the savory juice of our lives.  Don't bemoan not having done enough in this last year.  Instead, look at the 'everything else', put on your party hat, pop the champagne, and celebrate 'A Job Well Done'!