Embrace where you are
Your choices and experiences in 2019 got you where you are today. Fall in love with what is. Remember you have something or are doing something, someone else is still dreaming of. You are inspiring someone else, whether you know it or not. So how you show up every day counts more than you will ever know.

View your life as a book. Each chapter is a theme representing where you live, work and the people you spend time with. It can even be an experience, illness or similar. Just as chapters end, so do jobs, relationships and challenging experiences. So get ready to write your next chapter and make it the best one ever!

Discover your next chapter
Are you feeling stuck and not sure about your next steps? Then try this tool to help discover your next chapter. Put your challenge / dilemma on the coffee table. Then journal around the following questions to see what comes up.

Example: The dilemma of leaving a current job

• What will happen if you stay in your job?
• What will happen if you leave your job?
• What won’t happen if you stay in your job?
• What won’t happen if you don’t leave your job?

Exercises to energise you
Need some inspiration to visualise your future? The following exercises force you to look into the future. Leave all judgement at the door and remind yourself that all content is for your eyes only. Unless you choose to share. Have fun and let the creative juices flow. All three exercises are immensely powerful.

• Write your future job description. Include sections on a) your skills and qualifications (even the ones you don’t yet have), b) responsibilities, c) values and ethos of the company, d) the perks, e) what’s in it for you? This can be done for a future job, volunteering role or solo business.
• Nirvana letter. Wind forward 3-5 years. Write a letter to a friend describing your new life. What are you doing and feeling? Who are you spending time with? Where are you living? Go into as much detail as you want.
• Create a vision board. Pictures speak a thousand words. Spend some time finding images of things and activities you want to do more of or bring into your life.

Decisions, decisions, decisions
Do you find it difficult to decide? Need a tool to help you when you are at a crossroad? Or do you need to evaluate one of your many ideas? Then try the below evaluation process shared by Angela Raspass on one of her many inspiring podcasts.

Draw a grid on a piece of paper. Include four tracks and answer the questions for each track.

• Currency (dollar, Euros, DKK, Sterling etc). Will it bring ROI? Can I afford this? What opportunity is there for revenue?
• Heart. How does this light me up? How much do I love this? Enthusiasm and excitement are currency in themselves.
• Tick sign. How accessible is it? Who do I need to work with to make it happen?
• Railway tracks. Will this take me where I want to go? Is it aligned with my long-term goal(s)?

Finally, a few personal insights to bear in mind when you embark on your goals for 2020.

Align yourself with your values and your skills. If you don’t, you may end up both unhappy and living someone else’s life.

Give yourself the gift of faith and time. No one achieves success overnight.

Be clear on your minimum list. What do you need to do daily to keep balanced, focused and energised?

I hope that one of the above tools will help you get into the groove for 2020.

Happy New Year!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash