Happy (Mid) New Year July 1, 2010

Welcome to the second half of 2010. How are you doing with those changes you wanted to make in 2010? Are you on track?

Or have you forgotten some of those dreams?

Or decided it was all just too hard to figure out?

Or is there a small voice in your head telling you it’s just too scary to do something you’ve never done before?

YET … maybe … sometimes you wonder about “what if ..”

Here is a technique to play with to look at your career and your life, and to set some goals to get what you want by New Year’s 2011 and beyond!

1. With paper and pencil look back over the last six months and ask yourself these questions:
   1. What happened that I never want to happen again?
   2. What did I learn from those happenings that can support me in making different decisions in the future?
   3. What did I enjoy about my life?
   4. What were my major accomplishments?
   5. For whom and what am I grateful?
   6. What can I appreciate about myself?
2. Print out the Life Balance Wheel below and plot your current level of fulfillment and happiness (however you define it in each area of your life. The center point represents “0″, that you are not satisfied at all. The outer point represents “10″ which means you couldn’t be happier, more pleased or fulfilled. If there is a particular characteristic that is not important to you, go ahead and plot the point at “10″. After plotting all the points, draw a line to connect them.

   By connecting the dots, you now have a visual representation of what your life looks like. If you life is in balance, the dots will form a circle indicating a smooth ride through life. Take a look at your diagram and see what shape you made when you connected the dots. Do you have a smooth ride, or are there potholes and bumps in some areas? Whatever it looks like, please remember to be kind to yourself and do not judge it or yourself. It isn’t good or bad – it just “is what it is”. By gently accepting where you are in your life, you now have the opportunity to make some changes!

3. Notice which aspects of your life have the biggest gaps between where you are and where you want to be. Choose to focus on up to three of those aspects and make a heartfelt commitment to do what it takes to create what you want.

4. Focus on each aspect one at a time and ask yourself:
   1. What do I want this area of my life to look like?
   2. What would have to be different in this area for me to create the happiness I am looking for?
   3. What stands in the way of my getting what I want? (a situation, another person, myself, etc.)
      
   4. If I had magical powers and could transform this area overnight this is what I would see …
5. After you have identified what you want, set a goal to create it. And remind yourself how you will feel when you begin moving toward achieving this goal.
6. Begin taking small steps toward your goal. Appreciate yourself all along the path, have fun and celebrate each step of your progress. By taking these steps you are on your way to creating the career and life you would most like to have.

I’m celebrating and doing a happy dance for the Dynamic Powerful Creative You!