By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S

I’ve often reflected on how we tend to rush into the next year … with little thought about the year before. I hear a lot of common thinking that sounds like this …. “OMG, I can’t wait for this year to be over!” or “Can we just be done with [whatever year we’re in]!” 

There’s this rush to get through as if January 1st magically creates something new … which is an interesting thing if you think about it because what’s the difference between January 1st and February 1st other than the meaning we give it? 

Collectively, we’ve all decided that January 1st means something – it means a new start … But does it? I think it’s really important when we finish a year that we don’t just rush into the next year … because in order to go to the next level of growth, we really need to complete whatever stage or phase we’re in. 

So my invitation to you is to slowwww down …. and complete the year you’re currently in. Take some time to reflect on what this past year gave you instead of rushing into the next year without pausing – it’s like squeezing the last little drops out of the lemon before picking up a new lemon. 

Take a moment to think about what the year brought you that was really useful for your growth. And ask yourself …

Why was this year I’m still in an important year for me and what did it bring? 

… what was really important on my journey?

… in my development?

… in what I’m up to and what I’m learning in my life?

This isn’t to negate the hard things that happened this year … of course there were challenges to overcome – that is all part of the growth process! (…And by the way it’s likely our inability to see the growth that occurred as a result of these challenges that make us want us to rush through to the next year.)

But the real question is, can you have a conscious transition from one year to another?

Can you pause … and slow down … and take some time to reflect, appreciate your growth, and acknowledge what’s happened in you over the last year? 

And then when you’ve done it, give yourself a toast because you’re so important. Much love on the journey. 

**Recently, when I asked this question of some of my students, one person shared that they had the “strongest connection to self yet” … Oooh, wouldn’t that be a cool thing for you to say at the end of every single year? … “It was my strongest connection to myself yet!”  

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