Stop and Slow Down to Uncover the Next Big Thing

It’s amazing how much we get done during the year, but how little time we take to acknowledge those accomplishments, to stop and celebrate how far we’ve come and most of all to stop and REST. How often have you ran a workshop or led a talk or webinar and after it was done, youmoved right onto that next thing without even taking a breath in between?  I’m right there with you!
As we start the new year, I invite you to move into it a bit differently.  I traditionally take the month of January to clear out, regroup, and set clear intentions.  This January, I seem to want to do all that and slow down!  Forget about resolutions or goals.  First and foremost, what if you stopped to acknowledge how far you’ve come?  Then, stopped to quiet your mind and slow down enough to listen to what direction you truly wanted to go in?  It’s in the slowing down that our mind and body recharges in order to get ready for that next big thing.
This month, I leave you with an exercise to take on to set yourself up for success in 2013:
  1. Accomplishments – What did you accomplish this year? What areas did you most grow in?  How did you get your message out to the world? (e.g. Workshops, Webinars, Speaking, Coaching, Products…) How many people did you impact and in what way?  Take a few minutes and jot down anything that comes up from the smallest item to the biggest project. They are all important!
  2. Celebration – How will you celebrate those accomplishments?  It doesn’t matter how as long as you have FUN! Mark your calendar for that celebration and then go celebrate! (Ifthe time isn’t allocated in your calendar, it’s less likely to happen)
  3. Contemplation – Sit quietly in a space you won’t be interrupted.  Put your attention on your breath and just feel your body in the chair.  As you begin to relax into that, ask yourself, “What do I most need right now?”  Notice what comes up and honor it as much as possible.  This is a great exercise to help slow down in any moment.
  4. Rest – Take time this month to do less and be more.  It’s often in the slowing down and resting that movement can flow again.  Notice when your energy is in a frenzy or major “doing” mode and stop to quiet the mind.
  5. Clarity – When you are not going a mile a minute, your mind can rest a bit and let your heart take over.  Look within and begin to uncover what you truly want to accomplish this year.  What message do you want to share with the world?  Who really needs to hear that message?  How do you really want to share it?  What mode best aligns with what lights you up? (Not what people tell you is successful that you should do!)