Daring Reinventors

This first week of the year is such a perfect time to reset and refresh ourselves for 2021. I’ve already shared the first two steps of my CLEAR process Completing the Incompletes and Learning the Lessons. Today, we’ll focus on Step 3 - Embracing Our Victories. All too often, we focus on our shortcomings, errors and disappointments and overlook our accomplishments. Take this opportunity to list everything you accomplished this last year in every area of your life no m...atter how small. Many of you juggled a career or business with homeschooling your kids or found creative ways to care for vulnerable family members. Others might have crafted innovative solutions to get the job done at work or become more involved in helping others in their communities. For many of us, our victories are how we’ve grown as we struggled through the chaos of disruption, loss and heartbreak. We reached deep inside and discovered strengths we never knew we possessed that allowed us to persevere, overcome and reach out in compassion to others. As a result, we’re stronger, wiser and kinder. Acknowledge yourself for the ingenuity, compassion and resilience you’ve developed this year. Congratulate yourself for the person you have become and allow yourself to savor each victory!

Happy New Year! I’m continuing to share my CLEAR process to help you reset and refresh for 2021! Yesterday, I focused on the first step Completing or getting closure around what the endings, disruptions and losses of this last year. Today, we’ll focus on the second step Learning the Lessons.... Sometimes it takes the upheaval of a storm to shake us loose from our routines and teach us what’s really important. Now is the time to reflect on last year’s lessons. 1. For each experience whether it was a triumph or setback - reflect on the role you played and write down the lesson learned and how you can apply that lesson going forward. 2. If you experienced a setback, reflect on whether an opportunity might have been hidden in that setback. 3. What new strengths and talents have you discovered? 4. Has this year altered what you consider important in your life? Have your values and priorities shifted? 5. Has your vision for your life and/or career changed? 6. How will these insights impact the way you live and work in 2021? Taking the time to capture the lessons learned during 2020 will ensure that we step into this fresh New Year wiser and stronger!

Happy New Year! For years I’ve used a CLEARing process to refresh and reset myself for the New Year. After this disruptive year, I thought it might be helpful to share it again so we can put 2020 behind us and enter 2021 with a clean slate. CLEARing consists of five steps:... C Complete What Needs to be Completed L Learn the Lessons E- Embrace Your Victories A - Appreciate Your Blessings R - Refresh & Reset For each of the next several days, I’ll share one step of the process. Depending on your life circumstances, you may find yourself focusing more on one step than the others. Do whatever works for you. Step 1 - Complete What Needs to be completed In order to move into the New Year with new energy, you must first resolve last year’s unfinished business. Are you still struggling to come to terms with a disruption or loss suffered this past year? Whether it’s a loss that hasn’t been mourned, a good bye that was never said or a hurt that was never processed, it’s important to acknowledge that something has ended in order to bring closure to a situation. It’s also time to release those hurts, injustices and disappointments that you’ve been dragging around. After all the tragic loss of life we’ve experienced this year, life is too short to cling to grudges, grievances or negativity. Here’s the process: 1. Make a list of everything that’s incomplete in all areas of your life. 2. Identify what’s needed to bring closure to each item. Is it a phone call or a conversation or creating an action plan? Are there items that you can declare complete without taking further action? 3. Schedule time to complete each item. Many can be resolved in single day!! As you complete each item and check it off - celebrate! You’ve just freed up more energy to create a new future in 2021!