Yes, a first quarter review is not necessarily just for work… and if this idea has you shifting uncomfortably in your seat, here are some questions to help you reflect and review your progress in all aspects of your life for the first quarter of 2010:
What would you like to celebrate? These could be specific accomplishments and regular activities that are achievements that you may take for granted e.g. caring for others.
Are you where you planned to be by the end of March 2010?
Have you reached your goals? (you did set some, didn’t you?)
What have you learnt?
To help you plan for the next three months, get real about where you are now:
What are you currently putting up with?
Write this at the top of a piece of paper and take your time to list absolutely everything, the results will probably surprise you. Seemingly innocuous things can drain your energy and make life more difficult, without even realising (such as in my case an 18-year old leaky iron that is not fun to use… you can guess the result!) By sorting them out once and for all, something magical happens. Suddenly, you have more vitality to get on with the business of living life to the full and to make the changes in your life that you keep burying under a pile of “I will do it when I’ve…” – fill in the blank for whatever works for you.
Interestingly, from seven years professional success enabling people to reach their goals, there is usually one goal (out of three that clients work towards) focused on a particular aspect of self-care e.g. improving health, confidence, organisational / time-management skills, weight-loss, lowering stress, life balance or fitness. It is because this is the area that gets in the way of achieving what you really want in life. Tackle it and you are ready to handle the ‘other stuff’ such as changing your job, growing your business or leaving / developing a relationship.
Think about how you can rectify what you are putting up with. How can you use the list to work out what you would love to accomplish by the end of June 2010?
Imagine everything on the list crossed-off? What would your life be like then? What would this lead to?
What is one action that you will take this week to get you started?