‘11 New Year’s Exercise
Year Past | Year Ahead Assess and celebrate 2010 - the successes, the challenges, and the breakthroughs! What needs to be let go of, and what do you need to carry forward? Envision your best 2011 - create an inspiring theme for the year! What are your intentions and what do believe will be your biggest wins?
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2011 NEW YEAR’S EXERCISE
© Copyright 2010 Life Leadership Unlimited, LLC. All rights reserved. The Coach Kathy Wilson New Year’s Exercise is for educational purposes only. You may print and use the information in the Coach Kathy Wilson New Year’s Exercise for personal purposes only, provided that you (i) do not reproduce and/or share said information, (ii) do not modify said information, and (iii) do not profit from said information.
New Year’s Exercise
THE YEAR PAST
REFLECTING ON 2010 This exercise is designed to put the current year in perspective and help you move forward positively into the New Year. You will rediscover some wins that you forgot about, learn some things about yourself, and you may even be able to eliminate some energy drains and leave them in the dust as you move forward! 2011 is full of possibilities and potential just waiting for you! It's important to acknowledge and celebrate both the successes and the failures - they have probably shaped your life, work and perspective this year quite profoundly.
LET GO This is a chance to reflect on the ways that you have participated in holding yourself back, as well as those things that did not go quite as planned. Keep in mind that this is not the place to dwell or to place blame, and it is certainly not an indication of what life has in store for your future. Below and/or on a separate piece of paper list all your disappointments, losses, limiting beliefs and nonempowering perspectives that you are willing to leave in 2010. Take the list of what you'd like to rework, rethink or leave behind and symbolically burn, shred or tear it into the past. Following are questions to consider: §
What were your biggest disappointments/losses/breakdowns?
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Where did you hold back or limit yourself?
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What are you now willing to let go of (a pre-conceived idea, a judgment, an unfulfilled desire, a need to control, a fear, etc.)?
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New Year’s Exercise REFLECT AND CELEBRATE This is a chance to celebrate what you have achieved, created and become this year. Please don't gloss over these. "Little" things DO count; NO modesty is allowed! It's time to validate and take ownership of all that you have accomplished in 2010. There is a basic principle that whatever you appreciate and give thanks for will get even better. §
What were your biggest accomplishments/successes/breakthroughs in 2010?
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What were your major milestones?
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New Year’s Exercise §
What are you most grateful for?
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What are you most proud of?
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In what did you find joy and delight?
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Where did you make space for yourself and self-care?
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Where did you step into your power and greatness?
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What were your most important lessons/insights/a-has?
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New Year’s Exercise §
What can use improvement (what do you need more of, less of, or different)?
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What or who needs to be forgiven?
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What has not been said that needs to be said?
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New Year’s Exercise
THE YEAR AHEAD
ENVISIONING YOUR BEST 2011 What will your theme for 2011 be? Not necessarily just goals with dates. Rather, what is your vision or dream for the upcoming year? What do you feel energy or excitement around? What can you really connect with that engages your imagination and feels totally compelling? This ritual can be as linear or “right brained” as you want to make it! Some people make lists; others create collages, pick theme songs and even use menus as their theme. It can be as full of creativity as you desire. Following are questions and suggestions on creating your unique New Years Ritual. Use some or all of them, adding your own to the mix! §
My New Years Intentions that I am committed to… 1. Imagine ahead to December 2011 2. Write a list of your Wins, Successes and Breakthroughs for 2011 from that year-in-the-future perspective. Be specific and write them as though they have already happened 3. Look at each area of your life (personal professional, relationships, finances, health, etc.) and make the list as long as you like.
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Name the upcoming year (e.g. Year of Abundance; Year of Commitment; Year of Yes; Year of No, etc.)
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If your vision were a piece of music, what piece would it be?
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If your vision were from nature, what would it be? Perhaps it would be a tree, the ocean, a babbling brook, etc.
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What does your vision taste like; smell like; what color is it? What other senses can you use to develop your vision?
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What if your vision were a thousand times bigger? Describe what it would be.
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What metaphor can you use to describe your vision?
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Add one outrageous or wacky element to your vision.
Use these questions as a springboard to jumpstart your theme creation. Be as free, wild and inspired as you'd like. It's your theme, something for you to create and watch it take shape and evolve over the coming months. This exercise is meant to be a fun and productive way to start your New Year.
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New Year’s Exercise ENVISIONING YOUR BEST 2011! (Use extra paper, a journal, or a notebook, if preferred.) _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
New Year’s Exercise CHALLENGES (Use extra paper, a journal, or a notebook, if preferred.)
It is inevitable that when you are working to create a new, powerful vision for your life, you will be faced with challenges. Identify those challenges, and write a paragraph about how you plan to anticipate, alleviate, and/or overcome those challenges in 2011. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
SUPPORT (Use extra paper, a journal, or a notebook, if preferred.)
Being surrounded by the right people, and keeping yourself in the right frame of mind is an important discipline when living a new vision. Write a paragraph about how you will work to stay focused and confident in your vision for 2011. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
New Year’s Exercise THE NEWSLETTER (Use extra paper, a journal, or a notebook, if preferred.)
Write a newsletter to family and friends from the perspective of your one-year-in-the-future-self (New Years 2011/12): What did you do, where did you go, what was new/exciting/different in your life? How are you different as a person? (Don't worry, you don't have to send it to anyone if you prefer not to, it's just something for you to create, celebrate and strive towards.)
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