As the countdown for the end of 2021 begins and the newness and excitement of a brand-new year builds, I reflect on how and what I want to be able to say a year from now. Lofty, certainly feels like it. Daunting, absolutely. The kicker is that to look forward, it is necessary to look back. It is important to identify and learn from successes and unsuccessful ideas, decisions, and ventures. You see, without reflection, it is nearly impossible to move forward with conviction and confidence. I do not want to repeat the same mistakes and have a Groundhog Day experience. I can watch the movie for that!

Rather, I want to BE more and DO more in a thoughtful and purposeful manner.

My word/theme for 2022 is TIME. Over the course of the pandemic, we have all had too much time, too little time, and everything in between. I am committed to utilizing my time to being the best and healthiest version of myself; mentally, physically, emotionally etc. As well, I want to ensure that time is focused on my priorities and not checking things off a ‘to do’ list. Specifically, reflecting on and identifying 3 top priorities feels like I am challenging and stretching myself while being mindful of setting targets that are achievable and meaningful.

Time is finite. It is precious and allows us to be productive, to connect with one another, and to give back to ourselves.

What is your word/theme for 2022? What feels important for you to reflect on?

Whatever word/theme/commitment you choose, may it serve to bring you closer to those values that you aspire to live by and provide you with an uncomfortable stretch that promotes a greater you.

I recently have read several great articles about what the post-pandemic world might be like; specifically, how do I want to shape it. The thrust of the articles was about what was working for and subsequently not working and what it is that people want to take away from the pandemic experience. The articles were somewhat slanted towards our professional lives and yet personal and professional are always intertwined and intersect – perhaps more than we care to acknowledge.

Upon reflection, I have been enjoying more time to focus on my health; physically, mentally, and emotionally. The pandemic brought less commuting time, less running from one thing to the next and being able to take time to ‘stop and smell the lilies’ (not a fan of roses)! What are you noticing about yourself that you didn’t have time to notice before? What is one, or two things that you want to continue doing even after the pandemic is long behind you?

Likewise, what are one, or two things that you want to stop doing once it is ‘safe’ to return to the new state of normal? Although these might appear to be simple-minded and easily answerable, I caution you to not just look at the here and now but the future as well. Since we are whole beings, in every essence of that, what would you like to say by the end of the year? In 5 years? In other words, what do you need to reflect upon and start intentionally moving toward (or away from) in order for you to achieve those desired goals? Now, not as easy as it looks right?

So why not take some time now, before the pandemic is behind you, and thoughtfully, intentionally, and introspectively find out what it is that makes you want to go to work every Monday morning. Discover what small changes you can make in the next leg on your journey to create a more satisfying, healthy, and fulfilling life – personally and professionally.

Wishing you thoughtful reflections and wonderful insights!

What a year it has been! It has been a roller coaster ride, horror movie, and a walk in the jungle – all at the same time. As I write this, the province is a multitude of colour markers depending on the county/region that you live in with the number of total Canadian Covid-19 cases still going up on a daily basis.

A recent article in the Globe and Mail highlighted a study that showed 45% of employees would still like to have the flexibility to work from home and office while 48% of Canadian employers do not intend to continue the flexible working policies once the pandemic is over. This begs the question what are you taking away from 2020? As uncomfortable, strange, frustrating, and bizarre as this year was, it provided an opportunity to do things differently. What have you learned about yourself? What do you want to continue doing and what do you want to start/stop doing? I often utilize the stop/start/continue question as a year-end reflective space for my coaching clients and it seems even more poignant this year.

For me, I made a conscious choice to block off time in my calendar to go outside for my mental and physical health. This commitment allowed me perspective and space to embrace nature in a deeper and richer way and gave me a much-needed break and outlet from the daily grind of always being in my home office. As an outdoorsy type of person, I needed nature more this year than ever before to help restore my mental clarity and balance which I will gladly commit to continuing.

As for what I want and need to start and stop doing, I am going to take more time to reflect and define what served me and what did not. What about you? What has been your biggest takeaway from 2020? What have you been surprised about during this unprecedented year?

Identify what you need and start, get rid of what is not serving you and stop, embrace what feels good and continue. Why? Because you are SO worth the effort.