As 2015 draws to a close, it is a great time to celebrate our wins, accentuate the positive, and begin preparing ourselves for success in 2016. Although our specific goals and resolutions for 2016 might be different this time around, the desire, drive, and motivation to pursue them are the same. Each and every one of us hopes and wants the upcoming year to be better than the last. We want to be happy, fulfilled, and successful.
Before setting milestones, plans, and goals for the upcoming year, it is important to notice and acknowledge what you and those around you have done well. Starting your 2016 planning by identifying and acknowledging what you and others have done well helps all involved build and reinforce that as we enter the new year.
You can begin accentuating the positive in yourself by asking the following questions and then writing down your answers as you begin your year-end review.
- What were the highlights of the past year? What did you learn?
- What went well this year, and how can you do more of that in the upcoming year?
- What impact did what went well have on you and those connected to you?
- What did you learn about yourself based on what went well this year?
Once you’ve answered the questions above, it is key to acknowledge yourself for all the things done well, the successes you experienced, and the challenges you overcame before deciding what you wanted to accomplish in 2016. Choose a quiet moment either at the start or end of each day for a week, and choose one item to focus on at the moment. Acknowledge the accomplishment by replaying what you did and how you made a difference.
To amplify and share this powerful experience with others after your week of acknowledging yourself, begin acknowledging those around you. You could start off by choosing one person each day and acknowledge something specific that they have done well, and then tell them how it made a difference. Be as specific as you can with yourself and others. Acknowledgment is more than just saying you or they are great. Acknowledgment means noticing what a person does and how they make a difference.
There is no secret formula for living a happier and more fulfilled life. Accentuating the positive in others and ourselves helps us understand how and what motivates us to achieve our goals, leverage what works well and connect more deeply with who we are and how we make a difference in the world.
My wish for all of you in the New Year is to flourish and have the success and fulfillment that you desire.