The year that was and the year ahead (Audio)

I hope that you have read my post on Balance Tips for the Holidays 2007. In it, I include several questions to help you reflect on 2007 and start undertaking some visioning work for the year ahead.

If you haven't done so, I'd encourage you to build in at least half an hour to take stock of what 2007 has had to offer and what you want 2008 to look like. Grab a pen, some paper or your computer!

Here's a 15 minute audio post to support you in your reflection and visioning:



(If you subscribe I hope that you will visit this post online so you can download the recording)

Pull up a chair, put on a fire, or head to the beach to undertake this exercise on reflection and visioning for the new year.

Enjoy!

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CHRP, CPT
Potentials Realized
Group Coaching Essentials
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Email: jennifer{at}potentialsrealized.com

Balance Tips for the Holidays - 2007

Last year my post on balance tips for the Holidays was extremely popular and I have had a number of requests to provide some Balance Tips for the Holiday Season 2007.

If you haven't read last year's Balance Tips for the Holidays, you can read it here. And here is my 2007 Balance Tips for the Holidays:

Balance Tips for the Holidays 2007
Jennifer Britton, Potentials Realized - Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved.

The holidays can be a whur of activity and a time for stress rather than a relaxed time connecting with those things that matter most to you. What kind of holiday season do you want to create for yourself this year?

Here are a few tips to consider when looking at creating better balance during the holiday season.

1. Spend time reflecting on what 2007 was all about.
Build time into your schedule to tuck yourself away to take stock on the year that was. To support you in your reflection process you may want to consider the following questions:

• What am I grateful for? In my relationships? In my career or business? In my family life?
• What lessons have the events of 2007 taught me?
• What do I need to celebrate achieving this year?
• What have been the major areas of “stretch” for me this year?
• I am most proud of accomplishing….this year

2. Spend time creating a vision for what you want to create in 2008.
What do you want to create in 2008. Here are some vision questions to get you started:

• What do I want to create in 2008? (In my work, family, relationships?)
• What are my three main goals for the year – personally, in relationships, in my career or business?
• What support team do I need around me to help me achieve my goals?
• What is the most breathtaking action I could take in 2008? What would it give me?
• The theme for my year in 2008 is…..

3. Connect with what is important to you - your priorities
It can be very easy to lose sight of of you priorities during the holidays and get wrapped up in the holiday spirit. Is your priority to spend more (quality) time with your family? Live a healthy lifestyle? Practice financial prudence? How are your priorities being met this holiday season.

Take a moment and write down what your priorities are right now, and what you want your priorities to be for the coming year. Is there a gap? What do you need to let go of to close that gap?

4. Revisit your values: Values can act as an internal compass for us, enabling us to make better decisions while keeping aligned with what is most important to us.

5. Build in time for your "self" - Our needs can quickly get lost during the holiday, especially if you wear many different hats - business owner, executive, parent, spouse, partner, sibling, child.

What do you need in order to fuel yourself during the holidays? Remember: "What doesn't get scheduled, doesn't get done!"

What can you do today to have time for yourself?

and finally

6. Celebrate - The holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate all that has happened during the past year. It's a time for community and reconnecting with childhood wonder. Find time this holiday season to celebrate in a way that is meaningful and fulfilling to you.

Some questions to consider are:
What have I accomplished this year?
What major milestones have I reached?

Cheers to a "balanced" holiday season!

Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CHRP, CPT
Potentials Realized
Group Coaching Essentials
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960

Jennifer is a Professional Certified Coach who works with professionals, teams and organizations on balance, career, teamwork and business success issues. She has worked with clients in over 30 countries to help them take their work and relationships from good to great. She offers indvidual and group coaching programs, workshops and retreats (virtual and in-person). To find out more about the work Jennifer undertakes and programs she offers, please visit her at www.groupcoachingessentials.com.

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Balance Tips for the Holidays

Balance Tips for the Holiday Season
Jennifer Britton, Potentials Realized - Copyright 2006

The holidays can be a blur with shopping, parties, visits. This often makes the holiday season one of the most stressful times of year. What kind of holiday season do you want to create for yourself this year?

The following are a few tips to consider when looking at creating better balance during the holiday season.

1. Connect with the things and values that are most important for you – The holiday season will have different meaning for each one of us. Spend time connecting with your values. What is most important for you at this time of year – is it to reconnect with family and friends. Is is time to treat yourself? Is it time to reflect on the year, or celebrate your succeses. Make time to honor those things most important to you.

2. Make a List – The holidays are often crammed full of people to see, things to do, things to shop for. Make a list of everything you want to do this holiday season. Having a written plan of what you want to accomplish can make things flow more smoothly. What tasks can you combine? What can you do now? They say that 12 minutes of planning can save 120 minutes of your time. Try it out!

3. Prioritize – Based on your theme for the holidays and your list, priortize what is most important. What do you definitely need to have or do? What can you let go of? What can wait until the New Year?

4. Spend Quality Time Doing What You Are Doing – Whatever you choose to do, spend quality time. Quality is not quantity. Often we are so focused on what we have to do next, or what we have forgotten to do, we don’t fully imerse ourselves in the present. Enjoy whatever time you are creating – infuse it with quality.

5. Create space for you and your needs – How much time have you set aside for yourself and your needs during the holiday? For many, this is a quieter time at work. Are you taking advantage of the time to tackle those projects which have hung over your head which needed a quieter time? Have you built in some time to do those things you enjoy most? Have you really given yourself some “holiday” time during this holiday season?

6. Celebrate! This is often the only time of year that we can connect with certain important individuals in our lives. Celebrate with them, and celebrate your own successes from the year!

This is by no means an exhaustive list -- let me know which ones you find useful, or others you would like to add by commenting below!

Cheers to a "balanced" holiday season!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960