So, more than half the year is gone, and Christmas is just 3 months away, and 2020 is practically tomorrow. Time flies when your life is falling apart, am I right?
But before you start panicking about everything you haven’t done yet, give yourself a pat on the back for making it this far and let’s do a little check-in.
Check-in #1: How are you feeling?
Some days it’s difficult to even get out of bed but you’ve made it through 200+ days of 2019. How has the last month felt for you? Overwhelming? Or pretty cruisey? Think about the feelings you want to create for yourself and what has made you the happiest over the past nine months. Was it simply hanging out with your best mates or starting a personal project? It’s important to understand what makes you happy; choose to do more of it in the coming months.
HOW TO START:
Begin by writing down what made you happiest in the last week, then move on to the last month and finally, the last six months. You can start your thoughts with, “I was happiest last week when _________”.
Check-in #2: All that you’ve accomplished
Instead of thinking about all the things you want to do, let’s make a list of all the things you HAVE done this year (you can call this your ‘Ta daah list’). Write down all the big, small, difficult, happy things you’ve made happen and you’ll begin to see that you’ve done so much more than you give yourself credit for. Maybe you had to have a difficult conversation or maybe you tried an activity you thought you never would – give yourself permission to be proud of yourself.
WRITE IT DOWN:
Title this one – “Things that were difficult but I did them anyway”. No one else has to see this list, so it doesn’t matter if the things you’ve done feel too big or too small for anyone else. This is yours. Own it.
Check-in #3: Time to let go
As we step into the second half of 2019, think about what you’d like to let go of and what you want to keep. Consider this the Spring Clean of your life and mind. What are some habits that no longer serve you, what are some relationships you need to untangle yourself from?
GETTING THROUGH IT:
It may be a painful journey to let go of the people, things and practices that feel so familiar. Here’s a tip on how to put it down on paper: “I honour (this relationship / habit / thing) and what it has brought me in the past but it no longer serves me. I respect myself enough to let it go and to create space for (better things /new beginnings).”
Check-in #4: What are you grateful for?
To create more of what we want, we first need to be aware of what we have. What has the first half of the year taught you? What new possibilities, people and journeys has it brought your way?
A LITTLE PRACTICE:
Take a moment to think about all that you have to be grateful for. Be specific. Instead of saying, “I am grateful for my friends”, think about the reason for your gratitude. Maybe it’s saying, “I’m grateful for my friends because they pick up the phone even at 3am!” Extra tip: you could also start a gratitude jar by filling it with notes and observations on what you’re grateful for. Revisit them at the end of 2019 and see how far you’ve come.
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I hope these tools and tips will help you make that flip to feel a little calmer about what’s to come, and feel proud for what you’ve accomplished.