We are getting to the end of the year. A period that I LOVE. It’s a festive season, but also an opportunity to take a pause from everyday life and reflect on the year that has past and plan for next. I have a special end-of-year reflection ritual that I follow, with certain variations and additions:
1. Reflect on the past year. What was it that I loved about the year? What did I not enjoy so much? What did I learn? What are any key insights? This year has indeed been turbulent and full of both good and bad. My husband accidentally got stuck on the wrong side of the ocean due to Covid-19 and we did not see him for five months. My niece was one of the few children that ended up in ICU due to Covid-19 and the rare syndrome of Kawasaki. She is well now and my husband is back home. For this, my gratitude alone makes me feel happier. I learned so many things this year. As a leadership consultant and keynote speaker, my world used to be full of travel, being on stage, and meeting lots of people. From one week to another, I had to learn how to create a brilliant learning experience online. I found myself meeting the world from my home office. My two teenage daughters did school online and the most valuable resource in our home became the WIFI. I’m sure many of you can relate to this. What also strikes me about this year is how hard so many of us have been working. As leaders, as parents, and as members of society. Some have worked harder than ever, others have been furloughed and worked really hard in different ways. Many working mothers have quit their jobs to be able to cope. What can we learn? What are your insights from the year?
2. Revisit my mission statement. I’ve had a mission statement for years. It’s now down to a few key words that have stayed the same for over a decade, but each year can still provide a new focus. If you are new to this, I would suggest a great way to get started is to draft a mission statement. FranklinCovey has a great mission statement builder that makes it really easy. For more inspiration I would recommend Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. It’s a wonderful book in so many ways, and a great reference guide that provides insights and inspiration on how to create your own mission statement. When I revisit mine, I consider my purpose, my values, and my ‘why’.
3. Define my roles. Every year I define which of all my roles “make the cut” for “The Big 7” for next year. Many roles (mother, wife, and leadership consultant) stay the same. But for example, the year I began focusing on my writing, my Yoga Instructor role had to go in favor of my Author role (“Everyone Deserves a Great Manager”). Once I’ve decided which roles will be my main focus, I spend time reflecting on each role. I define where I want to be in the year to come for each role. For example, in my role as a leadership consultant I have set my vision on being a world class leadership consultant. I’ve defined what “world class” means to me and that will guide my actions in the year to come. World class looks different today than what it did a year ago. It’s a continuous journey. My keyword for my role as a Mother is “engagement”. I want to be an engaging mother that generates engagement. Those keywords will steer my actions over the year. If you are working full-time, I would recommend you have at least two roles related to your work. For example, if you’re a Director of Marketing who leads a team, one role might be “People Leader” and another perhaps “Strategic Partner to the Executive Team”. I also recommend saving the 7th role (or 1st for that matter) for YOU. This role involves taking care of yourself, fulfilling your dreams, generating energy, staying healthy, etc. Defining your roles is really the starting point to managing your time.
4. Create a vision board. Last year was the first year I created a vision board that I put up on my wall and reviewed all year. Previously, I used to put it all in my journal. This year, I’m taking my vision board to a new level. If you think of vision boards as some kind of a glorified art project, I challenge you to think again. Creating a vision board and putting it up where you see it daily reinforces your path and your goals. If you want to get ideas and tips on HOW to create a vision board I would recommend you to listen to our latest podcast episode, 2021 New Year’s Special: Create Your Vision Board on Roos&Shine.
These are my steps, which I usually spread out over several days. I would recommend that you define your own New Year’s ritual, especially after this year. I feel we all need a moment to stop and reflect on what really matters most to us.
Wishing you all a lovely holiday season! With love, Victoria Roos-Olsson
Visit FranklinCovey Mission Statement Builder: https://msb.franklincovey.com/
Visit Roos&Shine: https://www.roosandshine.com/2021-new-year-special-create-your-vision-board/