A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; - Ecclesiastes 3:6
My brain is still sorting after three months of clearing out my mom's home. It was a time to cast away many things. It was a time to keep and cherish meaningful things.
At this beginning of the new year, 2022, it is time to sort again - this time sorting through what to keep and what to throw away, mentally, and emotionally. To cast off or keep habits. To get visions or lose illustions.
In her book "Through His Eyes," Virginia Pearce talks about cleaning out the closet of your mind. Just as we look at each item in the closet to determine if it stays, so we should look at each belief and ask is it True. True with a capital T, meaning eternally and forever true. Or small t - meaning just a good idea. Or not true and it needs to go.
Over the years, my beliefs about pleasing people, making choices, and personal autonomy have all taken some twists and turns. Understandings about what I want and what brings joy have also take some twists and turn. Some beliefs have firmly stayed and become more bright and fixed than ever, such as my understandings about God, motherhood and family. Ever brighter beacons that tug at my heart and speak to my soul, include asking questions in prayer, temples, and time alone pondering.
Critical and core to moving forward in a new year with any kind of effective direction, are the questions and reflections that invite us to lose and keep, gather and cast away. Questions that invite us to examine the past as a prequel to plans for the future. Here I share some of my favorites:
- What do I really want? What is the alignment between my talents, my will and God's will?
- Where am I now and where do I want to be?
- What should I stop doing? start doing? keep doing?
- What previous accomplishments am I most pleased with? Why?
- What lessons have I learned from both my successes and failures?
- What contributions and service have I given that I am most happy with?
- What relationships have improved and what improved them?
- What one thing could I do this year that will have the most impact on the next 10 years?
- If I weren't afraid, what would I do?
- What do I want to change most about myself?
Goals setting for some time seemed to be somewhat elusive to me. I didn't understand the intensity and focus that was needed as well as the introspection and honesty that goals require. Patience with and persistence were also key pieces. My absolute favorite practices that I'm so grateful to have discovered and that are making a big impact include:
- Have goals out, front and center, pictures, descriptions, stories, daily reviews.
- Be relentless in identifying and executing small steps to achieve the goal.
- Pay attention to obstacles. Where needed, rewrite the story, that creates your end goal.
- Choose a theme for the year and one word to focus on. Reflect on it every day.
- Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate every progress, every step, every effort, even failures that help you move forward with greater clarity.
 |
