It’s a New Year and with that comes the (hard to avoid) analysis of where you are now compared to where you were in the past. It’s easy to think of all the things we didn’t do that we wanted to and skip acknowledging what we did do. It is actually harder to move forward when you are feeling “less than”.
How about if – instead, to start the year we listed the things that were positive?
What if it looked like this? IN 2021…
“Something I worked hard on that I felt proud of _______________”
“Something positive that I witnessed _______________”
“I helped out by _______________”
“I was lucky enough to _______________”
“Someone made me proud by _______________”
“I am so glad that I _______________”
We take time to dream about the future and there is always a rash of resolutions in an attempt to speed things along so we can get what we want. It is so easy to make unrealistic goals, especially after such a frustrating and worrisome couple of years. This approach is too focussed on product ,not process.
One thing we have learned this year is that with a microscope on all of our understandably disjointed productivity is the relationship of
Intention vs. Action.
It is easy to wish for something and hope it happens to us. This is a fairly Passive approach. I have found that until there is a plan and suitable support in place that we then and only then can take charge of the situation and have a better chance of making it happen – which is more of a PRO – Active approach.
It is more like we make things happen rather that things happen to us.
What has been so interesting about having the lines blurred between work and home is the loosening up of the parameters that divide the two mindsets needed for both.
Systems we use for home management can be adopted for work use because when we are working at home, we see the possibilities in front of us everyday..
For example: I keep 2 lists – Front Burner Home Tasks and Back Burner Home Tasks.
As you can imagine, The Front Burners are critical things that need to be done right away and are based on Needs.
The Back Burners are things that would be good to do when I have time, based on Wants.
Yesterday, I did a giant TIDY on my workspace and I accidentally switched my work lists over to Front and Back Burners. Then I thought – “This is Great!” If it works for me at home, why not at work – correct? All those blurred lines between work and home gave me a little gift.
It can go the other way around too.
MEET The S.W.O.T. Analysis!
Anyone managing a business may have utilized this exercise through the years. It is a proven strategy for growth and is very beneficial in its inherent simplicity and efficiency. You can easily see your path and where to put your attention.
It goes like this…
STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES:
______________-________________
______________- _______________
OBSTACLES: THREATS:
______________-________________
______________-________________
Why not try a S.W.O.T. Analysis for the personal side of things.
How about a S.W.O.T. with your fitness plan in mind?
S.W.O.T. your goal of a great vacation – kinda fun after all the missed vacations.
S.W.O.T. yourself to enjoy better sleep.
– the possibilities are infinite.
Enjoy a wonderful start to the year 2022!
Whatever it is you use it for – this “switching up” of thinking styles is healthy.
It is so good for our minds to change up a bit and re-frame challenges, while noticing what is going right for a change.
Try a S.W.O.T. Analysis for a fair and balanced approach that uses Action to reach your Intention. Quite possibly, it will get you closer to realizing your hopes and dreams.
