Three Happy Changes I’m Making This Year
Compared to previous years, I’ve probably made more changes in 2024 than I ever have in the past. I attribute that to my One Word being EDIT.
One would think that since I’ve steadily been making changes there wouldn’t be any left to make going into the new year, but the new year is always a brilliant opportunity to glance back and see what would make life and work even better. If you aren’t in the habit of reflecting at the end of the year, I encourage you to take time to do that. Even better, make reflecting a regular part of your year – more on that here.
After reflecting, I was pleased that there were many aspects of the year that went very well. In fact, in several areas, I far exceeded my goals. I’m celebrating those successes!
There were a few areas, though, that if they improved it would make a positive difference in my life and work. I wanted to share those changes with you in hopes that they would inspire you to make a few of your own changes going forward!
Without further ado, here are my three changes:
1. Scheduling Changes…
Adding “Project” Days
To be honest, I expected my One Word, EDIT, to motivate me to tackle a couple of the bigger projects. That didn’t happen. My word did inspire me to make many constructive edits that have served me well, but the bigger projects remain.
Perhaps like me, you’ve had no shortage of tasks on your list too! When combined with a really big goal like I had this past year on top of day-to-day life and work, those seemingly less important tasks never get started. Before you know it, the year is over!
Somehow giving myself permission to pause, breathe, and tackle those projects seems frivolous, but I know that getting those kinds of tasks done would feel amazing! That’s why this year I’ve already put on the calendar four-hour blocks of time that I’m calling my Project Day on the 15th of each month.
Maybe you are all good in the area of projects, but what other task or activity do you never seem to get to? Whatever that is for you, get on the calendar right now. If it’s a one-time task, great. If it’s something you’d like to do on an ongoing basis, I encourage you to set it up on your calendar as a reoccurring event.
Give yourself permission to do that thing!
Adding Development Days
There are so very many aspects of coaching that I find truly appealing and one of them is that there are endless ways to expand your coaching skills and knowledge base. In some ways, the endlessness of it is daunting, but it is also fascinating and exciting too!
This past year I invested a significant chunk of time in growing as a coach, refining my skills, and working towards my next level of ICF certification. It’s been a ton of work, and it’s also been incredibly beneficial. The entire experience has challenged me to keep on investing in myself as a coach and to do it in some new ways.
Unfortunately, like those big projects I mentioned in #1, it’s easy for life and work to crowd out that desire to intentionally grow professionally and get caught up in the what’s pleading for my attention right now.
To ensure that I do invest time in continuing to develop myself as a coach I must be intentional. That means once again blocking out Development Days on my calendar.
I promise that not all of my changes are scheduling changes – but if you aren’t currently using your calendar to block out time for specific tasks and utilizing the “task” feature, you are missing out!
2. Notes For Next Year
A year is a long time! There are many tips and ways of handling things next year that I want to be sure I don’t forget. Somehow a whole year later when I need to remember those tips they have long since escaped my mind! I’ve been playing around with this idea loosely, but in 2025 I’d like to get serious about my “notes for next year” – my gift to my future self.
This idea came to me a few years back when I documented my Thanksgiving meal and “Fun Day” plan along with tips I wanted to be sure I didn’t forget that would make the next Thanksgiving and Fun Day even better. These are big back-to-back events for our family that require a great deal of preparation. Being able to rely on those notes worked like a charm and made planning this year a breeze.
Going forward I plan to use this method to give myself an edge in more areas of my life and not just Thanksgiving and Fun Day! Here’s how I will be sure that happens: when I reflect on the first day of each month on what transpired in the previous month, I will document anything that might be useful for the following year. I trust the information will continue make life and work that much easier going forward.
What pointers, tips, and improved ways of doing various tasks or navigating life and work would be helpful for you? Where will you document those bits of information?
3. A Mindset Shift From My Priorities to What’s Important to God
When I chose the word INTEGRATE, my desire was to have God more involved, more in the driver’s seat of my life and work. As I have been chewing on this word and digesting additional content that God’s brought my way I’ve had some pretty profound realizations.
Priorities have been a significant focus for me. In fact, priorities have been the impetus behind my goals and my day-to-day choices of how to invest my time, but sadly, priorities keep me at the center of my life where I don’t belong. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is still a place for priorities. I’m not ditching them altogether; however, I desire to steward my time well and pour my energy into what God deems most important. That’s where the real fruit is!
As I’ve contemplated this change, I’ve noticed that often it’s the silly interruption or the seemingly inconsequential encounter that takes precedence for God, not the seemingly bigger stuff I get consumed with. The question is, do I trust God enough to lean into that moment? Do I trust that He is able and creative enough to help me get the work He’s given me to do, done?
There are loud and noisy voices out in the marketplace urging me to do this or that. If I follow their wise words, then my business will be successful and my life rich.
The Truth Is…
God rarely works that way. He is abundantly more creative, more powerful, and more innovative! His means of accomplishing my work and making my life count are often puzzling, but very effective. He delights in surprising me and He’s weaving not only my story, but your story, together in meaningful ways – meaningful from an eternal perspective, not just this earthly moment.
I firmly believe that God created us to work, connect, etc. When I surrender and allow Him the space to work, my efforts are multiplied in exciting ways. That’s when my life truly makes a difference.
I know we are barely into the new year, but as I’ve been transitioning to the new mindset, I’ve made another observation. Each day has a pivot point – a critical moment in the day where it feels like everything is going haywire. It’s at that pivotal moment that I have a decision to make. Will I climb back into the driver’s seat and try to accomplish what I deem to be important? Or will I carry on with what God’s sees as important and trust He is up to something good even though I can’t yet see the happy outcome?
I don’t anticipate this change being a quick or easy one. After all, this one is a bit tougher to pop on my calendar! In spite of that, I’m honestly eager to see the fruit that comes from making this change.
What changes are ahead for you in 2025?
