We’re nearly there. The end of 2020 will soon be upon us and the traditional, celebratory note of “Have a Happy New Year” as we sign off for the holiday season has a strange, poignant ring to it. Many have endured some of the most challenging experiences that life can throw at you in the relatively short space of this year – personal loss, financial insecurities, extraordinary work commitments, constant uncertainty, and mental and physical health issues. These, and more, will not simply turn off on 1 January 2021, or beyond.
However, to continue into the new year with the same mindset as the one you left the old one with, is not the best way to set the stage for a successful 2021. In fact, now is exactly the right time to take advantage of the final days of 2020; to create a genuine energy, a sense of moving on, and to build up a real, positive momentum to propel you forward into the new year with renewed vigour and enthusiasm.
Choosing your Mindset
Easier said than done, you may say. But that’s your mindset talking.
What about if we re-framed this year using a different mindset, such as a huge opportunity to learn about what really matters to us, what is important, and what we truly value? What if your mindset empowered you to recognize what you have achieved this year, despite what you’ve encountered? Or how about if you reached out and showed gratitude to those who have been there for you at the most difficult times, and told them how much that meant to you and what they did for you? Even just thinking about these acts of thankfulness has enormous positive impacts on your wellbeing and health, lifting you and those around you.
Making the time to take stock
As a leader, making the time to ‘take stock’ could be one of the most important things that you do between now and the end of the year. Record and celebrate what you and your team have achieved. Be thankful and show your gratitude for those who were there for you when you needed them. Recognize what has really mattered and been important to you during this year, what you prioritized and what quickly became superfluous.
Pause, reflect, grow
This year has passed by in a fast-paced blur for some, painfully slow for others. Whatever your experience, make the time now to invest in your learning and in your personal growth, not just in you as a leader, but for you as a whole person.
Because, just like a box of Maltesers, the lighter way to enjoy life [read chocolate] and to create opportunity from crisis, is the best mindset to have.