People talk about the new year being a clean slate, but it’s not really, if we’re hanging on to “stuff.” The new year can be a clean slate, if we want it to be. Now is a good time to assess our “slate” and see if there’s anything we want to clear before we get on with 2014.
Following are some things that, if left unaddressed, could hold us back. Let’s take a few minutes for an honest assessment to identify anything we should address ASAP that could make this year even better. What would it take to have a clean slate?
Do we have any unfulfilled commitments either to ourselves or to others?
Consider going back and renegotiating that commitment. We can even renegotiate commitments with ourselves to maintain our personal integrity.
Are we holding a grudge against someone rather than granting forgiveness?
Resentment is when we feel that same old feeling, over and over. It is a pretty good indicator that we have some forgiving to do. We may be upset with someone else or with ourselves. Either way, that resentment is only going to hurt us.
Do we need to address a wrong we have done and seek to make things right with that person?
It doesn’t matter if the wrong we did was real or perceived. If someone believes we wronged him or her, it’s up to us to make it right. We may need to apologize, clarify something we said, explain what our intentions were, or maybe even do something for that person to make up for what we did. Mending the relationship is the priority.
Are we holding on to unrealistic expectations of people ?
We have to identify what we are expecting of other people. Otherwise, it’s too easy to get upset with them because they aren’t meeting our expectations. Once we are clear on what we want, we’ll need to negotiate with the other person to see if he or she will commit to doing the things we are wanting them to do.
If we let these kinds of problems ride, they will suck up precious mental and emotional energy. We’ll need that energy if we are going to be effective in life, especially when it comes to finding our purpose and living our calling.
In writing this blog, I’ve identified a couple things I need to take care of. For example, I’m renegotiating with myself my commitment to my health. How about you? Is there anything you need to do to start the year with a clean slate?
At Simply Great Lives, we have identified time, energy and money as three of the biggest barriers to people finding and living their calling. Mindsets, or the way we think about how the world works, is right up there, in importance, too.
