I Am a Rockstar

I just finished writing my annual list of all my accomplishments for 2015.  (This is a practice I began about ten years ago while attending the Hendricks Institute for life coaching.)  This year, I am pretty sure I had a record number of accomplishments written down: seventy-eight!  I’m not sure if this means I actually progressed more in 2015 than I have in any other year, or I have simply gotten better at noticing and appreciating what I’ve been able to do in a year’s time.  And frankly, I don’t care which it is.  My general conclusion is this:  I am a fucking rockstar.

You might think of this as bragging, something which is widely discouraged in our society.  I think of it as acknowledging.  One of the things I LOVE about doing this exercise is that it helps me realize and remember how far I’ve come in the last year.

I am continuing to evolve.  I am continuing to grow and change in positive ways.  I am feeling better and better all the time.  THAT’S my definition of “success”, by the way, feeling as good as possible as much of the time as possible.

So, what does all this have to do with you?  YOU are a rockstar too!  Have you ever done this exercise?  Trust me, whether you have or haven’t, my prediction is that if you do it you will surprise yourself by how much you have accomplished in 2015 too. Here are a few steps to help you get there:

1.  Set aside some time for yourself between now and Thursday night- come on, I don’t care how busy you are- you can do it!  It won’t take more than forty-five minutes, tops.
2.   Get cozy, comfortable, and quiet.  I just did it on my couch.  With a nice blanket on.  With the heat cranked up.  With NO noise in the background, and no one around.  I would have had a cup of tea, too, if I’d had time to before I was inspired to do it immediately.
3.  You don’t need a fancy journal or pen, just a page or two of plain lined paper, or even computer paper will do.
4.   Let your thoughts flow.  And write.  And just go, no thinking necessary!
5.   Forget about organization; it’s okay to jump from one topic to another, and then back again later if the mood strikes you.  Your year, your style.
6.  Don’t be afraid to write anything at all, no matter how “small” it may seem to you.  If it popped into your head, trust that it is significant enough to acknowledge.  (Plus, I’m pretty sure no one ever died from over-appreciating themselves.) 😉
7.   Getting stuck?  Here are some possible categories: health, exercise/fitness, relationships, living situation, friendships, self-esteem, skills, energy level, eating habits, job or business, travel.  Also, you can think back chronologically- “what did I do in January last year?”, for example.
8.  Even if you had what you or others may call a slump of a year, how did that benefit you?  Did you get more clarity about what you DO want?  Did you realize you were strong in ways you hadn’t before?  Did you grow in your ability to ask for and receive support?  What were the “gifts” in the more challenging experiences that you had?  There is ALWAYS some growth, positive change, glimpse of hope, SOMEthing to pat yourself on the back for.   Didn’t kill your kid this year?  Good for you!!

When you are done, you can share your list, or not.  You can file it away to read at a later time, or not.  You can write to me here to tell me some of yours, if you want.

You can also at this time make a quick list of things you aspire to in 2016. No pressure.  No need to make a big deal out of it.  In fact, it’s usually better if you don’t.  Last  year I just jotted down 3 things on a sticky note and taped it to my computer.   I didn’t meet all of them 100%, and it doesn’t matter.  It’s good to dream up some things that sound delicious to you for 2016; life propels us forward when we have things to look forward TO.

This is ME, the rockstar, signing off for 2015, with LOVE.  Rock on, brothers and sisters! ♥

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