My Year-End Review!

Copyright (c) 2013 Karen Hodge

As a practice my year-end review is tradition.

What have I learned?

The yays and the nays! As I read articles both pro and con on year-end reviews my take away is always mixed. Granted a review process might involve reviewing yourself or being reviewed by another (a manager/supervisor for example) or a combination of both. Other reviews are designed for you to evaluate yourself only to have it upheld or vetoed by said manager. If you're fortunate enough to be your own boss that alone can demonstrably curb the stress factor involved while at the same time increasing the need to be very honest and objective with yourself. To be the master of your own ship means the person you look at in the mirror each morning is depending on you to be serious.

I attended an excellent teaching [conducted by Lawrence Tam] on the value and necessity of making constant adjustments in your efforts to insure that your 'rocket launch' (the illustration he posed) reaches its destination. Rarely do our efforts consist of one shot then to sit back and wait for it to hit a distant target. The adjustments needed along the way ensure success in the navigation.

How will I adjust for next year?

Continue the good and discontinue the bad. For one, I'll continue my learning. I've attended many webinars this year and taken advantage of the motivational talks to encourage and stimulate my thinking. I've benefited from a huge learning curve and am encouraged to go on. These are great ways to combat isolation that so easily subjects us to doubt when we can't mark our progress. The templates for these sessions keep your thoughts anchored in reality. They let you see and compare your activity with others and help you to realize that you're not alone in your experience. [This can be very quieting and reassuring of your own process.] I find that if I exercise more patience with myself I can more easily navigate the myriad requirements occasioned by working with different people within particular protocols.

Why do I love the year-end review process?

A chance for reflection and refocus! The end of the year is always for me a grand time of anticipation. I can ask myself: Is the dream I started out with at the beginning still relevant to me? For you, you can judge the gains you made toward the fulfillment of your dream in the year past and adjust your approach the coming year [whether to speed up or slow down.] If you're still on course and 'projection sure' that's good; but if not it's time to make some necessary adjustments. It's also a time for me to refocus - to decide if I have the 'patience' to persevere or am I ready to abandon my dream [heaven forbid!].

When 2013 opened I had a melancholy reminder of a tradition lost having recently lost my mom - [They say that the first year is the hardest as you hit anniversaries of what used to be.] but I was able to channel energy in a new direction and focus on a project that had long held my interest. So for me this year brought good expression and a renewed direction and determination to achieve a goal. I find myself at its end very much engaged and encouraged for the New Year. I hope the same holds true for you.

So,, why not use a year-end review to make your own assessment of where you are and where you're going.

You'll be glad you did!

Till next time. God willing!

Comments? Questions? Email Here

© HowtoAdvice.com