Happy not so new year, lovely readers! I’m putting it out there now – this is going to be a splendid 2022 OK? All things considered, it couldn’t be any worse than the last two now could it? What’s more, I was recently recommended a handy little tool designed to help you make your 2022 exactly that – splendid. Gonna tell you about that in just a sec. First though, let’s look at some of the more onerous outcomes of the pandemic, aside from the incessant headlines that saturated our screens regarding our mortality and the loss of so many loved ones…
Negatives
We’ve seen ‘the great resignation’ as folk realise they don’t need to be in an office to do their work, much less in their hometown. We’ve seen burnout as the day’s bookend rituals – the commute, for instance – have blurred the boundaries between work and play. We’ve seen a lift in divorces as families juggle multiple and oft conflicting priorities of family, homeschooling, wellbeing, self-maintenance and more during an endless stream of lockdowns. I could go on. An example…
Upon greeting me with a happy new year, a girlfriend immediately exclaimed – ‘what a shit of a year last year was!’ In an attempt to lift her spirits, I responded by saying ‘but you married the love of your life, that must count for something?‘ It didn’t. I learnt that she’d personally organised her entire engagement party, her wedding and then the sad business of burying her Mum all amidst the evershifting ‘on-again, off-again lockdown rules. it’s no wonder she was feeling frayed and exhausted. Another victim of a pandemic that continues to demand our attention. The argument between the vaccinated and the non, the cost of RAT tests, returning to the office, food and supply shortages for instance. Heck, just writing that I feel exhausted! But there have been upsides to the last two years. Quite a few, in fact.
Positives
Environmentally, we saw planet earth the way it used to be, could be, should be, when the world stood still during our initial lockdowns. (Here’s a link to a little story I wrote about that: Ten delightful environmental developments just for you) We recognised that we don’t need an office to do our work. That commutes take valuable hours from our family time. We identified that we can be quite creative when we have time on our hands. We relished the sun on our faces after an isolation event and we realised that heading to the beach was far more nurturing than that long-awaited nail salon appointment. In fact, jobs are now aplenty, the unemployment rate lower than pre covid and more. We’ve had our own seismic shift!
Why is it worth focusing on the positives? Simply because the last two years have given us the opportunity to recalibrate. To reset. And that tool I mentioned earlier? It’s perfect for helping you do exactly that. If you’re wanting to make 2022 a splendid one, it just takes a little reflection and planning. The perfect tool for doing this? ‘YearCompass’.
How to make your year a splendid one…
YearCompass is is a booklet that helps you reflect on the past year and make plans for the next one. The tool has a set of carefully selected questions and exercises designed to help you uncover your patterns and design a great year for yourself. And it’s free! Here’s a link: Year Compass
The booklet has two distinct parts. The first half will help you review, learn from, and celebrate the year you’re leaving behind. The second half focuses on the future. You’ll be dreaming, planning, and preparing to get the most out of the new year.
Your time investment?
Grab a pen or a pencil, lock in a couple of hours of uninterrupted focus, and come with an
open and honest mind. Can you share it with your family or friends? You betcha! A friend of mine worked with her family on their Year Compass while camping across Christmas, and found it was a fantastic way to connect, engage and truly understand what everyone in the family was aspiring to.
Invite in those loved ones, print out a booklet for each of them, pour your drink of choice and find a comfortable space in which to relax with your YearCompass. Everyone should fill out their own, but you can take breaks to discuss the exercises and share your thoughts and feelings. (Just be mindful of people’s boundaries)
Go forth and conquer your plans for 2022 and enjoy!
On a personal note
On a personal note, lovely readers, am jotting just one more post relating to careers (why career plan at the request of a reader) then I’m hanging up the blogging boots until the opportunity returns to write about my one true passion, the one that brought me into the blogging realm in the first place – EXPLORING THE WORLD. Stay Tuned! xx
