Each January we are faced with the turn of the New Year. An opportunity to take a snap shot of where we are in our lives and create a moving picture for where we want to go.  The unique thing about being a mom is that September feels more like the New Year than January. So each September I take a step back and look at what I did over the previous year. What did you do over the past 12 months? What will you make of the coming year? Now is your chance to look back, look in, and look out.

Look Back: Looking back is a process of reviewing the past year. Take a moment to list all of the things that you intended to do last year. Did you do them? Did you partially do them? Did you not do them at all? What about other things that you hadn’t intended on doing but did? Add those to your list as well.

Look back at how you lived your life over the past 12 months. In what way were you living just the way you desire? What would you change? If you have a journal, this is a good time to pull it out and start writing.

Look In: Once you have taking a quick look back it is now time to take a deep look inside. How is it that you were able to do the things you did? What kind of support did you have along the way? What thoughts and beliefs propelled you forward?  On the other hand, for the things you did not accomplish, what got in your way? What thoughts or energy stopped you in your tracks? Do those things not matter to you in the end, or do you still want them and would like to bring them into reality in the coming year? Now is your chance to shift your thoughts and energy to allow them to materialize over the upcoming months.

Embrace your achievements allowing yourself to feel the pride, the joy, or the relief of your accomplishments. At the same time, release any disappointments that are hanging on to.

Look Out: Looking out brings your attention to the future and to the world around you. What is it that you want? Picture yourself this time next year, reviewing your year. What would you like to see in that snap shot? What would you like to be able to say about the way you lived your life? How you are with your children, your spouse, your extended family and friends, or co-workers? Where are you living – do you have a new home, have you remolded, cleaned up your space? Are you working?  What does that look like? Take this opportunity right now to renew your vision for the year ahead.

One great way to do this is to imagine that it is ALREADY this time next year. Once you get there in your mind and see it on your virtual calendar, take a look back and see what you accomplished. Your subconscious does not know the difference between real and imagined, past, present or future. So if you see it in your mind’s eye, its real to your subconscious and your subconscious will move you in that direction.

Remember, you’re always moving…what direction do you want to move in? Where are you going to end up and what will your ‘Look Back’ look like this time next year??

Tags: school, september