How to have an amazing 2016

How to have an amazing 2016 couldn’t be simpler. You just need to get clear on what you really really want in 2016.

Start by reviewing the past year

The days are getting shorter and darker which means that it is time to celebrate what has been amazing in your life, your career, and your business in the past year.  As I said before, it is important to review your previous year before you think ahead to the coming year; to learn from what worked as well as what didn’t work out.

When you have reviewed your past year, you are ready to plan for the coming year. But it’s not about making New Year Resolutions. It’s about understanding what’s really important to you.

Is it stressful right now?

For many busy mums, this time of year gets very stressful. Perhaps you are extra frustrated and cross with yourself because you’d planned to go back to work in 2015, and it hasn’t happened. One Mum I was talking to today is three months into home ed for her children and is frustrated that it’s not working the way she’d envisioned.

Maybe you know that what you’ve got isn’t what you really really want and you are settling for less. Sometimes when you have so much going on, it’s easier to settle for less. It might feel like less effort. Less scary. Less confidence. Perhaps you don’t know what you want or need.

If you’ve taken a career break, sometimes it’s difficult to decide whether to go back to work, freelance, change career, start a business, or stay as a full-time mum. Do you sometimes have that nagging feeling wondering if there is something more? … whether you could have something different? … whether life could feel less stressful? … more complete?

Confidence comes from clarity

My personal experience is that when I don’t know what I want, when I can’t quite put my finger on what’s missing, when I’m not sure what I’m looking for … if I don’t have that certainty and clarity, it’s really REALLY hard to make decisions with confidence. I can’t figure out if I want help and what that help looks like. I end up wasting time starting down several paths, because I haven’t taken the time in the first place to figure out where I want to go. Even though it feels like I haven’t got time to stop and think, actually taking the time saves me time and frustration in the long run. Because then I have the confidence that comes from clarity. I know what I want and how to get it. And it takes less time to make it happen.

That’s how the past two years have been for me. When I had clarity about what I wanted, what I deserved, it was SO much easier to make decisions and take action. I really enjoyed taking time to review 2015 before I plan 2016. It has been an amazing year for me. And I want 2016 to be an amazing year for you.

How to plan an amazing 2016

Here are a few questions I want you to ask yourself to get clarity on what you really really want so that you have an amazing 2016:

• What is bothering me most in my life right now?
• What do I want instead?
• What else?
• How will that benefit me?
• What will I get out of it? And what about others?
• What needs to change to achieve that?

Don’t let the end of 2016 slip away from you. Take 20 or 30 minutes now to ask yourself the questions above, and that small investment of time will make a big difference. You CAN have an amazing 2016 when you are clear on what you want. It’s that clarity that gives you the confidence to take action or ask for help.

Of course, right now, you want to get organised for Christmas, enjoy the break and be fully present for your family. But if you take just half an hour now, you can get a jumpstart on 2016 when the children go back to school in January. Do it now! For your sake.

If you want to look back this time next year and feel proud of yourself because you’ve had an amazing 2016, you need to get clear on what you really really want. Without that clarity, you can’t find your confidence to take action and make it happen.

p.s. if you realise that want some help for 2016, you might like my new Clear Confidence course. You can’t sign up yet, but you can get your name on the Priority Waitlist. Just click here. There’s no commitment and no obligation.