Renewal

Deb Dobbs is a Consultant and Life Coach. Reach her at DobbsCommunication.com

At this time of year, you see physical signs of natural renewal. The recent winter solstice marks a seasonal shift in the tilt of the Earth. You can witness manifestations of the Earth’s transition with earlier sunrises. Daylight time is inching longer. More sunlight and earlier sunrises can inspire you to feel invigorated, motivated. Some people claim health changes due to the shift in the physical environment. Surely, these natural adjustments give an expectation for new beginnings. Even in your cultural groups you see signs of change and the celebration of it -- religious and secular.

It’s a new year. With it comes a sense of starting over. It can be a time for you to shake off disappointments. It can be a time to move in a new direction. Starting a new year can be a chance to gain new perspectives. With new perspectives you can change habits. What do you think? Are you ready for renewal?

Goal setting is the buzz this time of year. However, before you set goals you first need to have a truthful assessment of what happened in the area you want to change. Knowing where you are is the first step to determine where you want your next steps to take you. Give yourself time to examine what happened in the last year. Be honest with yourself.  Seriously and calmly revisit events. Identify the circumstances preceding the events. Note who was involved. Next, with as little emotion as possible, think through what happened. Then look at your outcome. Check-in with how you responded. Seeing your consequences without the drama can help you break free of habits. No doubt the process can be frustrating. It’s “heavy-lifting” for sure. Even so, rebuilding your perspective is worth the effort. Give yourself the gift of evergreen renewal.