Look Back to Move Ahead

Reflection brings us closer to success. In particular, reflecting on your successes is an important aspect of learning and growing. You’ll gain the strength and confidence to inspire you to greater heights. Rather than getting caught up in the holiday stresses, try to relax and reflect on the past year. Recall all those moments that brought you happiness and that made you feel fulfilled. Think of the people that were part of those special moments, those you appreciate and those you are grateful for.

“We often become so focused on our negatives that we lose sight of the positive aspects of ourselves,” writes Gary Buffone, PhD. in his book, The Myth of Tomorrow . “Our filter becomes clogged with negative thoughts, strangling the perceptions that encourage, support, and inspire our confidence.” To feel good about ourselves, Buffone advises, “we must take time to appreciate our strengths and assets, and recognize what is working and going well in our lives. When time is short, gratitude grows. Our mortality begs us to be kind.” Find some quiet time and write down your successes from the past year. Don’t just focus on career matters or how much money you’ve earned. What about the special people in your life or those little moments that have made you laugh?

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings,” writes Eric Hoffler in Reflections on the Human Condition . Sometimes it just seems easier to count blessings in the lives of other people. Ask yourself, “If I were a friend to myself, what would I view as successes in my life?” If you are still having trouble identifying your successes, ask people who you like and trust to tell you what they think your successes have been.

Set aside a quiet time this holiday season to reflect - you owe it to yourself. You’ll feel rejuvenated, more confident and ready to embrace more positive moments and successes in the New Year.

By adding to your list of successes, appreciation and gratitude on a regular basis, you’ll be amazed at the change that will come over your life. Because of your new focus on “finding successes,” you’ll begin to see accomplishments where you previously saw failures, your self-esteem will grow and you’ll attract more success into your life. “And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same,” says Nelson Mandela. “As we are liberated from our fears, our presence automatically liberates others.”

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