by
Tracie Nichols
Around
this time of year, many of us do a year-end review of our lives or our
businesses, or both. We look at what we accomplished. What we’re proud of or
what we didn’t do so well. Then we go ahead and plan for the next year. We make
resolutions or set intentions; create affirmations or to-do lists.
The
thing is, we tend to squeeze it all into a few weeks in December and January
because this is the traditional turning point in our year, based on the
Gregorian calendar.
But,
cramming a year-end review and coming year planning process into a few short
weeks feels distinctly unwieldy and unnatural. Add in that many of us are also
celebrating holidays during those weeks, and the whole experience can tip over
into “That’s overwhelming!” territory.
So
why do we do it?
If
you think about it, part of our urge to review and plan at this time of year
likely rises from times when we were more deeply tied to the land. Both through
the natural rhythms of seasons and of agricultural rhythms like harvesting,
winnowing, and storing seeds for the following year’s planting.
But,
and here’s the important part, the process would have been spread over two
seasons, not a few short weeks or days.
For
example, autumn (late September, October, November) is the natural time for
reviewing what we’ve learned and done and for sorting and consolidating what
we’ve accumulated during the spring and summer. Like trees dropping leaves and
squirrels gathering nuts and seeds we can follow nature’s guidance and drop
extraneous ideas, beliefs, or actual stuff and seed (or archive) for later
what’s truly useful and nourishing.
Then,
during the quieter months of early winter (later December through January and
early February) we can look over those stored seeds (ideas, insights) and plan
for the coming planting and growing season.
Whether
planning actual gardens, creating a career strategy, making a plan for spending
more time with family or expanding time spent doing something that relaxes or
restores us, doing the actual planning over a few months gives us the time and
space to be very intentional about our choices.
We
don’t have to make resolutions or lists on January 1st just because
that’s the way things have always been done. Indeed, we don’t need to make
resolutions or lists at all.
If
we choose to do any reviewing or planning, let’s be infinitely kind to
ourselves and spend time throughout the autumn and winter thoughtfully crafting
something that fits our lives, aligns with who we are and nourishes us along
the way.
Tracie
Nichols, M.A. is a holistic business and life coach, aromatherapist and poet.
With 10 years experience as a woman business owner, 7 years holistic
mentoring/coaching experience, 30 years as an aromatherapist, and a masters
degree in human transformation, her work is about standing in solidarity with
body-centered and highly sensitive women, walking with them as they
discover/rediscover their body-wise, empathetic, intuitive strengths.
Supporting them as they bring their whole selves to their life and work.
Helping them be accountable to themselves and their dreams of making whatever
difference they choose to make. You
can reach Tracie at https://tracienichols.com/ or tracie@tracienichols.com. Or connect with her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracietnichols/ or
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EcoAudientTracieNichols.
