Celebrating our top achievements in the new year

At the end of the year, media outlets around the world are reflecting on the past calendar year.

We review lists of top movies, books, articles and inventions.

We remember the lives of those who have passed from this world.

And, in our personal lives, many of us are thinking about what we want to change going forward. We make New Year’s resolutions.

New Year’s resolutions are great because they are forward-thinking, proactive statements about how we want to live in the world.  But implicit in New Year’s resolutions are also critiques of how we’ve been living our lives to date.

How many of us actually take the time to look back and celebrate our accomplishments over the past year?  We can take a celebratory cue from the media, and compile our own top 10 lists.

The value in celebrating our accomplishments is to give ourselves credit for the good we’ve done in the world.

When we’re constantly looking at what needs fixing, we can drain ourselves of the very energy it takes to fix those things.

So, to personalize the media practice, here are 3 suggested Top 10 lists that each of us can compile.

1. Top 10 professional accomplishments. So maybe you’re not running the company yet.  But what about all of those projects you aced, deadlines you met, new connections you made, and knowledge you gained?  And, in this economy, just keeping your job (or getting one, if you were out of work) is a huge accomplishment.
2. Top 10 personal accomplishments. Strides you’ve made in your personal life, whether making a new friend, healing a relationship, deepening a relationship, or cultivating a hobby.  These are the activities that bring meaning and depth to your life.
3. Top 10 happiness-inducing activities. This is the most random and free-flowing of the lists.  Include top events in 2009 that have increased your happiness and added color to your life.  It could be a trip to an amusement park, an unexpected road trip, a phone conversation with a friend that lasted for hours, a concert where you danced the night away.  By reflecting on those activities that increased your joy, you become conscious of future opportunities to increase your happiness.

Remember, each of us has overcome much in the last year.  Every stride you’ve made towards happiness and fulfillment deserves acknowledgement.

Once you’ve assessed your year from a Top 10 perspective, know that your lists comprise the ever-growing foundation on which you’ll build your accomplishments and joy in 2010.

Whatever goals or resolutions you’ve set don’t exist in isolation.  They are that much closer to you because of the work you’ve done in the past year.  Congratulations, you’re well on your way to achieving your goals!  Happy New Year!!!

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