Happy New Year!
DON’T WAIT! Write a letter to YOU now.
Yesterday my family and I opened the Letters to Us that we wrote and sealed up on January 1, 2018. The one year ago us spoke to us. This has become an anticipated tradition for the Herrings – all 6 of us! (and I’m so filled with Gratitude to Bethany DuFour who taught me this in her blog post Click here to get the Letter to You format http://maleygroup.com/happy-new-year/
The letters remain sealed all year long and I have never read anyone else’s letter and they have not read mine. We do all laugh a bit and share the snippets we are comfortable sharing. It is an experience of joy, sometimes sorrow, sometimes not understanding where that 1-year ago person was coming from at all.
Even though today is January 2 – I encourage you to do this today or tonight. You may or may not choose to include family members or executive team members in your business.
Again – ready Bethany’s post for the full format (I have it printed and attached to the letters): http://maleygroup.com/happy-new-year/
Or – the short version is that you:
1.) Write about today – the present, where you are sitting, what you hear/smell/see, etc. Write about today.
2.) Write some about the year that just past. This can be “shallow” and reporting on events or it could be “deeper” and talk about feelings, emotions, purpose, meaning, and Intentions and who you were Being.
3.) Write about your Intentions for the year ahead. Again, you can be shallow or deep or both. Who do you want to become. How can you live your Best life? What do you want for others in your life or for your work and business?
Then – seal it up and don’t open it for a year.
These are my letters, I read over every prior year before writing this years:
I’ll share with you something very deep that happened as I read my prior year’s letter yesterday.
2018 was REALLY an AMAZING year for me – personal growth and experience wise, family, business, our best year ever in coaching, a live event with our clients in May, we built our own Gym and Coaching space at the farm, I had the most profound experience I’ve ever had at an event at the Rich Litvin Intensive, started Yoga with my daughter, clients hitting wicked highs in Life and business, hiking/backpacking/trail running and being in perhaps the best physical, spiritual, emotional shape of my life…. it was a year of FULFILLMENT/FINANCES/FREEDOM in my work and FAITH/FUN/FITNESS/FAMILY in personal areas. BUT…. BUT….
As I was thinking about 2019 I have worries and feel like the year ahead has a “Gap” that needs to be filled, and I was thinking about pressures and obligations….and…. was feeling a bit flat. But, just a little bit.
THEN – I read my letter to me from January 1, 2018. I was totally pessimistic in that letter. (just being honest). I was down on my work and me and my marriage. I was bummed with my weight/fitness level and ability to be a dad of 4 children. I was still feeling a bit of failure from ending commercial farming and my dad had just fallen from a tree and I was worried about his recovery and what it might mean to my family obligations if he didn’t recover. I had just sold his cows for him which was a total pain in the rear and a lot of work that I didn’t have time for. We had left our church of 15 years and I felt badly about that. I was just not a happy camper at the time of the letter…
but holy crap, Only a year later and things are awesome. As I reflected during letter writing on the past year I was like…. WOW… what a year! Things are so amazing and great now. And yet, on Day 1 of 2018 I wasn’t expecting that. What a turnaround! It makes me so optimistic for the year ahead.
And what was different last year…. I kept things simple. I just kept doing one more activity, one more conversation. I kept serving just the person in front of me. I didn’t listen to internet marketers quite frankly. I followed God, my mentor Warren, my wife’s desires, my inner voice.
I invested in health coaches, my family therapist / psychologist dude Jim and I met every other week and worked on my emotional and mental health. I journaled every day. I ready about 20 books paperback and listened to 20+ on Audible.
I stayed in touch with a small group of guys who are spiritual…some from my 12 step group and some from my church.
Kathy (my wife) and I communicated and sat together (we’re sitting together right now) and we kept an annual calendar.
Anyway…. reading the letters 4 years back was such a good move. This has become a habit. I suggest it HIGHLY to you and yours.
Please let me know how I can serve you.
What annual habits do you have that are similar?