This post is me tweaking an awesome article shared by Forbes called, “3 Things Every Entrepreneur Should Do Before 2016 Comes To A Close.” I read it and realized that it could work for everyone, though, not just entrepreneurs, so I reworked it accordingly.
Unplug
Spirit FORCED me to do this, y’all. I’d been meaning to get around to it for a while, but kept making excuses. Then my phone broke. Bought another and that one broke. That “officially” took me out the game for about three days, but they were so peaceful that when I finally did get another phone, I waited about a week before downloading all of my apps again.
Don’t be like Trelani. Don’t make Spirit have to force you to go offline. Give yourself that space. It feels so good and you’ll be glad that you did. You can unplug for the final hours of the year, or carry it over into the new year too 🙂
“I’ll be the first to admit that I’m addicted to this never-ending flow of information. It makes me feel connected, productive, and secure. The unfortunate reality, however, is that constant connectivity provides a false sense of comfort. We often mistake connectivity for true connection and being busy for true productivity.
Unplugging and going analog for a period can help reset your system and force you to be present in the current moment. This forced mindfulness can be challenging, but it’s the first and most important step toward relaxing and recharging.”
Get back to your roots
A super fun activity that I did was grab a dry erase board and make a list of words that describes me and my tribe. What makes us who we are? What are our common roots? A few of those words included: self-accepting, safe-space building, peace-prioritizing, anti-oppression, culture-challenging, nature-loving, world-traveling, teachers + healers, etc.
Who are you? What are you passionate about? Get back to your roots before the new years enters.
Reflect
“Without self-awareness, it’s impossible to control your reaction to the trials and tribulations that life so often presents….The first step towards self-awareness is to recognize and be open about the things that cause stress, anxiety, and negativity in your life. This self-assessment enables you to prepare yourself and your team for the challenges and opportunities that you will face in the coming year.”
Relationships and connection was a big word for me this year. So a huge way that I’m choosing to reflect is by making a list of everyone I considered to be impactful in my life for 2016. Maybe I just met them this year or they’ve been around for a while. Don’t overthink it. If they came to mind, write ’em down. Some of these mofos I couldn’t stand. Most I loved, though.
Beside each name, I wrote something that troubled them/challenged them as in their personal lives, as well as their strengths. From that, I looked for myself in each of them. Very enlightening, to say the least.