Reviewing the Year and Looking Ahead
By Belinda Stinson

For many of us the closing of an old year and the beginning of a new year gets us reviewing our own life.
I know it does for me and this year I'm looking back and am feeling rather satisfied with what I've achieved.

I launched two new market stalls, launched the jewellery parties and bought a car (having been without a car for 6 years I'm LOVING having one again).

If I compare that to what I was planning for the business I have over-achieved in some areas and other aims didn't come together but I've learnt more and am ready to move with them next year.

The best part is I'm able to look back at 2005 and feel that I've lived it. I haven't let it pass me by as I've let other years go by in my professional life.

The same is true for my personal life - although I'm better at progressing things in my professional life than personal life.

In January this year I set the aim for going to yoga and a dance class. It took a while but I found a good solution for the yoga class and other related classes at my local gym and joined in September and I'm actually going regularly. As for the dancing classes they didn't happen this year as I didn't find one that worked but that's alright - I'm not going to achieve every aim exactly how I've initially considered it.

But this is the thing, we need to review what is in our lives and what we want to be in our lives. If we figure out where we are and where we want to be we can then start to work on how to get there.

I understand this can sound like change and that can be a little scary but it doesn't have to - sound like it or be scary.

It is about figuring out for ourselves what is good enough and what is not good enough.

And it can be little things - from little things big things grow, remember?

Here's an example - last year when I was moving house I decided that once I was settled in I was going start fresh and buy a new dish-drying rack for the kitchen along with the washing up brushes etc (yes I know you need to replace them regularly but this time I did everything together) so my new little kitchen looked fresh. It was a very simple delight in the newness of things but the little change had a bigger impact.

I also bought new clothes drying-racks for the balcony and put the old ones down in the under-cover community drying area (yes, I have somewhere to hang out sheets on rainy days!).

These were all simple and affordable things but they made me feel good and the effort is well worth the results.

So change doesn't have to be scary, it can be simple and good. Now this summer I'm planning on making a chair with storage for the balcony - more challenging but will give me a lovely place outside to read. :)

So each year I do a review and look at all sorts of areas of my life. I tend to start with writing lists under headings and then expand it as I start to feel what is more important and where I want to be.

So if you want to give it a go and want a guiding start here is a possible list of headings to work from - either add or subtract what you want:

* home - kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, lounge, dining, garage, balcony, workshop, entertainment area

* learning - what books to read, things to learn, evening college courses, computer skills, business skills, communication skills, marketing skills, design skills

* life balance - what is needed in life more or less?

* body - stretching, strength, weight level, 10,000 step walking, smoking and drinking habits, skin care management, operations, eating choices, sleeping patterns

* work - balance, happiness, satisfaction, skill sets development, team relationships, income levels

* wealth creation - debt management, income sources - existing and potential, property, shares, passive income, additional jobs, savings accounts, super, tax management, accounts, GST, schedule for income and outgoing (usually called a budget but could also be seen as profit and loss table).

* marketing - website, publications, packaging, customer communications, customer service

* product development - research, development, sourcing, design, packaging, pricing, distribution

* family - improve relationships, regular quality activities, consistency for children - chores and pocket money etc, time to spend with them, what do you want to have as their key memories from childhood?

* Social life - regular activities, spending, clothes, types of friendships

I know it is quite a list and it is longer than what I tend to work with for myself but I've tried to think of what is happening in lives other than my own. So cherry pick what is relevant to you and take it from there.

Remember also that there are 12 months in a year. New Year resolutions don't all have to be implemented in the first weeks of January. What makes them successful is when they bring good things to your life and you are consistent with them.

So what if it takes 8 months before you get to making something good a regular thing in your life? It is the doing and the consistency that matters.

It is much easier to achieve changes in daily life when you're kind to yourself.

So when you're looking back at 2005 remember to smile and be kind to yourself and those you love. Have a look at your life and consider what could be improved upon and how it can be done in a gentle and kind way.

Sometimes it can take a while to find a kind and gentle way of doing something but 9/10 times there is a way. The other 10% of the time it comes down to being a little harder than you'd prefer but that is ok.

So I wish you all the very best for your personal and professional reviews! May you and your's blossom with it. :)

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