We’re in the eleventh month of the craziest year ever, entering a traditional time of thanks-giving. In some ways, giving ‘thanks’ seems counter-intuitive. With the destruction of life-as-we-knew it and over one million deaths globally at the time of this writing, there seems little to be grateful for.

Or is there?

As Fall turns to Winter and the days get shorter, this is also a seasonal opportunity for reflection.

So take some time to consider: Where are you going? Do you know?

The unfortunate fact is, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic that, back in March, many of us thought would be over by now. (I know I did.) Think back… how did you begin 2020?

Maybe your goals and plans for this year were thwarted. Maybe you were unclear of your direction when the year began. Maybe you never even gave it a second thought – just plowing on with life as usual.

Until the whole world got put in Time Out.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

-Seneca

How you end this year will determine how you begin the new year. Will you cross into 2021 with more mental-emotional baggage? Or will you step into next year with new-found wisdom and a stronger sense of purpose?

As this year comes to a close, begin to consider…..

• How has this year changed you and your life?
• What have you gained? What have you lost?
• What have you purposefully let go of?
• What positive learnings will you take with you into next year?

I think we can all agree, 2020 has been an unbelievably challenging year. But how we look back on it will be determined individually.

Sit with the questions listed above. And if you haven’t already, start a journal to capture your thoughts. Get them out of your head and heart and put them on paper. Doing so will allow you to see them from a different perspective and enable you to examine them at a deeper level. Innate wisdom often hides in the silent spaces between our thoughts and our words.

What you do, or don’t do, in these final days of 2020 has the potential to change the trajectory of your entire life.

If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.

George Harrison, Any Road

Are you really willing to leave it up to chance?