As we close the door on the ‘old’ and welcome in the ‘new’, I am pausing to reflect on 2014. It has been a good year. Not least, as I qualified as an NLP & TimeLine Therapy Practitioner and launched The Mind Model.
What NLP has taught me is that you get nowhere sitting on your butt feeling sorry for yourself blaming ‘circumstances’ for your life and resulting frame of mind. The only way to change things is to take responsibility and take action.
In life we are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of events on a daily basis. From a chance meeting to a throwaway comment you receive. From, maybe, experiencing something totally new to a milestone you achieve. But NLP highlights the fact that it’s the learnings from these events that has particular significance.
So as we bid farewell to 2014 – I am wondering what learnings I shall take with me forward into 2015 …
* Spending time with my family – wherever they are in the world – is crucial for my emotional wellbeing. Following this rule has taken me from Wandsworth to Whistler and from Nottingham to Nice ( with Madrid, Oxford, Liverpool and Barcelona thrown in for good measure. )
* There is no failure – only feedback. I did try and embrace the cycling bug – in an effort to bond with my darling husband. However it soon became apparent that this pastime really was not for me. I shall leave that to him and his MAMIL cronies. But at least I tried.
* Manners matter.
* Goal setting is vital if you are wanting to accomplish anything of significance. To achieve real results your goals have to be very specific and written down. Wishy washy goals just won’t cut it.
* To give without counting the cost or seeking personal gain will bring you dividends beyond your wildest dreams.
* It is possible to give up chocolate – and the world will still keep turning.
* It’s OK to ask for help.
* It shouldn’t have taken me 35 years to challenge the comment “Caroline will never set the Thames on Fire.” I have learned that one person’s opinion is just that – an opinion and it is not necessarily a fact. I have also learned that as adults, we have great power in how we encourage and inspire children, and this power must be treated with care and respect.
* You can never have too many holidays.
* At 50 – I am finally too old to ride The Pepsi Max at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. ( To be honest, I am a tad gutted to have to acknowledge this fact. )
* Going to a spin class three times a week is an achievement in itself and is to be celebrated.
* If you are going to treat yourself to an overindulgence, be it a duvet day or a spending spree, a cupcake or a must-have gadget – then Ditch The Guilt. There is absolutely no point robbing yourself of the enjoyment by beating yourself up. Embrace the moment and just enjoy.
So I guess my learnings are that whatever 2015 holds in store for each and every one of is – the trick is to take responsibility and to stand up and commit to making these changes ourselves without waiting in the wings for somebody else’s cue.
Happy and Healthy New Year. X
