The tree is down – all the needles have been vacuumed up and the ornaments carefully placed in the storage closet. The room looks bigger now: fresh, open and full of possibilities.  And so it is with this new year and this new decade. As we turn the page on 2009 and the aught years of the 21st Century, it’s an opportune time to tidy up a bit and clear some physical and mental space as we consider what we want to create, personally and professionally, in the new year and decade that begin today. As will all new year beginnings, I like to start with a clean desk, an empty calendar and a brand new notebook.

If you think about this coming year or decade as an upcoming chapter in your overall life/work story, what adventures and accomplishments will you author? What new paths will you forge in 2010 or the 2010s? What obstacles will you overcome?  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Write the ending first. If you know how you want your story (or at least this chapter) to end, the individual pages you write each day will all be leading you toward that conclusion. Whether your story line is easy to follow or full of twists and turns, the ending you’ve already written will serve as a beacon, pulling you forward.

Cast yourself as the hero or heroine. In the story of your life, work and business, you are the protagonist – the main character. In the story you’re creating, is your character a victim, a survivor, or a thriver? What personal qualities or capabilities does your character need to develop – who does your character need to become – in order to reach the conclusion you wrote?

Give your hero or heroine a task worthy of his/her time and life energy. Big goals and bold plans inspire us, ignite our energy and focus our attention and our actions. What big goals and bold plans will your hero or heroine reach for this year? Who else will you need to inspire, communicate with, lead, enlist or engage to help you reach your goals?

Build in resiliency. In any worthwhile story, there are unforeseen challenges, unexpected surprises and unpredictable opportunities. Help your character stay flexible and resilient by eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep and building in cycles of intention, preparation, action and reflection.

Ready, set, write!

[tags] Happy New Year, life story, writing, planning, hero, heroine, story, narrative, journaling [/tags]