One Thing To Make This Year Better?
Yep, it works. The tip I’m about to share really will make this year better. I’ve spent decades coaching women and I know this is helpful. It’s also part of RenewYou.
If you’ve spent years making the same new year resolutions and stopped a few weeks into the new year, this is for you. It’s not a resolution. In fact, it’s nothing new at all. But it will make this year better.
I’m asking you to think about what you do already. Although, in all honesty that’s not as easy as it sounds.
This is what you do.
Your Coaching Exercise
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash
You could do this with a friend if you wanted. Have a Make This Year Better coffee session!
Give yourself a space of about 30 minutes. I’d suggest not to use a phone or anything other than pencil and paper. Take a few minutes to reflect on what happened to you last year, or in the previous 12 months.
Typically we tend to focus on what went wrong, things we want to change. Stop that right now. If you focus on negative things, negative things will take up a lot of space. We want positive things.
So here’s what you do to make this year better.
Take time to think about what worked for you last year.
What went well? When did things go well and what did you do to make that happen? Consider big and small events, it’s all useful information for you. Even if you had your worst year ever (I hope you didn’t) something worked or you wouldn’t be reading this. List all the things that went well.
Then spend some time analysing why that was. What did you do? Was it your resilience? Was it friends that helped? Or is it a skill you have? Write it down. Aim for at least three things on that list.
Now, work out how you can do more than that in the forthcoming twelve months. Focus on what works for you and make sure you do more of that.
Appreciative Inquiry – Make This Year Better
Getty Images from Unsplash – make this year better
What you’re actually doing is something called Appreciative Inquiry. It’s a natural human tendency to want to problem solve, to dwell on what we want to change. There is a danger in that. We are in danger of losing the skills and attributes we have to make positive change. It’s classic when organisations change. They focus on what doesn’t work and forget to ask staff what does work about current systems.
Everytime I hear a politician bemoaning the NHS I want to scream at them to ask what works about the NHS? Clearly lots works. The NHS has saved my life three times! If we don’t ask the what works question we risk losing so much that is good.
You ‘Work’ So Much Better Than You Think
Everytime I start coaching a new woman I am surprised by how much they underestimate their skills and attributes. My job is to help them find out what is within, their inner strengths. And one of the questions I always start with is What Works Well?
Try it. It really is one thing that can make this year better.
I no longer send out a newsletter (so last year, dahlings), but I would love you to connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s much more immediate and you can ask questions etc. Here’s my link https://www.linkedin.com/in/changingpeople/ I look forward to hearing from you!
RenewYou, My Tried and Tested Career Booster!
RenewYou has helped thousands of women make positive and lasting change in their lives. I deliver it one-to-one as part of a bespoke coaching package for women looking to move into leadership, to progress their career, or who wish to be the absolute best version of themselves.
Posted on January 13th, 2025 by Jane
