Advent – a Time for Getting Ready « Executive and Life Coaching Courses and Information

Today is the 1st of December and the day we ‘broke out’ the advent calendars in my house (specifications – Darth Vader on the front and a chocolate treat for every day). I can confirm that much merriment and delight happened this morning when my boys realised that:

a. This means the big fella in the red suit is only 24 days away
b. They get to have chocolate with breakfast every day.

I don’t know about you, but as soon as the advent calendars appear, its like a flare goes off in the part of the world that I live in. Everyone starts getting ready. Whether it be the house / kids / presents/ etc , or the start of the last month of the quarter for my Corporate compadres, it all seems to be about completing projects and clearing the decks to get ready for mucho relaxing and partying for the festive season.

In the Corporate world, we call it closing out the quarter, which means completing all the deals and projects that we forecast would be done by the end of year.

On a completely different note.

On Saturday the Universe decided that at long last it was time for me to attend the Byron Katie workshop (The Work), as a lovely friend of mine gave me a ticket. Now I had heard all about Byron Katie for some years, but it never really lit my fire (so to speak). Well, can I tell you it’s so true that when the student is ready the teacher will appear – and my massive thanks to Ursula and Brid who facilitated the workshop and Caroline and Fidelma who helped me shed a load I had been carrying for years – it’s transformative, and so, so simple! The key to this whole process being ‘Who will you be without this thought?’

So what has this all got to do with each other? Well it got me to wondering, what is on my list? What are the projects / tasks / deals – both with other people and myself, that I forecasted would be complete by the end of the year?

And that’s where Darth Vader and his chocolates come in. What would be like if every day, in between the getting the house / kids / presents ready for Christmas, I treated myself to completing / closing out / getting rid of one of the projects / tasks / deals on my list, and which of the tools in my toolbox will best help me to do that?
Which then led me to Byron Katie and the Work – Who will I be without all these thoughts? The answer surprised me: I’d be happy, relaxed and totally present with my family and friends at Christmas. Which made me realise that on top of all the usual Mum stuff that every Mum enjoys every day, I have been lugging around and doing my own head in with thoughts of ‘You should have done this by now’ and ‘Why haven’t you done this yet?’ – the answer being ‘I don’t have the time’. Which as we all know is a total cop out and not strictly true.

Who will I be when all this stuff is done? WOW, I’ll be relaxed, happy and proud of myself. Where will my life be? In a totally different place from where it is now – more organised and ready for what I hope is going to happen next year.

What will the difference be in my business? Well, that one is as yet unknown, but hey I will be able to say that I have really given it my best, something I honestly can’t do now.

And the clincher – How much better will I be set up for the New Year?

You see, I have decided that 2016 is going to be my year – the year I go Nuclear (ooo scary, but v.cool). I haven’t made my grand plan as to exactly how Im going to get there yet, but I know that with the clutter gone it will put me in a far better position to create the changes I want to see in 2016.

So this is my plan for December – starting tomorrow, close out a different thing on my list. I am going to treat this exercise as an advent calendar, I am not going to decide which project to tackle until that morning, and I may just have to invest in a box of Lindor chocolates, (just so I can stay true to the concept you understand).
So that by the night of the 24th of December, my list is empty, all those things I have put on the long finger and have been nagging my mind that I really need to complete them are done – wooohoo! Meaning that my head will be free to put together the best plan I can come up with (with the help of quite a few people) for me and my family.

I can sit by the Christmas tree, glass of ice cold Sauvignon Blanc at the ready, mince pie in hand and relax!

So people, I invite you to join me, what are the things you want to ‘close out’ / complete / or just cross off your list before Christmas? What are the deals you have made with yourself and other people you want to close off before the festive season? What will your life be without them?, and how much more ready will you be for making your Goals for 2016 without them?

I will be blogging about my adventure and what happens every day.

Please join me: my blog is sarahlifesparkle, keep me honest. Please let me know how you are getting on and if there is anything I can do to help. IMAGINE! If you had some help to do all that stuff that’s been hanging around – how cool will that be????

Starting a blog is the first thing on my list, so BOOM! I think I deserve a Lindor….

Sarah