Dear friend,

The year 2013 is almost here, and by asking yourself some profound yet simple questions, perhaps you will not just waste whatever you accomplished, or failed to achieve, during 2012. At the same time your answers can help you visualize your ideal path and set realistic goals for the year (and years) to come.

My invitation is to literally recycle 2012! “Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for “conventional” waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production.” –Wikipedia

To me, and to put it in very simple terms, it sounds just like a learning process from our own life, to gain from our gains and strengths, to avoid the same mistakes, to get new perspectives to reduce stress and become more efficient. Let’s try it together!

Let me help you start the Recycling Process, with a few questions. You can choose to just have a reflective Q&A session with yourself, or you can even go a whole extra mile and share the questions and answers around your family table, with a friend, or a significant other.

Sharing your answers becomes an act of accountability, and accountability is what we miss most years after setting ambitious goals.

1. What did you learn about yourself in 2012? And, what are you going to do about it in 2013? (Hint: don’t just invite your “Negativity Committee” to answer this! Let’s be honest, you also learned good things about yourself!)
2. Is there anything you gave up in 2012? Would you want to take it back? What do you need to do in order to get it in 2013? (Hint: think about different areas of your life)
3. What didn’t go the way you would have liked during 2012? Is it something you can control? If so, how can you avoid it in the future? If it’s not under your control, what can you do to move on in 2013? (Hint: In life things happen, and at a certain point “it is what it is.” The only thing you have control over is how you react and what you do about it)
4. What are some things you really enjoyed during 2012? How can you have more of that in 2013? (Hint: Moments of fulfillment and joy can be recreated in different and creative ways)
5. What is one thing you can do NOW to move forward to Make your Life a Good One in 2013? (Hint: why wait? no more excuses!)

And keep practicing recycling, by asking yourself questions that will not allow you to waste any single moment (small or big, good or bad) in your life. If it is something that went well in 2012, find out how you can recycle it into more during 2013. If it didn’t go as planned in 2012, figure out a way you can recycle it into something different during 2013. If it was just a dream last year, find a way to recycle it into reality next year!

Wishing you the ability to recycle the year that you are leaving behind, into one of learning and personal growth. Wishing you the motivation to make the New Year ahead one filled with profound questions, many moments of joy, lots of good choices and the strength to have plenty of decisions (hard and easy) to make.

Above all, wishing you to always keep recycling, it is a healthy habit for you and your environment!

Yours,

Orit

Orit Ramler Szulik
Life & Organizational Coach