Ready for your 2020 midpoint reflection?
It’s the halfway point of 2020, and phew, what a year it’s been!
If we climbed into the way-back machine and visited the you of 6 months ago….would you be picturing yourself as you are today? I’m going to guess probably not.
With certainty I can say that today’s Sheila is in a completely different place than I could have possibly imagined at the end of 2019. The personal and professional adventures I’ve had so far this year are ones I did not predict. I’ll admit it, quarantine was not on even on my radar 6 months ago.
Yet, there were at least two things I knew with conviction at the start of 2020.
First, I knew that I was going to work hard to help others build mindful money habits. My energy around the concept of financial wellness as part of our overall well-being was clear.
Second, I knew that time would keep ticking. Errr….what? It doesn’t matter if your to-do list seems infinite or if those around you are squabbling about never having enough time to do what they want. Time can feel like it’s flying past or crawling in molasses, but this fact remains. It’s always moving at the same. exact. pace.
To mark the halfway point of the year, consider these 3 tips to amp up your ability to recognize your accomplishments thus far and to plan ahead:
1.Give yourself a pat on the back: Back in my days as a manager in large corporations, I remember how frustrating recency bias could be when it came to performance reviews. Many bosses would set bonuses and write evaluations that disproportionately weighed recent events. To help mitigate this tendency, I started keeping a folder of notes that I could add to throughout the year.
Try this exercise today. Think of 6 things you’re proud of from 2020 thus far – that’s roughly one per month :) There’s no required scale or scope to these items. This is about forcing yourself to acknowledge your momentum….because even in this wild, crazy time I know you’ve done great things! Examples may include: I finished a 1000 piece puzzle, I finally figured out how to FaceTime with more than one person, I learned how to make a mean matcha tea latte.
2. Revel in the power of gratitude: Summer is often full of moments of happiness – like baking a fresh blueberry pie after a morning of picking berries, the splash of water at a pool or the ocean, or sharing stories around the campfire.
Take a moment at the end (or beginning) of each day to call to mind things you are grateful for. The research on gratitude is clear – it boosts happiness. Which of course, boosts wellness!
3. Stop harshly judging your mistakes: “our brain is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones,” says Rick Hanson, author of The Buddha’s Brain. Made a financial decision you’re unhappy with? Treat yourself with compassion! That’s how you would likely treat a friend in a similar situation, right?
Acknowledge the emotions that came with that decision and reflect on how you want to feel when you make money choices moving forward. Let those desired feelings be your guide next time you’re contemplating a financial choice this year.
Now’s the time to organize whatever will help you feel like you have a clear slate for the second half of the year. Write down your financial wellness goals and consider how you want to feel about your money situation by the end of the year.
We don’t know what the rest of the year will hold. You may achieve all of your goals with ease, or you may not. Regardless of what life brings your way, you will learn new lessons, and you will grow. And time will keep ticking!
At the 2020 midpoint, I encourage you to pause. Reflect on all that you’ve already done. Celebrate what’s going well. And plan for a bright future ahead.