BHAGs in 2021 and 4 Types of Questions For a Balanced Year-End Review
Last week, after hosting a full-day event (“daytreat”), I took a ferry to Bowen Island to begin a weekend retreat. As I rolled off the ferry ramp and drove up the hill into my ‘home away from home’ hidden gem, I allowed my body to exhale. Ahhhh, I can breathe more fully and now I have time to rest.
I booked this retreat at the beginning of Q4 when I planned out the quarter. I knew that I needed a way to refuel and replenish before getting ready for the big move at the end of November. Honey Bear and I just bought our first 3-bedroom home in South Surrey / White Rock, close to the beach, and in our Top 3 Neighbourhoods of choice when we were looking to buy. We are beyond excited to be moving to this sweet neighbourhood, albeit feeling a little financially ‘spent’ as we make the biggest investment of our young lives. It’s going to take some time to move, unpack, acquire some additional furniture, nest and have housewarming gatherings, but I’ve already set the intention for it to be as easeful, joyful and magical as possible!
As usual, the timing for a cozy retreat on a misty mid-November weekend was perfect, because it was just before I launched into the logistics of our move. I was in an intentional space about what kind of home I wanted to create with Honey Bear. I was so glad and grateful to have booked this time, because it was also a working retreat to plant seeds for my ultimate vision of a retreat centre of my own. I returned to this special place Cates Hill where I first envisioned my new brand in 2018 and entered into a rebirthing journey that it called me to. Little did I know then about the series of events and multiple mini-rebirths that brought me to this present time.
Looking back, 2020 was mostly a write-off. It was a year of unravelling and living with the impacts of a car accident just before the Covid pandemic, when the whole world seemed to have taken a sabbatical prescribed by Mother Nature. It was a year of taking steps to heal in a swift and intense manner. Personally, I felt an urgency to focus more deeply on my health and wellness, and this caused me to scale back on my business activities. It was a big healing year for many people, and I was no exception.
At the beginning of 2021, I was clear in my four (4) main BHAGs (big hairy audacious goals) for the year.
ReBrand my coaching business to its next evolution and host a launch event announcing the new brand
Have an epic dream wedding
Launch my brand-new teaching and coaching framework (WOSS) in the form of a summit
Honey Bear & I purchase our first home and we move into it
Within each of these BHAGs were smaller, stepping-stone areas of growth and challenge, the key one being my post-car-accident recovery had to get to a place where I could move from working part-time to full capacity once again.
As we wrap up November and head into December (my birthday month, yay) I’m so happy and grateful to look back on the past year and feel proud of what I’ve managed to create and celebrate, with Spirit having my back of course.
In March 2021, I hosted my first-ever pubic event in 2 years (“Who Removed My Mask: Business as Unusual in a Post-Covid World”) to launch my new brand, shifting from The Conscious CEO (after 5 years, it evolved) to raindancerhome.com.
In May 2021, Honey Bear and I got hitched, said “I DO” Covid-style with 2 ceremonies (1 Sikh, 2 Christian/Multi-Faith), 4 dresses for the bride, and only 10 in our wedding party (sadly). But we also had a lovely virtual reception blessed by surrogate elders Wise Women Council. In the summer, we went on three 3 ‘localmoons’ in our beautiful province in BC. Later in the summer, when Covid restrictions lifted a bit, we hosted a wedding watch party sharing photos, videos and memories with family and friends.
In September 2021, after months of house-hunting roller coaster, we saw what was to be the home we ended up putting an offer on... and because the seller was motivated to seal the deal, the whole thing happened so fast. We became homeowners in a matter of 24 hours!
In November 2021, after wrestling with the decision to postpone the dates of a multi-day summit to spring 2022, instead I hosted a 1-Day Workshop+Daytreat. The important part was getting to teach the Wheel of Sustainable Success™ framework two years since its inception and integrating what would have been three events into one day.
4 Types of Questions to Ask for a Balanced Year-End Review
Now that 2021 is coming to a close, it’s no surprise that most of us are in a reflective state. The last month of the year is typically when we look back and review all that transpired ~ the successes and celebrations, the challenges, the opportunities for growth and learning, and tapping into what we want to create next.
Below are some of my favourite types of questions for a balanced year-end review. They are clustered by type/theme or category, and below each one are guiding questions.
Celebration / Gratitude
o What can I celebrate that I / my family / my team created / what can we be proud of that was accomplished?
o What deeper values do they express?
o What am I more grateful for this year?
o What unexpected blessings and learnings came my way?
What Worked / Didn’t Work
o What worked and why? How can I integrate this practice or strategy moving forward?
o What didn’t work and how can I pivot to be more in alignment with my values?
What’s Next?
o Based on where I am in my entrepreneurship / leadership journey, what is calling to me next?
o What do I desire the most to create in my personal and professional life?
o How do I want to grow, both in the ‘taller’ and ‘deeper’ sense?
What’s Yet to be Completed or Let Go of?
o What remains unfinished, unaddressed, unaccounted for?
o Given that we still have about 6 weeks left until year-end, what can I fully commit myself to bringing about that will feel like I gave it my all this year, this season?
o Given the changes and rhythm of the past year, what can I let go of or modify to create more balance, rest and spaciousness?
I recommend carving out a half-day to reflect upon these questions and note them down in your journal.
If you’d like to take it a step further, schedule a date with a fellow founder, a cherished colleague or mentor, or a friend who shares your growth path, do the exercise together and share the answers.
Who knows, it could inspire your BHAGs (big hairy audacious goals) for 2022! I invite you to comment below to share what came out of this reflection exercise. : )
© 2021 Rosalyn C. RainDancer
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