2010 - A Year To...?

"If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two week vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days."

- Dorothy Canfield Fisher

The good

On the positive side, 2010 is likely to be remembered by most South Africans as a year in which we surprised the world by staging arguably the best FIFA World Cup event ever.

Who can forget the amazing upsurge in national pride as the countdown to the tournament reached its final stages? Who can forget the frantic activity that ensued to bring those wonderful stadiums and supporting infrastructure to completion in time for the deluge of tourists.

The bad and the ugly

On the negative side, the fallout from the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 was still very much evident in 2010. Many South Africans lost their jobs and many others felt great discomfort as the chilly winds from the meltdown in the developed economies blew southwards to herald a recession locally.

The personal

How about you?

Which word would you choose to to complete the title of this article?

"Remember" perhaps?
"Forget" maybe?
Or something altogether more descriptive :-)

The year 2010 certainly has a certain ring about it, doesn't it. How will it be etched into your memory - or will it?

What, if any, personal goals did you set at the outset of 2010? Did you manage to achieve them or are your earlier resolutions nothing but faded memories now?

What opportunities were you presented with during the year? Did you embrace them and have the courage to make the necessary changes to create a more joyful and fulfilling life - or did you let them pass you by?

What difficulties, hardships and obstacles did 2010 throw at you? Do you look back in the knowledge that these were wake-up calls or opportunities in disguise that have helped you to learn and grow as a person? Or do you still harbour disappointment, frustration or anger at your apparent misfortune?

What personal contributions, no matter how small, did you make towards creating a better world - or do you believe that you are powerless to effect change and there is no point wasting energy?

Did 2010 see you truly grow as a person and individual or was it a year in which you merely 'trod water', while hoping for the environment to improve?

A wonderful opportunity

Love it or hate it, the great thing about December is that it provides most of us with a break from the day-to-day routine that so often characterizes life throughout the year and causes us to look back saying "Where did the time go?"

December constitutes a wonderful opportunity to step back from your routine and reflect, allowing you, if you wish, to mentally prepare the groundwork for positive change and meaningful personal growth.

Right now is a great time to consider how exactly you want to feel when you read the end-of-year edition of Insights in 2011.

If you want 2011 to be a very different and much better year than 2010 then be sure to use this time carefully and effectively so that next year you can really hit the ground running in every area of your life!

Visualise it

Visualise where you will be at the end of 2011, what will be different and how it will look and feel. Then write your visualisation down, in the present tense as if you were there - and with as much clarity as you can, avoiding any negative language.

When you're done, take what you've written and pin it up somewhere where you'll see it regularly. Let it be a constant reminder of what it is you wish to create during the year ahead.

The highlights for NIA

At New Insights Africa there is much to reflect on as we approach the final days of 2010. Despite a difficult economic environment once again, there were many highlights. [If you receive the plain text version of this newsletter you may experience broken links below. Please remove any spaces in the links before copying and pasting into your browser]