Tips for Seasonal Renewal and Personal Growth

Consider this suggestion that has helped me survive this industry for three decades at Microsoft, Google, and Amazon…during this holiday season step back from the endless cycle of activity and think, reflect, and live in the moment. Being busy every second isn’t what leads to inspired decisions or breakthroughs. Instead, it can stifle creativity, increase stress, and prevent the innovative thinking that moves the needle. Ignore work and be with your family – I guarantee that you will have better ideas and more energy when you restart next year. Here are the specifics: 1. Create Space for Innovation: The best ideas often emerge when you have room to breathe and think. Give yourself permission to slow down over the holidays. With that mental breathing room, you’ll be better equipped to imagine creative approaches, develop new strategies, and identify opportunities that may have been hidden in the day-to-day grind. 2. Prevent Burnout: Non-stop work leads to burnout—worn-down energy levels, reduced clarity, and diminished effectiveness. By intentionally setting aside time to recharge, you protect your mental and physical well-being. Returning to work refreshed means you can hit the ground running with renewed focus, making it easier to channel your energy into the projects that drive real results. 3. Refresh Your Objectives: Innovation doesn’t just appear out of thin air; it emerges when you thoughtfully consider what’s been working and where you can improve. Use the slow ramp at the start of the year to reflect on the road ahead. Coming back with a fresh perspective will help you zero in on what matters most, ensuring your efforts align with your core objectives. 4. Invest Time in Yourself: Slowing down provides time for learning and personal growth—reading, thinking, or exploring new perspectives outside your normal routine. By expanding your horizons during the break, you return to the office with heightened curiosity and sharper judgment, ready to tackle complexity. This holiday season, step away from the mindset that more activity equals more success. Instead, recharge. Let your mind wander. Immerse yourself in moments that inspire you. By doing so, you’ll return to work with greater clarity, a fresh sense of purpose, and the creative momentum.

December is my favorite month of the year. It’s packed with celebratory festivities, and rituals that represent the best things about life (e.g. rewatching classics like Harry Potter, Elf, Love Actually, Die Hard, etc. with a cup of hot cocoa in hand.) It’s also the month that leads to renewal, the January that represents a new start, do-over, and hope. Annual reflection and resolution planning is one of those rituals I look forward to the most in December. Here are the steps I’ve been following the past 4 Decembers: ⭐ Step 1: Reflection ⭐ 1) what are the highlights of the year, and why? 2) what are the lowlights of the year, and why? 3) what are your learnings from them? (how did they uplift you, drain you, or how could you have done differently?) ⭐ Step 2: Synthesis ⭐ 1) On a empty paper, draw a “spider chart” that comprises of 8-10 axises with 10 marks on each axis 2) Write down one thing that represent an aspect of your life at the end of each one of the axis. For example, I have “Mental Health”, “Environment”, “Personal Growth” on my chart. 3) For each of the axis that represent your life, score your level of satisfaction on the 10-mark line 4) Next to your score, write down 1-3 reasons that contribute to your score 5) Then write down another 1-3 things that you think can help move your score up 6) Pause and look at your chart, what stories or insights is it revealing? What feelings and thoughts are coming up for you? These are the signals for the next stage ⭐ Step 3: Intention Setting ⭐ 1) Reflecting on your feelings and thoughts from the previous stage, which ones of the axises/aspects would you like to focus on? 2) Are you ready to tackle all of these axis, or are yo ok with just focusing on a few things? 3) In each of your chosen aspect and the 2-6 things you had written down, circle the ones you’d like to focus on for 2024. Consider your resources, strengths, and values to help decide 4) Looking at the things you’ve written down, what is one word or the feeling that comes to mind? Write that down as your intention for 2024. ⭐ Step 4: Goal Setting ⭐ 1) On another paper, re-write the things you circled earlier as goals you’d like to achieve, following SMART format (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) 2) For every goal, write down one thing you can do every week that would contribute to achieving your goal. These are leading indicators that’ll lead to your accomplishment. 💡 Bonus step: put a recurring 30-min block on Fridays on your calendar as a reminder to schedule the actions and review your progress every week ................................................ 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 👭 What are your favorite rituals or reflection practices you do? p.s. looking at my spider charts the past 4 years, and I realized how "striving a balance" is important to me 😆

A few years ago, I felt stuck. Despite working hard, progress felt sluggish. Then someone asked me: “When was the last time you reflected on what’s working and what’s not?” I froze. Reflection wasn’t part of my routine—I was too busy “doing.” That moment changed everything. I started carving out time each month to pause and reflect. The results? Clarity, growth, and a renewed sense of direction. Here’s the simple process I follow: 1. Celebrate wins. ↳Big or small, list what you’ve achieved. ↳Progress often hides in the little victories. 2. Identify challenges. ↳What didn’t go as planned? ↳Be honest but constructive. 3. Extract lessons. ↳Ask yourself: What worked? ↳What didn’t? ↳What can I improve? 4. Adjust your goals. ↳Refine your next steps based on your insights. Reflection isn’t about looking back with regret, It’s about learning to move forward smarter. It’s like cleaning the windshield before hitting the road again. PS. How often do you take time to reflect on your goals? #PersonalGrowth #Reflection #BusinessCoach