Did that dang groundhog say hello to spring or did he/she remain in winter?  How about you – are you lingering in the end of 2018, somewhat stuck in winter, or are you woke to 2019?  Another way of looking at it, do you truly see your accomplishments or only their shadow as you move on to the next?

Saying hello to 2019, yet embracing 2018, I feel joy.  2018 was a year of great accomplishment for me.  I owe myself much more than a pat on the back for that.  Here’s a quick review:

• took classes to further my knowledge about leadership
• hired an executive coach
• joined a new mastermind group
• updated my website
• worked on my will
• found a dog-walker for my elderly dog
• took better control of my finances
• started yoga classes
• took steps to have a closer relationship with my family
• established new relationships with professional trade associations
• rented a storage space for items I was storing with relatives in the suburbs

I’m ready for new wins in 2019, but before I can do that, I want to celebrate my accomplishments before “putting them to bed”.  Recognizing and celebrating accomplishment is healthy for growth, progress and necessary to regenerate passion.  If you do not honor your achievements, you deprive yourself of feeling any degree of pride or success.  The result: you’ll be forever chasing that next thing on your list, pursuing that brass ring that you can never reach, like a gerbil on an endless wheel.  Always reaching, never succeeding which leads to frustration, anger and exhaustion.  Plus, you’re probably missing out on recognizing the passage of time and how that feels when time goes by.

I used to be the winter groundhog so I understand how draining this mindset can be.  It was in my coaching Millennials, not following the behaviors of my mentor or former bosses, that changed me: they taught me the value of rejoicing at the end of something.  You can learn a lesson from the younger professionals who like to take a break after finishing a project.  Reclaim your pride and joy and passion.

Celebrate.  After creating a list of your own for 2018, go dance.  Feel that sense of victory.  Only then can you be truly ready to make things happen in 2019. Now, you can be the groundhog that is looking at Spring.