I’m back from China, and #SummerReset is back on track with 3 happy place questions I think are vital for discarding the unnecessary baggage from the past seasons and resetting our frame of mind and perspective.
When I think of my happy place, several things come to mind…family gatherings, music, books and good conversation. I feel most at home with a full house, plenty of good food and lots of chatter. But I need time to pull away, relax and recharge. What stops me is usually my own clutter.
Lists unchecked. Mistakes unresolved. Dreams unmet.
Unlike some, my timeline begins with the school year. It’s always been that way. All of my pouring out and expending of energy takes place from August through May. By the time June arrives, my brain needs as much decluttering as my desk. I’m worn, anxious to eliminate the excess and ready for fresh thinking. I know by now that if I don’t take the time to work the process, I won’t be where I want to be mentally and emotionally by the time August rolls around again.
So, each June, I begin my own summer reset with 3 questions. It’s the same 3 questions I’ve used for years in team building debriefs because it moves the emphasis from shortfalls to strengths to surplus.
What did I do well?
It’s too easy to focus only on the difficulties, failures, and shortfalls. For me, the ticker tape plays with regularity the conversations I wish had gone differently, the alternative choice I wish I’d made or simply the chaos rambling in the background of trying to live out of a place of peace and contentment.
Stealing away to consider what we’ve done well is a huge boost because it’s too easy to forget the good in light of the “not so desirable.” It’s an opportunity to see God and all the opportunities He placed in our path that we chose to grab hold of and trust Him for the outcome.
It’s a chance to take stock of the resources we used to overcome challenges and a time to let joy trickle through the moments we almost forgot apart from asking.
[bctt tweet=” Acknowledging what we’ve done well breathes fresh life into tomorrow. ” username=”CrystalTwaddell”]
What can I do better?
There is a reason I start with what I’ve done well. Because I’m hard on myself, and giving ear to my mistakes is too easy. I want to keep things in perspective, so when I begin with what I’ve done well, considering what I can do better is more of an opportunity to grow than failure.
[bctt tweet=”Life isn’t about being perfect. It’s about living in perfect grace.” username=”CrystalTwaddell”]
I’ve grown to respect the process of fine tuning – in my career, my home, and my relationships. Sometimes it’s an endless, frustrating process, but it always yields a huge reward. Learning to keep perspective allows us to see things in a different light. One that reflects less judgment and more objectivity. One free of shame and self-blame.
What’s next?
There’s nothing quite so invigorating as clearing out the old to make space for the new. There’s an energy standing at the gate, waiting to rush through the open space of possibilities. This is without a doubt my favorite part of the process. It’s where we begin to claim the hope.
Where the intangible becomes tangible. We can touch and taste the newness of what can be. No more burdens to hold us back from considering new pursuits. That’s an invigorating happy place.
Where we can settle in with a clear mind, open to new challenges and new ways to access the pieces of the puzzle that make up our lives. All the boxes have been checked. Nothing has been left undone. The slate is clean….we are free to recharge.
And those unmet dreams? They roll over as easy as our cell phone minutes. Because the truth is, every step to this point is a necessary part of where we want to be, even if we can’t see it at the time. Getting to this part of our happy place brings that kind of clarity and peace for the next part of our journey.
Getting to our happy place is important. It’s necessary. It’s rewarding!
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