Taking Inventory

As 2019 comes to a close, there is a lot of reflection taking place on the  year that was....and for many of us WHAT a year it was.  There's a sense from the conversations I have had that the past year has provided a lot of challenges and opportunities to really take a deeper dive on who we are, who we want to be, where we are headed and how to ensure that the path we are on will take us in that direction.
I absolutely have been taking inventory of things lately, as a sense of inertia has settled in recently and although I know that moments of stillness allow for clarity, they also sometimes cause me distress.  When you have come through a period of time that has seems to have been defined by change and movement, only to slow down it can be unsettling.  For me the what ifs start to crop up...What If this is it for my growth?  What If I am stuck? ..... and it goes on.  And even as I type those words I see how irrational they are, and just give myself permission to let them flow in and out. 
What I have found to be a rewarding exercise is to take some time to write down where I am at on a personal, professional and developmental level.  To examine some of the work I've done, where I feel that I've managed to make progress and where I could still shine a light.  Also to highlight where there are opportunities just below the surface.  Taking inventory like this has been very helpful to reduce the feelings of being stuck and unsure of what's next.  I still don't have the answers for what 2020 will hold, and that is okay.  What I do have clarity around is the fact that there are lots of irons in the fire on many levels and sooner rather than later, a spark is going to come and we'll be off and running again.
Until that time I am going to enjoy this time of stillness, embrace this slower pace and prepare for the exciting days, weeks and months that I am sure will come with the new year.

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