Wow. It’s December. I can’t believe it. We are just a few weeks away from ushering in a new year. For many, it’s an opportunity to slow down, reflect, and focus on the joys of life. 

Slowing down. Now, that’s a benefit of this time of year. 

Let me explain.

When we are frantic, we often miss the big picture. We see problems. We see difficulties.  But, as far as solutions, we may miss those. We may be blind to developing possible strategies. We may neglect to reflect on our desires and our approach to reaching our goals. The result is that we wind up hacking away at life without a real plan.

There is an old carpenter’s saying, “Measure twice, cut once.” So often we are just haphazardly cutting with little understanding of the reason for each cut. Slowing down and being intentional about our actions allows us to examine the purpose of our movements.

Recently, I visited Austin to attend an event hosted by a marketing company that I have been working with. Until this point, my interactions with this agency had been through Zoom, email, or the company message board. However, changing my routine and meeting with them allowed me to look at everything I was doing from a 30,000-foot view. I received more value in those 24 hours than I had in six months.

I focused on what I truly wanted, the challenges I faced, and the possible next steps. I also got a chance to meet face-to-face and even break bread with their team. This would not have happened if I hadn’t broken my routines, slowed down, and done things differently. Since then, I have been more focused and more committed. I have a renewed commitment to my purpose and more confidence. And, I can’t wait to see what is next.

This time of year, you can disconnect and spend precious time with loved ones. Enjoy it. And when you return to your regular programming, hopefully, you will be refreshed, recharged, and ready to see new possibilities.