A Fresh Perspective on Planning and Preparation for 2024 🌟
Image: María Jesús Contreras as in Melissa’s article in NYT.
As we bid farewell to 2023, I found myself immersed in conversations about resolutions, aspirations, and the roadmap for the upcoming year. Themes of spiritual growth, a go-getter mentality, and a hustler’s mindset echoed in discussions, illustrating the collective vision for 2024.
Reflecting on Melissa Kirsch’s analogy in the New York Times, envisioning the arrival of 2024 as co-owning a new house sparked an intriguing thought. How can we collectively furnish this new space? Amidst the complexities of life, I propose a shift in focus—let’s plan for Agility and Nimbleness. What if we could truly prepare for the unpredictable nature of the times ahead?
However, amidst the complexities and uncertainties of life, what if we shifted our focus to planning for Agility and Nimbleness? What if we were to truly prepare for times ahead? what would that look like? The times as we experience are fraught with complexity and uncertainty.
In this blog, I invite you to explore a fresh perspective on planning and preparing for the times ahead.
Years ago, my father met with vocal cord cancer, and we battled it with preparation and planning. He came out of it but not unscathed (in many ways). But he chose not to focus on the damage done, albeit he felt rejuvenated with a new zest for life. Despite unexpected challenges, dad approached life with a philosophy that work was his “Dharma” or duty, embodying the concept of a “Karma Yogi” where right action is a form of prayer.
He planned, prepared, and worked to create a legacy. Life took an unexpected turn as dad faced depression and recurrence of cancer after a decade of apparent recovery. None of us were prepared for this eventuality.
It started with depression and then recurrence of cancer. This experience re-shaped my thinking on the motto that I heard from my dad growing up, “The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep! Be prepared and always plan.”
This reshaping began in earnest when I realized there was little, I could do. Doctors could only do so much to either explain or resolve his depression leading to return of throat cancer. And eventually his passing before the pandemic hit.
I decided to re-frame my situation as a spiritual quest, a path that led to surrender. I started looking for signs and taking time to reflect on anatomy of these signs that I now understand as dance of surrender. Grief and challenging times during covid became a mirror in which to see the dance of surrender.
I realized that when we surrender, we give up, but not in the way we think giving up means. Surrender allows for inner softening and opens a new portal. It allows us to look at complexity at a distance and this third space allows our genius to emerge.
How can we invite and allow our genius to emerge in our new home called 2024? How do we truly plan and prepare to furnish this new house?
How to allow the genius to emerge and manage anxiety during planning and preparation phase?
A new task, a new project, an important meeting with the client, a quarterly sales meeting can be daunting. We can feel like imposters or not competent enough. But the genius of us is to notice the present patterns and study them from a distance. As we step into 2024, how can we invite and allow our genius to surface? The answer lies in noticing present patterns and studying them from a distance. Building presence allows us to disengage with compassion, cultivating an agile mindset for planning and preparation. The seeds of future lie in the present.
When we start noticing what patterns exist in the present, we can create a space to allow for play, flexibility, and experimentation. We cultivate an agile mindset to plan and prepare.
What’s in your luggage/backpack and how to be intentional about furnishing the 2024, your new home?
I draw this analogy of a backpack in preparation phase. What are you going to carry with you? We tend to pack too much or non-essential stuff when setting out for travel. Those extra pair of white shoes, an extra stole or makeup. So, what do we leave behind? What can be truly purposeful and lean?
In life or work, what will support you in being more present, be able to notice more, to listen generously and adjust to meet the moment? What are these compulsions that you think will make you “Enough”? What will you let go of to lighten the load of compulsive habits?
How to Trust & surrender masterfully? The mastery lies in self-trust.
Trusting and surrendering masterfully lies in developing self-trust and trust in the unknown. It’s important to prepare your briefing notes before that important quarterly meeting. Preparation is not just about briefing notes or planning for meetings; it involves tapping into a quiet inner sanctum, observing patterns, and fostering self-trust.
How would you cultivate an agile mindset and prepare for an emerging future in 2024?
The seeds of future lie in the present moment and noticing what’s emerging in the now. What choices will you make that are sustainable and life giving? What invitations will you accept that lift your spirit and help you foster a playful mindset?
In designing your vision and goals, live consciously. Furnish your 2024 home with intentionality, cultivating an agile mindset to navigate the emerging future. Let’s embark on this journey together, embracing the dance of surrender and allowing our genius to flourish.