Happy 2021! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and were able to recharge, make peace with the year we left behind, celebrate the beginning of a new one and stay positive.
In my last post I wrote more about the closure of the year, the importance of reflection and the opportunities to learn. If you missed it, make sure to check it out!
We are all ready for a new year, even with all the political and health turbulences around us, a big lesson from last year is how fragile life could be, and how we need to value and enjoy every second. It has been overwhelming so far, but I am trying to concentrate on the things that I can control and today I want to share an exercise that I practice at the beginning of any project or any big undertaking that I am about to embark on.
I like to practice visualization. While this is not a new concept, and because of the abstract nature is something that could be very easily overlooked. However, I invite you to not take it for granted. It is easy and only requires the investment of time.
When I am about to embark on a project I evaluate its feasibility by analyzing as many facts and information as I can gather. The time and effort spent on this step depends on the complexity of the project. Once I have decided to take the project, or committed to develop a goal further I like to visualize. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and try to see the outcome. I try to see as clearly as possible where it is that I want to go, how I would feel when I get there and how success looks like. This is very important, because how else am I supposed to know that I have arrived?
It takes time and practice, and there are some elusive times that I can just not see it. Sometimes that tells me that I need to re-evaluate the approach. Some other times, I just focus on the feelings around it, instead of trying to see the picture. It is usually a very quick exercise and 5-10 minutes is enough. I try to do it for a few days and that makes me feel that I am set up for a good start.
We are beginning another amazing year, and it is the perfect time to look internally and search for clarity for this new cycle. Many things will change as this year develops, but it really helps to start with something in mind.
I know many of us like to make a list of the year’s goals, and it may include losing weight, especially after the holidays, increasing revenue, improving health or career, etc. While that is important, I invite you to be more specific, and see the numbers and the feelings you will have when you get there. Don’t get lost on the "hows" for now. We sometimes develop “paralysis by analysis” when we are overwhelmed and find ourselves with a big task in front of us. But right now, for this exercise do not worry about that. Little by little you will find information, or walk the steps that will take you there. For now, just concentrate on that goal. Writing it down or making a drawing really helps to make that connection in your brain. Make it also something realistic, but measure it by your own standards. Don’t limit yourself by other people’s standards, but make sure that you believe that it is possible. And lastly, make sure that it is for the well being of yourself, your family or community. I do believe that life has a way to help people looking to help others or to improve their environment.
Once you have those main goals, develop a plan of action. How long will it take you? What are the milestones? In order to fulfill your goal, how does the progress look like in March, or September? Do you need help? Who has the knowledge to help you?
As we begin this year I am working on my list of goals, and planning. There is so much going on around us right now, but I am trying to concentrate on the things that I can actually control and influence. That gives me peace, helps me be productive and lays the foundation for the future months.
What are your goals this year? Do you have a big project on the horizon? The beginning of the year is also a great time to start planning your next renovation or addition to your house of office! Or maybe you are looking for a new house? Get in touch, we can provide clarity, help you visualize your goals and develop something that will fully adapt to your needs, or to find the possibilities embedded in your existing, new or possible property.
In the meantime I will leave you with a
New year poem by Lenore Hetrick:
It was the dark of the midnight hour.
The Old Clock eagerly waited.
“I strike the new year in”, he said,
“For so it has been fated.
A hundred years I’ve ushered in!
Full well I like my task.
I think myself supremely blessed,
No finer work I ask”
“A hundred years!” The Old Clock said.
“Just think of the changing times!
Think of the history in the making!
It’s a subject for ringing rhymes!”
“I strike the New Year in!” said Old Clock,
“And now the hour is here!”
The Old Clock solemnly lifted its gong -
And struck in another New Year.
I wish you the best year that you can possibly imagine!
As always, thank you for your support, and please help me reach more people and share it with your friends, family and colleagues! To know when a new blog post is out you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Gracias!
Citlalli
And now let us welcome the new year,
Full of things that never were.
- Rainer Maria Rilke
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Special thanks to my editor, Ilya Godes!
Citlalli is an architect and a mom who enjoys
finding the extraordinary around us and
understanding what makes each person thrive.
She believes that art, and good design should
be accessible, and her motivation is to help build
a better world for the next generations.
She has worked on residential and commercial
projects for 15 years, and decided to open her own
studio in Los Angeles, California, aimed to make
great architecture accessible and affordable to more people.
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