Last night we experienced a rare occurrence of the Winter Solstice and a Total Lunar Eclipse overlapping; this means the shortest day of the year combined with the cover-up of a full moon gave us a double dose of darkness. Although there is some debate and lots of myths about what effects these sorts of things have on people, after the year and especially past couple of months we’ve had, my interpretation is that “It’s always darkest before dawn.”

The good news is from now on the days will be getting progressively longer and bright. It’s important at this time of year to get all the literal sunlight in you can – think of the rays as vitamins for your mind, body, spirit and soul, a lack of which can  alter our moods as anyone with SAD will attest.  In addition to the actual light, it’s also a good idea to keep things as ‘light’ as possible – do a little dancing (even if just around the house) or Zumba and laugh a lot.  At the very least you will make others smile when they see you sunbathing in 29 degree weather!

As we approach the end of 2010, it’s also a good time to shed some light on what you’ve accomplished this past year. Many of my clients are in career transition, so it’s easy for it to seem like nothing has happened or if you are just going about your business from day to day, to lose track of what has actually transpired over the past 12 months.

So make sure you take at least a couple of hours with your journal and calendar to jog your memory to see what external things you experienced and accomplished this year, big or small. Then let them help you recall how you have grown and what has changed internally for you as well. What mental, emotional shifts have occurred, in terms of your perceptions of yourself, your life, your work, your relationships, and how has that impacted some of the external actions you took or that happened to you?

Having a little trouble seeing the proof in the pudding of how far you’ve come along? I can be a flood light, offer an objective point of view and a little push for you to see where you’ve been and where you want to go in 2011 and beyond. Just give me a buzz, meet with me during my ‘office hours’ and/or attend my upcoming workshop on January 22nd and I’ll light the way to a more peaceful and prosperous new you!

P.S.This is my last Personal Growth Gab original post of the year – who knew that I would be disciplined enough to write every week (50 out of 52 weeks!) – and that people would actually read them?!  It’s one of my best accomplishments of 2010.  I’ll be off for the holidays but tomorrow you will get an email with upcoming opportunities to start the New Year off on the right foot,  and next week will send you links to some favorite posts based on feedback I’ve received over the past year.