How to accept yourself

Tue, Dec 29, 2009

Becoming Successful, Entrepreneurship, Self Improvement

Every year at the end of December, I sit down and go through my agenda of the last year. I revisit all the events that have taken place, because while they were happening, time seemed to fly by without slowing down. In all fairness, time seems to go by faster and faster these days. Reflecting back on the achievements of a year slows time down again. It is a great technique.

Please note that I am not one to boast. The reason I am reflecting is because I need to feel good, but I don’t. I don’t think that I have achieved much, if anything. Every day I think about where I want to go, instead of accepting that where I am is actually the best place to be!

After a long chat with my girlfriend, I decided to write down what I have done in the last year. When I did it, it became clear to me that I have done all of the things that I wanted to do when I started 2009. And more. And it made me feel good…

Business Life

This year has been an amazing year business-wise. It didn’t always feel like it during the year though, but looking back I have achieved some goals that I had never thought I’d achieve in a single year.

Started my holding company
Started a holding company together with my business partner
Started Z Innovative Technology together with Z Management Consultants
Began seeing a personal coach
Signed a contract to hire our first employee starting from January
Hired an intern, who might start as our second employee
Started turning our project into a software product
Business trip to Belarus again for a face-to-face with our developers (goal to do this at least yearly, this was our second trip)
Developed a DVD for Ultimate Frisbee Throwing (How to Throw Like a Pro)
Made my first ever investment in another business

Personal Life

Last year was also a pretty fine year for me on a personal level. Even though I didn’t take much time to enjoy it (I should have though), looking back makes it seem like a pretty enjoyable list of achievements.

Lived together with my girlfriend for over a year now (and it’s still fun!)
Loads of personal development reading (wealth building, success formulas, etc)
Won the National Cup with my club team (Cambo Cakes)
Played at the European Club Championships in the U.K. (also with Cambo Cakes)
Won the 8 Nations Cup in Spain (Dutch national team)
Bought my first ever new car (it drives like a DREAM!)
Made new friends in Ireland and Australia

Accepting Yourself

While looking back on all those things makes me feel pretty good, I do not like to live in the past. So the question then becomes: how do we accept ourselves now; in the present?

One way to do this is to take time to slow down and reflect each week. This is the method that I will be using next year, in order to slow down a little in life. Each Friday, I will take at least 1 hour to sit down in my home office at the end of the day and go through all that has happened that week. And look for things that make me feel good about myself. Because I need that. Everybody needs that; to feel good about themselves.