3 ways to close down 2022 using your multiple brains

Depending on how you process 'time' you might be able to easily cast your mind back to the beginning of the year, or it might seem like a very long time ago! What I remember about the beginning of 2022 is having quite a few conversations with clients who were struggling to feel optimistic about the year ahead. Given the fact that we were emerging from a pandemic, peoples inner alarm system was still switched on a lot of the time, tension was still quite high, emotional dysregulation was causing havoc for people and FUD – fear, uncertainty and doubt were weighing heavy on peoples minds and lives. It was and still is a difficult time.

As someone who is passionate about personal development and human potential, one of the things that I refer often is the communication model of NLP. This model illustrates how we are all unique and how we process information and respond to it. The filtering system that we use to make sense of our experience will influence how we deal with challenges, cope with change and respond to life events.

I believe that we all have the potential to live fulfilling lives. One where we appreciate and value ourselves and others and where we harness our strengths to accomplish goals and make a difference. Unfortunately many of us find ourselves stuck in life and can feel unfulfilled, feel in lack, stressed and unhappy. In this short blog I offer some thoughts of closing down 2022 using your multiple brains so you can appreciate and value yourself, take the learnings form your challenges and consider what you would like for 2023

Lets start with the heart brain –

The prime functions of the heart brain are values; what's important to you, emoting; emotional processing, and relational affect; connection with others. The highest expression of the heart brain is compassion.

So my invitation to you is get yourself a journal and write down;

• What have you done to follow your goals, dreams and aspirations? What lights you up and brings you joy and how have you brought this into your life?
• How you have you connected with people and added value to others lives? In what ways have you cared for and nurtured yourself? How have you expressed yourself in your relationships and brought the best of you to enhance your relationships?
• How have you overcome difficult emotions? How have you practiced forgiveness for yourself and others? Have you experienced the joy and happiness that you deserve and how can you gift yourself with even more of this in your life?

As you begin to consider 2023 you might want to consciously decide how you will connect with yourself and others on a deeper level. I wonder how you can fulfil your dreams and desires in a way that creates positive outcomes in your life, and in the life of others? You could begin to explore some new ways of appreciating yourself and your life so that you experience more feelings of inner peace and contentment.

Next we will consider the head brain and how to close down 2002 with it's creativity and intelligence. The prime functions of the head brain are cognitive perception; cognition and perception, thinking; reasoning, abstraction thinking and making meaning; semantic processing, language narrative and metaphor.

My invitation here is to;

• Write down the stories that you tell yourself about your life. What do you believe about yourself? Do you have a positive perception of yourself and how has this contributed to your decision making, thinking strategies and how you perceive situations. For example if you have had challenges in your life this year, how have you thought about them and responded to them? Do you have an optimistic outlook? One that allows for choice in your thinking? Or do you get stuck in negative looping with your thoughts, ruminating over the past or worrying about the future?
• The quality of your thinking will have a significant influence on the quality of your life. What can you learn from this year about how you perceive things and make meaning of your life? Does your thinking bring you inner peace, opportunities for personal growth and happiness?

As you consider what you would like for 2023 take some time to pause and reflect on the decisions you want to make for your life. The highest expression of your head brain is creativity. Creativity in your thinking means that you harness your ability to see the possibilities for your life. You give yourself permission to dream. You focus your attention on what you want for your life and direct your thinking, feeling and behaviours towards your outcomes.

Finally let's explore the gut brain when closing down 2022. The prime functions of your gut brain are mobilisation, self preservation and core identity.

The prime functions of the gut brain are expressed in human behaviour as motivation, gutsy courage and a gut felt desire to take action (or not!). My invitation to you is to consider the action that you have taken this year on your goals and dreams.

• What did you want to accomplish in 2022 and have you done it? If you haven't taken action then what has stopped you? What can you learn about yourself? If there were things that you felt uncertain about or scared and you still took action, what motivated you to do it and what did you learn?
• How can you celebrate yourself? What did you release and let go of that no longer served you so that you lived a lighter life this year.

As you consider 2023, who do you want to become next year? What does this version of you require you to do? Are there fears that you have to overcome? How will you support your wellbeing and take care of your energy?

Create a mental image of yourself taking courageous action and expressing your deepest values of who you are as a person. What do you see? What beliefs do you hold about yourself? What are you doing differently as you express yourself fully in a way that is true to you.

Over the past few weeks I have been taking time to reflect on my own journey of 2022. Things that I am already considering for 2023 are boundaries (a function of the gut brain) on my time and energy, and compassion for myself with regards to nurturing my wellbeing.

These are two things that I personally have been less focussed on this year and have already consciously decided thay they will be a focus for me in 2023.

Feel free to comment below and let me know what you are considering for 2023.

If you would like to know more about my

• 1-1 coaching,
• NLP or mBIT training to become certified yourself
• coaching and training within organisations

take a look at my website here; https://sarahfletchercoaching.com/about-sarah/

or send me an e mail to [email protected]

Have a wonderful Christmas ??