Can I be honest with you?

As the year winds down, I’ve been feeling a little blue. Once Halloween passes, it seems like New Years’ is upon us … with little to show for a 2 to 3 month period of my life.

It’s not that things aren’t moving forward. They are. But some days, it feels like the progress is just too slow … or too small … to matter.

Maybe you’ve felt that way too.

This is the season when we often look back with a critical eye. Measuring our year in outcomes, checkboxes, and resolutions that didn’t quite stick.

But what if we chose a different lens?

What if we chose appreciation instead of achievement?

One of the most powerful tools I turn to in moments like this is my Aware Appreciation™ practice. It helps me shift from “not enough” to “this matters.” It helps me honor the imperfect, in-process parts of life.

Here’s a way to use it this week:

Ask yourself: What are three things that, if I completed them by the end of the year, would feel like success in my heart?

They don’t have to be big or impressive. They just need to be meaningful to you.

Maybe it’s scheduling a long-postponed health appointment. Or clearing one corner of clutter. Or finally reaching out to that friend you’ve been thinking about for months.

Write them down. Keep them visible.

And every day, use Aware Appreciation™ to notice and name even the smallest step toward them.

Pause. Breathe. Ask: What can I appreciate about my effort today?

This is how we reclaim our energy. This is how we end the year feeling anchored, not exhausted.

Try it today:

Write your 3 year-end “success markers.” Then ask: What progress can I appreciate right now?

And if you need a little structure, the Aware Appreciation™ Quick Start Guide is available for you. Just reply to this email, and I’ll send it your way.