We have had the most wonderful time over the Christmas holiday with our family. I’m not quite ready to box up the season just yet, but with the New Year being rung in this weekend it does seem fitting to look forward to 2017 and all of the possibility it holds.
The metaphor that I think works well in this scenario is to imagine standing on a stage, with the curtain closed. When the curtain is opened on the New Year, each of us will find ourselves standing in the centre of the stage of our life.
I’m wondering what play I will star in this year. I’m wondering what I will reveal of myself by opening the curtain. I’m thinking about how I will bring my best self to my 2017 performance. I’d like my play to have some predictability because it helps the audience to relax a bit. But if it is too predictable, it runs the risk of being boring and so I think that there need to be a few twists and turns in it too. I don’t know if it will be a musical or a comedy, a thriller or a drama. I know that I want the audience to be filled with my beloved family and friends and I want some special chairs to be reserved for potential new friends and acquaintances.
Many years ago, an influential Calgarian, Bob Freeze, generously offered a Leadership Program to some of the teachers at the school where I worked. We met once each week for about 10 weeks. This course was after work hours, in the evening. I had young children and I knew that by attending the course I would miss out on some time with them. I also knew that I might not get this chance again and so I signed up. This was where I first learned about setting life goals, and about making choices. I think, ultimately, that even though Life and Leadership Coaches had not been ‘invented’ at that time, this was the first step that opened my eyes to this possibility. One of the things that our instructor, Brenda, taught us was that before every single class that she facilitated, she got herself ready, and just before entering the room where she would facilitate, she would say to herself, “It’s ShowTime!” This idea of choosing how we present ourselves really resonated with me. I use the idea, although not the same words, many places in my life. I use the idea of ‘Curtain Time’ to simply remind me that I get to choose who I am being, every time I step on the stage of my life. I use it to bring my best self to my life. In truth, I get to make this choice each time I open my eyes in the morning.
This New Year, when I herald in 2017, I will be thinking about drawing back the curtain on the stage of my life. I want to open the curtain to a magnificent set; one with many different backdrops. This being the 150th birthday of Canada I expect that many of my backdrops of 2017 will have a distinctly Canadian look. I hope that the sets are breathtaking and that a few of them are unexpectedly beautiful.
I am planning to be the main character in my play. I plan to be the protagonist of the story. Perhaps I’ll even be a heroine. I’m thinking about revealing a new, braver me. My business life will reveal some new workshops, and I plan to be brave enough to offer small group coaching. I intend change my company name to Critchley Coaching and to reveal a couple of webinars on my website. I also plan to continue this blog. I have been asked to publish some of my blog posts in a book, so there might be a short act in my 2017 play involving that too.
Outside of my coaching work, I hope that when the curtain opens I commit to being fully present for my family and friends. Several of the scenes should include adventures involving these people. I plan to include many extras in this 2017 play. Perhaps I’ll even re-introduce some characters that I have let slide in the past.
I realize too, that when the curtain of my life is opened, it may not only reveal my hopes and dreams, but it may also reveal some of my fears and weaknesses. I plan to allow myself to observe these, and at the same time not allow them to upstage me. If I can find just the perfect playwright, I may even be able to overcome these or at least make peace with them.
As you enter 2017, my inquiry for you is this. ‘What is it that you are willing to open the curtain on this year?’
If you would like help writing your 2017 play, please contact me for coaching. Please watch my website for my new offerings and plan to become involved! It could be your best year yet!
The metaphor that I think works well in this scenario is to imagine standing on a stage, with the curtain closed. When the curtain is opened on the New Year, each of us will find ourselves standing in the centre of the stage of our life.
I’m wondering what play I will star in this year. I’m wondering what I will reveal of myself by opening the curtain. I’m thinking about how I will bring my best self to my 2017 performance. I’d like my play to have some predictability because it helps the audience to relax a bit. But if it is too predictable, it runs the risk of being boring and so I think that there need to be a few twists and turns in it too. I don’t know if it will be a musical or a comedy, a thriller or a drama. I know that I want the audience to be filled with my beloved family and friends and I want some special chairs to be reserved for potential new friends and acquaintances.
Many years ago, an influential Calgarian, Bob Freeze, generously offered a Leadership Program to some of the teachers at the school where I worked. We met once each week for about 10 weeks. This course was after work hours, in the evening. I had young children and I knew that by attending the course I would miss out on some time with them. I also knew that I might not get this chance again and so I signed up. This was where I first learned about setting life goals, and about making choices. I think, ultimately, that even though Life and Leadership Coaches had not been ‘invented’ at that time, this was the first step that opened my eyes to this possibility. One of the things that our instructor, Brenda, taught us was that before every single class that she facilitated, she got herself ready, and just before entering the room where she would facilitate, she would say to herself, “It’s ShowTime!” This idea of choosing how we present ourselves really resonated with me. I use the idea, although not the same words, many places in my life. I use the idea of ‘Curtain Time’ to simply remind me that I get to choose who I am being, every time I step on the stage of my life. I use it to bring my best self to my life. In truth, I get to make this choice each time I open my eyes in the morning.
This New Year, when I herald in 2017, I will be thinking about drawing back the curtain on the stage of my life. I want to open the curtain to a magnificent set; one with many different backdrops. This being the 150th birthday of Canada I expect that many of my backdrops of 2017 will have a distinctly Canadian look. I hope that the sets are breathtaking and that a few of them are unexpectedly beautiful.
I am planning to be the main character in my play. I plan to be the protagonist of the story. Perhaps I’ll even be a heroine. I’m thinking about revealing a new, braver me. My business life will reveal some new workshops, and I plan to be brave enough to offer small group coaching. I intend change my company name to Critchley Coaching and to reveal a couple of webinars on my website. I also plan to continue this blog. I have been asked to publish some of my blog posts in a book, so there might be a short act in my 2017 play involving that too.
Outside of my coaching work, I hope that when the curtain opens I commit to being fully present for my family and friends. Several of the scenes should include adventures involving these people. I plan to include many extras in this 2017 play. Perhaps I’ll even re-introduce some characters that I have let slide in the past.
I realize too, that when the curtain of my life is opened, it may not only reveal my hopes and dreams, but it may also reveal some of my fears and weaknesses. I plan to allow myself to observe these, and at the same time not allow them to upstage me. If I can find just the perfect playwright, I may even be able to overcome these or at least make peace with them.
As you enter 2017, my inquiry for you is this. ‘What is it that you are willing to open the curtain on this year?’
If you would like help writing your 2017 play, please contact me for coaching. Please watch my website for my new offerings and plan to become involved! It could be your best year yet!
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