Before You Try to Get Your Ducks In a Row…
…maybe it’d be good to see if you’ve got the right ducks?
It’s New Year’s Day and a good chunk of the world is making resolutions. I don’t do that. Making New Year’s Resolutions is far too linear an activity for me.
Instead, I do a duck inventory. I don’t worry too much about getting or keeping them in a row. (My ducks are too much like me for that.)
My Duck Inventory
First, you should know that most of my ducks have ducks of their own. So, I guess you could say I have families of ducks. And some of the ducks belong to multiple families, so you can see right away that getting my ducks in a row is an activity I can’t just jump into. I have:
| Personal Ducks -Spiritual -Intellectual -Emotional -Physical -Financial |
Family Ducks -Mom/Grandma -Parent/Daughter -Sibling -In-law/Ex-law -Home |
Relationship Ducks -Friends -Clients -Mentors -Acquaintances -Significant Other |
Business Ducks -Income -Products/Services -Blog/Marketing -Accounting/Tax/Admin -Education |
First, I see if there have been any new ducks born or if any of my old ducks have died in the last year. (It’s completely normal to get new ducks and lose old ducks. Circle of life, ya know. Sometimes ducks appear to be still alive, but they’re really dead, so you might have to poke at ‘em a little to be sure.)
Second, I check the health of all my ducks…and not just their health, but my own with respect to their presence in my life. (This is sometimes the most difficult part for me. It’s pretty easy to determine if they’re doing ok. A little more challenging, sometimes, to determine if they’re good for me.)
Third, I check to see if I need to get rid of any of my ducks. (I did a LOT of duck firing and letting go last year. Sometimes just recognizing they need to go seems to make them leave on their own. Like it when that happens. I’ve finally learned, though, that the new, good ducks you want can’t come to you ’til you make room for them.)
Fourth, I look for which ducks I might be missing or new ducks I might want to add. (I have also learned that getting new, good ducks in my life is a process of allowing them to come to me. I’ve been really good at giving for long, long time. These last few years have been about learning how to get really good at receiving. I think I’m finally getting the hang of it.)
This is about as lined up as my ducks ever get, and I’m ok with that, because when I’m done with my duck inventory I’m ready for the new year. And that’s the point, right?
How do you get ready for the new year? Do you make resolutions? If so, how do you go about it? If not, do you do something else instead? Leave a comment below and tell me. I’m really interested to know.
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Great post Suzanne!
Quack quack!
I am also getting my ducks in a row.
I made a resolution to smile more in 2009. Smiling is free and helpful to the smiler (me) and smile-ee (one being smiled at). On top of the smile resolution I am making new dream boards! My dining room table is a mess with magazines, scissors and tape. Too much fun. I only wish I had some glue.
Setting resolutions, goals, lining up ducks, setting intention is a great way to move toward what we want in life. Create the life you want. Live by design, not default!
Off to the market to stock up on some healthy food. The cookie eating party is sooooooo over at my house.
Quack, quack from your faithful duck friend!
Smile more – that’s a GREAT resolution, Christa! One that will make a difference in a whole lotta lives! You go, girl.
(Not quite sure I’m believin’ ya about the cookies, just yet…)
Wow Suzanne, I?m impressed – you have a major inventory going on with your Duck model! It seems that first you focus is on ?what is? and then based on that, you decide what you want to call in. Very thorough and complete. I really like what you have created and I may have to test that out for myself!
My model for NYRs is to set intentions rather than make resolutions. Intentions vs. resolutions feels very yin/yang. Setting intentions feels soft, like ?yin? or feminine energy and making resolutions feels very masculine, like ?yang? energy.
My New Year?s intentions follow the same model I use for New Moon Intentions each astrological month – they?re just a little broader, but because I operate in flow I am flexible knowing that something new can come in and totally change the picture at any moment.
Last year a new young client gave me $40,000 (yes, you heard me!) to start a production company, produce a six-day residential retreat and cover the fee for the teacher and expenses. Did I ask for that specifically in my intentions? No. Could I have imagined this would happen? No! But it did fit into this intention that I had set:
?I ask and allow that I manifest an abundance of financial rewards and resources from unexpected sources effortlessly and easily in a smooth, non-dual way.?
Note: this intention said nothing about earning the income or working for it – and that?s an important piece of this story. I was as shocked as anyone could be when it happened – it was like magic. And what can I say, I like good surprises!
Some of my intentions are very specific regarding what I want to call in and others are more nebulous like the one above, but I am very clear about what I want to magnetize into my life. That?s the real work – getting clear. I think it?s a beautiful, expansive spiritual practice that anyone can do ? and if you need help, I am a specialist at languaging intentions for people based on your desires, so check
me out!
http://www.soullevelsolutions.com/new-moon-intentions/
Happy New Year and may extraordinary blessings be coming to you!!
Lisa Zimmerman´s last blog post..Mercury Retrograde Alert – Jan 11 ~ Feb 1, 2009
Lisa – thanks, my duck model works pretty well for me. You’re absolutely right about the real work being getting clear on what you want. I had to start with accurately seeing what is, first. I guess that’s why my duck model looks at that first. That and it gives me a place to start. Thanks for coming by and sharing your NYR model. I appreciate you!
Hey Suzanne,
Like you, I don’t make resolutions. I set my intention for the year (clarity, action, discipline, etc) and then I pick a theme song. Oh yeah, and I do this around Thanksgiving, so that at the first of the year, I’ve been marinating on the changes and have already begun to take steps. I’m a little slow on the uptake, and need the extra time to get ready. LOL
Djuanna´s last blog post..The End?
Hey Suzanne…and Happy New Year.
As far as resolutions…I’m a work in progress so I’m always making goals and adjusting them as necessary so that I don’t stress out…lol.
yasmin´s last blog post..Happy New Year and Everything is Coming Up Roses
Djuanna – I LOVE the pick a theme song idea…wonder what mine would be for this year…hmmm…I’ll have to think on that one.
Yasmin – you know how I’m always talking about the 15 channels I’ve got going in my head all at once? One of them is usually always monitoring the duck inventory. lol New Year’s Day, though, I try to turn the volume down on the other 14 and give that one my full attention.
Good to see them all able to float as well.
It’s excellent reflection to list it all out like this. I like a mind map but I’m a little different than you with my visual preferences. The important thing is no duck will slip through the cracks for you. You’ve really come on strong in 08. Watch out 2009 – Suzanne has given notice!
Tom Volkar / Delightful Work´s last blog post..Parlay Your Wisdom
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