A good ending requires time. What else can we do to make the most of an ending and transition? 

These practices probably find use in any kind of ending, but I’m thinking of bringing closure to 2019 and the 20-teens as I write this post. Here are some thoughts: 

  1. Pause. Take some time to soak in the finish and let closure happen. Ideally, you’ve done this pre-New Year’s Eve. If not, take a couple of afternoons in a coffee shop or in your study and reflect on last year. I actually like to spend a bit of that time without much agenda, letting whatever comes to mind come to mind. You might want to wander through last year’s calendar if you want some more structure to your reflections. While you’re at it…

  2. Celebrate. As Inception taught us, positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time. A good, full ending is going to focus on the good or the redemptive.

  3. Grieve. You said goodbye to some things this year, or this decade. Nothing wrong with that. Say another goodbye this time around, maybe a prayer for whatever or whoever it was. Whatever you need to do to continue letting go and moving on.

  4. Look for what could be better. Write down as much or as little as you’d like. Don’t make resolutions. Take one small “needs improvement” and turn it into a goal for the next few weeks. Hit the ground running! Refer back to your bigger list later in the year and you can start to pick away at where you’ve been falling short.
    As a Christian, a new year can remind me of the “clean slate” Jesus gives. Contrary to popular catch phrases, a new year doesn’t mean I’m a new person, but it’s an opportunity to make some resets as I prayerfully try to live as the new person Jesus is making me.

  5. Put it all in context. How does this past year fit into the story of your life? Have these failures been with you for a long time? Do they speak to something deeper you need to deal with? What about your successes? How far have you come?
    These reflections should serve you in understanding the place you find yourself. Whatever place that is, you need to accept it, good and bad. You may not like it, and that’s ok. Just knowing where you’re at is a huge win at times.
    It’s been helpful for me to reflect on my “story” positively. Like #2, positive emotion wins, and it can be helpful to remember that even the most tragic parts of a story have purpose. God is the Author, and he doesn’t make mistakes. 

 

What do you do to make the most of the endings and transitions in your life? This list could go on – feel free to comment below!