As we approach the end of the year, its time to reflect on what has happened, what we’ve learned and what we can do going forward.

The word that stands out for me for 2022 is ‘Acceptance’. We all have to accept things we don’t want and these past few years of the pandemic have made that even more so. Some just slightly annoying and others really hard to deal with. Whether it’s the fact that there are more steps to take when you travel these days or that you we just can’t travel in the way we used to.

Drawing on Alan Sieler’s ‘6 Pack of Moods’ I’ve been reflecting on how the background moods we experience impact us.

Sieler outlines 6 basic moods and while these are not the only moods that impact us, they are helpful to consider as we reflect on 2021. Moods are not necessarily good or bad, but the top row are moods that are likely to make us less resourceful and the bottom row are moods that are likely to make us more resourceful.

Acceptance

Like many others, I’ve accepted over the past few years that most of my work has shifted from meeting people in person, to spending my days on Zoom. I accepted that travelling to visit my family in Canada this summer was more complicated than before Covid and I accepted that I caught Covid upon returning to Hong Kong and had to isolate for two weeks whilst waiting to test negative.

Acceptance brings an ability to move on despite what we may be experiencing

Learning to accept things as they are has kept me going through the year. Acceptance brings with it a level of peace and calmness. It also brings an ability to move on despite what we may be experiencing. It’s about coming to terms with what we can’t change right now.

I didn’t like that I caught Covid and had to isolate, but fighting against it was not going to change it and accepting it is the situation at the moment helps reduce frustration. A frustration that is not going to help me be effective or happy.

Moving to Ambition and Wonder

Truly accepting and coming to terms with a situation can also help us move to ‘ambition’.

Ambition brings energy and optimism for the year ahead. It leads to ideas and actions around what we want to accomplish.

Wonder is a curiosity about what could be possible and how we can get it. It helps us ask questions and experiment without a fear of failure.

We’re human and it’s natural to find ourselves in moods that are not helpful at times (I know I have over the past year) but it’s also possible to work on changing those moods.

Change is not always easy or instant, but there are steps we can take to work towards it;

Be kind to yourself – there is no point in beating yourself up for not being in a happy ambitious mood. Be kind and give yourself space and time.
Accept where you are now – it’s not possible to move on until you accept where you are now.
Depersonalize the mood – you are not your mood. Think of it like a catching a cold, just something you have picked up and will get through.
Listen to music – listening to uplifting music can be one of the fastest ways to shift a mood for some people
Move you body – whether it’s a yoga class, a long hike or a massage. Body movement impacts mood.
Breathe – the rate that blood and oxygen reaches our brain impacts our mood, taking a few deep breaths is often a good place to start.

My favourite is movement, but there is no magic formula that’s going to work for everyone. Be curious, experiment and see what works for you.

I wish you a successful 2023 full of acceptance, ambition and wonder.