There is a season for everything. There is a time to start something new. There is time to end a journey. Whether it’s a start or an end, it is all about moving on to the next adventure. For all of us, we will be faced with moments and decisions where it is either to end something or start afresh. Both needs to be addressed well.
Before we can move on to the next step, we need to end or conclude the current step well. To end well is to take stock and reflect as well as to be thankful and grateful for the opportunities and the people that traveled the path with you. What do you need to do to end well?
- Be grateful and thankful. As you reflect, have a heart that is grateful for the opportunities, challenges, wins and lessons that you learned. Be thankful for the people that you had the privilege of knowing and working together. And tell them.
- Complete your role well. End a role or career on a high. End knowing that you have given the best and not leave a mess.
- Let it go. When you end a role or job, let it go. Don’t look back. Don’t keep asking your friends who are there about the issues or problems. Let it go. You don’t want to start on a new path with any baggage from the past.
You will need to end well so that there is closure to one area. Good ending is the start of a good beginning. Why? There are 3 simple reasons:
- No regrets. You will have no regrets and no “wish-things-could-be-different” thoughts. There is a good healthy sense of growth in your experience, development and achievements. The experiences, both good and bad are placed in the right perspective. You are able to have a healthy perspective of what you have encountered and overcame as well as what you have accomplished.
- Peace. You will have peace in knowing that you did your best and whatever achievements and failures are part of the learning and growing experience. Entering into a new stage of your life is much easier when you have a sense of peace going into it. You are starting on the right foot.
- Optimism. You will have a great positive outlook for your next move. You will start with a great sense of optimism as you will not be carrying any unnecessary baggage as you embark on your new move. When the new adventure starts with an optimistic view, it will help to overcome the initial anxiety and fear that naturally comes with starting something new. There is something hopeful and exciting that optimism brings along.
What could you do to end well? Ask yourself:
- What do I need to do to end well?
- What critical areas do I need to complete?
- What am I grateful for?
- Who am I thankful for?
- What do I need to let go off?
- What challenges or issues do I need to move past?
- What do I need to put to rest?
- What excitement does this next move have in store for me?
- What can I contribute to in this new journey?
- What impact can I make?
As the year is coming to a close, we all need to end the year well and the start the new year. Start by thinking what you can do to end it well in order for you to start the new year amazingly.
