Catherine Finger

Stepping Out into Your Irresistible Future with Him in 2023

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Each new year ushers in the opportunity to refresh, recommit, and transform “destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future.” Faith traditions offer various routes to transformation of the mind, body, and soul. My own Judeo-Christian faith beliefs lead me to a “constructive thoughtfulness” as laid out in Romans 12:1-2, (NASB version) as follows:
I urge you therefore, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect.

Transformation begins by examining our day-to-day habits and routines. How is your physical health? How is your nutrition? Are you getting enough rest and relaxation? How is your daily physical movement coming along? If you could take two daily steps to improve your physical vitality in the new year, what would they be? Our physical selves reflect our Creator—we can honor the Divine by treating our bodies with respect and implementing healthful habits.

“Presenting ourselves in a manner acceptable to God” can be as simple as beginning your day in prayer and meditation. Inviting God to lead you and asking Him for the strength to live according to His will for you today is a “spiritual service of worship.” God is in the business of connecting, speaking, and leading us if we would but turn to Him with the slightest nod of even the hardest of hearts. Offer yourself to Him as you are—and incline your inner ear to His still, small voice. If you’re willing to stop and listen—you will hear His call to you. James 4:8 (NASB) says: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Try it!

Renewing our minds has never been more critical than it is in today’s climate of constant distraction. Develop and reinforce positive mental habits by reading uplifting and challenging content every day—starting with the Bible or other faith-based information that will strengthen your daily journey. Starting each day with a practice of gratitude, prayer, meditation, and reading or listening to something uplifting and thought-provoking can help set you on a positive path for the day. Writing your intentions for the day and then engaging in a quick review at the end of your day reinforces your habits and helps you renew your mind by engaging in new practices as you explore new mental models. Transformation is the result of inner renewal. Renewal is the result of engaging in positive spiritual, mental, and physical health habits and behaviors.

How do we know we are on the right path—or how do we know the will of God for our lives? I love the simplicity of the will of God as listed in Romans 12:2 (NASB:) “that which is good, acceptable, and perfect.” Boom! That’s how we prove the will of God. Is the practice in which you are engaging good, acceptable, and perfect? Is the relationship you are considering good, acceptable, and perfect? Are your current habits and practices of day-to-day living good, acceptable, and perfect? For me this is a simple test—if something in my life doesn’t even reach the threshold of “good,” it surely won’t grow into the categories of “acceptable or perfect.” And so, I receive the invitation to change, to renewal, to transformation.

I encourage you to be on the lookout for subtle invitations to growth from the Divine as you step out into your own Irresistible Future with Him in 2023.

Happy Endings–Bold Beginnings

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How will you say goodbye to 2022—and what would you like to be able to celebrate in one year’s time? Endings and beginnings can be powerful transitions in our lives. As we approach the end of 2022, I encourage you to take some time to consider what you want to release—and what goals or milestones you want to reach in 2023.

Make space for reflection over the holiday season. Walk through a set of questions and spend a little time journaling your thoughts. Writing is a powerful tool for reflection as you identify what isn’t working and open yourself to activating more of what works well for you.

Reflection: Take a quick look at this year’s greatest hits.  Scan your year month by month, week by week, day by day—whichever way best serves you. Be mindful of your highs and lows—spend more time on your highs. What went really well for you this year—and how can you leverage that success as you look into 2023? What didn’t work so well for you—and what tweaks do you need to consider moving forward? Don’t let yourself get bogged down in maudlin memories—just acknowledge what you want to let go of to make space for what you want more of in your life. Think of it as cleaning out a closet, or a garage. You can’t park that Maserati if your garage is full of a year’s worth—or more—of outdated detritus. These are some of my framing questions:

  • What did you love about this year? What worked really well for you? What should we be celebrating in your life?
  • What did you hate about this year? What didn’t work so well for you? What do-overs would you give yourself?
  • What were your most joyful moments this year? What do you want more of, looking forward?
  • What were you most painful moments? What do you want less of, looking forward?
  • What did you learn about yourself?
  • What was the best decision you made this year?

Ritual: I call my favorite end-of-year ritual “Burn Baby, Burn!” I’ve done this activity collectively to celebrate the end of a New Year’s Eve party, at workshops and retreats, and sometimes all alone in my backyard. It begins with a brief period of reflection. Guests receive small squares of paper and pens/pencils and are invited to consider what they loved and didn’t love about the past year.  I ask them to think of one thing they want to release, say goodbye to, remove, delete from their lives forever—and to write that down on a piece of paper.  Questions I like to ask include:

  • What do you need to do to clear your own runway for takeoff?
  • What barriers stand between you and success?
  • What are you dying to unload or unleash in your life?
  • What’s holding you back?
  • What habit or practice do you need to stop doing? What do you need to get rid of and eliminate from your life?

Write them all down—and get ready to cast them all off—this is where the fire comes in! I start a small bonfire in my backyard (are my country roots showing yet?) and invite my guests to join me in the frigid winter air. One by one, guests approach the fire and are invited to hold up that piece of paper and proclaim (either silently or out loud) what they are releasing—and then toss it into the fire. Or rip it up into tiny pieces and then toss it into the fire. There will be some tears and there be a lot of rejoicing as the fire builds and your guests experience the freedom of letting go!

Reframe: The last step of my annual reflection and renewal process—and the perfect ending for the “Burn Baby, Burn!” experience—is to breathe in the new. Invite everyone to reflect on what is good, acceptable, and perfect about their lives. I like to encourage my guests with the ancient wisdom of St. Paul: “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.” Invite your guests to release what has been turned to ashes and to commit to a new habit, practice, promise, or way of being. Have them write down this renewal pledge as a way of saving it in their hearts and minds.

Real change is possible—and transitioning into a new year is a great time to double down on what you want to invite more of in your life. Give yourself the gift of clarity and support as you move toward your own challenges and commitments with renewed intention. Find a friend, hire a coach, sketch out your action plan and post it where you’ll see it every day, invest in an online program—give yourself whatever you need to support the changes you seek. And get ready to celebrate your success at the end of 2023!

What Would You Do if You Knew You Could Not Fail?

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Being the cool, growth-oriented professionals that we are, I’m pretty sure most of you engage your clients and colleagues with a question of this sort now and then. When’s the last time you asked this question of yourself? What would YOU do if you knew you could not fail? In your leadership practice? In your relationships? In your personal and professional growth?

Today is a great day to open your heart to the possibilities of challenge and change that may be incubating deep within. While we want to always maintain a personal posture of loving self-acceptance and contentment, personal and professional growth are key contributors to well-being. How are you doing in terms of your own personal and professional growth?

What are some of your Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals (BHAGs?) Jim Collins coined that phrase way back in 2001 in his renowned corporate strategy book Good to Great. I can tell you I am at my best professionally and personally when working to realize a BHAG or two in my own life. This year one of my very challenging goals has been to further develop my coaching practice by expanding my advertising, writing, and networking platforms. Doing the work is at once energizing and terrifying—and it is leading to connection, community, and great growth.

Becoming more involved in professional coaching communities is another goal that leads to great growth and connection in my life. This year I am delighted to be able to engage that goal to a new level by actively participating in the Midwest Coaches Conference. This will be my very first in-person professional coaching conference and I am already committed to serving in the ICF WI booth and to attending the Progressive Ethnic Meal with other ICF Wi colleagues. Additionally, I am delighted to be able to attend the International Fellowship of Chaplains national conference in a few weeks.

How about you? Would generating your own BHAG spur you to greater connection and challenge you to deeper personal and professional growth? I’d love to hear about it—and support you along the way. You’re welcome to share your journey with me here: catherine@catherinefinger.com