This weekend, I’m in Clawson, Michigan, the city I lived in when I was born. My paternal grandparents lived a mile away, and my maternal grandmother lived about eight miles away. At one end of our street was Hunter Elementary School, and at the other end—just three blocks away—were the post office, city hall, and  Clawson High School (which included 7th-12th grades). My memories from this era in my life include holidays with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, walking home from school for lunch, singing in church, and learning how to ride a bike.

Yesterday, after my friend’s birthday party (the reason we are here), I took a little trip down Memory Lane. I walked around my old neighborhood and drove to both of grandparents’ houses. In each case, I sat in the car and allowed myself to study the houses, remembering as much as I could from the times I spend there, with the people who inhabited those spaces. Alone with my memories, I was able to reflect on this very formative time in my life. My heart was filled with a mixture of gratitude and grief—gratitude for the sweet memories, and grief for the way time flies and the loved ones who have passed away.

Nostalgia can be a powerful way to connect with our past and appreciate the memories and experiences that have shaped us. However, it’s important that we also look ahead. While looking back can bring comfort and a sense of familiarity, it’s essential to balance it with forward thinking and planning for the future.

Here are five reasons it’s important to look ahead:

First, looking ahead leads to personal growth. By focusing on the future, you can set goals and work towards personal growth and self-improvement. Looking ahead allows you to identify areas where you want to develop and make progress.

Next, looking ahead leads to adaptability. Because the world is constantly changing, looking ahead helps you stay adaptable and prepared for whatever may come. By considering future possibilities and trends, you can anticipate challenges and make proactive decisions.

Third, looking ahead also helps with goal setting. It enables you to set meaningful goals and aspirations. By envisioning what you want to achieve, you can create a roadmap and take the necessary steps to reach those goals.

Looking ahead also helps you embrace opportunities. When you’re focused on the future, you’re more likely to notice and take advantage of opportunities that align with your interests and objectives. It allows you to explore new possibilities and make the most of them.

Lastly, looking ahead is vital for creating a vision. It gives you the opportunity to envision the kind of life you want to lead and the impact you want to make. It helps you shape your values and priorities, guiding your decisions and actions.

While nostalgia can bring joy (or sometimes grief), it’s crucial to strike a balance between appreciating the past and actively planning for the future. Both perspectives can enrich your life and help you navigate your journey with purpose and fulfillment.

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Speaking of looking back… 2023 is halfway over! What better time is there than now to look back on the last six months? Now is a great time to celebrate the wins and do a post-mortem on the struggles.

But it’s also a great time to look ahead. What needs to be tweaked to keep 2023 on track? Where have you gotten distracted from the goals you set at the end of 2022?

It might be time for you to do a mid-year tune up. A coaching session or two to review goals and examine where you might need to do some tweaking could make all the difference in making sure 2023 finishes strong.

Where is calendar creep affecting your well-being as a human and your effectiveness as a leader?

What changes need to happen so you will flourish personally, professionally, mentally, emotionally, physically, financially, relationally, and spiritually?

If you lead a team, this might also be a good time for your whole crew to do a re-tooling session or two together. Is everyone on the same page, aligned toward the same goal? Is communication among your team effective and clear? Are team members reaching their benchmarks, moving the ball down the field? Is employee satisfaction indicating low turnover? Where is there room for improvement?

Coaching is such an effective modality for addressing all of the above. If any of this resonates with you, I have space beginning July 11 to book your sessions, and I would love to help you continue to flourish this year and plan now for how you will finish 2023 strong!

Click here to schedule a mid-year tune up session today!