A Different Kind of Year End Review

When December arrives, I schedule my annual business review. I run a Profit and Loss report and compare my expenses and earnings to the prior year. Next, I calculate the number of hours I worked and consider the impact on my brain and body. I choose my trainings and conferences for the upcoming year and block out my vacation time on my calendar.

This year’s review feels different. When the pandemic began in March, I was concerned about the impact on my business and as things progressed, I found that my clients needed me more than ever. The process of working from home, online, during the multitude of crises in 2020 required a lot more mental energy than 2019!

Although the numbers are still important, this year I am focusing on time. The pandemic reminded me that life could change drastically at any moment. This was not my first awakening, I spent seven years navigating a devastating chronic illness which taught me to prioritize my health. One of my favorite lines from the book “Alcoholics Anonymous” is “You cannot transmit what you haven’t got.”

In order for me to devote time and energy to my clients, I must prioritize my own health and well-being. One way I do that is to travel and I have gone on some lovely, local trips this year, but I’m yearning for a more dramatic change of scenery. I’m sad about missing my Spring hiking trip to Utah, and the chance for a summer visit to the Catskill mountains to see my aunt and uncle, and all the other missed travel opportunities.

This end of the year column is less about getting my Excel spreadsheet organized (though I still have one!) and more about taking a mindful look at what I really want in the next year and how I plan to get there.

This summer I added a second group to my practice and gradually reduced the number of individual clients I see. Eventually I plan to add a third group and work a half day on Thursdays to extend my time off. I want to be able to leave town for long weekends or stay home and spend more time at the beach; I plan to work less and play more.

What are your intentions for the upcoming year?

Maria Gray, LMFT, NMP, CGP, is a psychotherapist in private practice in Century City, she is a Brainspotting Specialist and specializes in trauma and addictions. Maria is a Certified Group Therapist and currently offers three online groups in her practice. She enjoys working with adults who grew up around mentally ill or addictive family members. To learn more, go to www.mariagray.net.