by Sarah Susanka (NAPSA)—Everyone has dreams, but sadly, most people don’t live them because they never take the timeto listen to what their hearts long to do. Fortunately, there are ways to develop this skill of inner listening and, in so doing, find true “This not so big book will help you find your human scale and a life that suits you. It’s practical, inspiring, and brilliantly conceived.” —THOMAS MOORE, authorof Care ofthe Soul not so big et King room for what really mattee meaningfulnessinlife. There is a key tool in this process. I call it the Year in Review Ritual and it’s intended to help you become the gardener of your own life—planting seeds on a yearly basis and watching them germinate and grow over the years to come. The goal is to give voice to your heart’s longings for the coming year by setting aside a few hoursat the end or beginning of each year, or even around the time of your birthday, to conduct a review of all the significant things that have happened over the past 12 months. Here’s what you do: 1. Create a special journal in which to record your observations each year. 2. Visit www.notsobiglife.com and download the pdf that accompanies the blog entry titled Making Timefor the Year EndRitual. 3. Answerthe list of questions related to the significant experiences of the past year, to your current life and to your heart’s desires. 4. Read through the past years’ entries and notice how you are changing. 5. Close the journal and don’t look at it, or even try to remember what you wrote, until the same time next year. That’s all there is to it. Just like taking photographs of your bestselling authorof the not so big Giving voice to your heart’s long- ings and reviewing them ona yearly basis can help you realize your true potential. children as they grow up, this exercise allows you to watch yourself grow into ever more of your true potential. It’s astounding to see and will offer you that doorway into the meaningful life you’ve been longing to find. Try it. It can be the best present you can give yourself this year. Sarah Susanka, FAIA, is an architect and best-selling author of “The Not So Big House”series. Her latest book, “The Not So Big Life,” applies her same revolutionary thinking to the architecture of our lives. You can visit her at www.notsobiglife.com.
