This January, it’s time to celebrate, no matter where you are in your life or your advancement career. After years of making resolutions, my husband shared a simple, but powerful exercise that will dramatically help the new year turn out the way you envision it will now — in January. I’d like to share it with you. It’s an opportunity to let go of anything that may be holding you back, and begin 2012 with a clean slate. Please do the exercise sometime this month.
Here’s what I want you to do. Set aside 1/2 hour when you won’t be interrupted — no phone, no email. 
This is to be done in one sitting. You’ll need several sheets of loose leaf paper, a pen, a lighter and an envelope. Go to a place that is comfortable for you.
There are three parts to this exercise. The first part is dumping all the junk out of your mind that creeps in at about 2 a.m. This is the releasing portion and it takes about 10-15 minutes.
Take several sheets of paper, preferably unlined. Write however you wish. Neat, big, messy, small…just begin each sentence the same way. I release ____________________(fill in the blank). For example, I release any leftover angry feelings toward Susan from our argument in the summer of 2012. I release my feelings of frustration and sadness over my friend’s cancer. I release my annoyance and, well yes, anger at my colleague who always seems to get into my major gift relationships. Whatever…but end with, I release whatever the heck is holding me back from being the best I can be, from achieving my full potential. It can be from yesterday or when you were 9, physical, emotional, financial. Write until you have nothing else to add. When you are finished, re-read the list quickly. Add anything else, then go on to part 2.
In Part 2, find a fireplace, go outside to a safe place, whatever, and light the pages on fire. If there is no safe place to burn them, rip them to shreds. The act of writing these things down frees them from you, and burning them physically releases them back to the universe — forever away from you. I always smile as they burn, because I know I really will forget them.
Now for Part 3. Write a letter stating all the things you are planning for (manifesting) in 2012. Don’t judge them, don’t analyze them, just write. But write these things as if they have occurred. In 2012 I weigh (your goal number) and enjoy walking every day. My relationships with my spouse and kids are happy. We went on a great vacation to __________. I enjoy wonderful major donor relationships and people enjoy investing in my non-profit. I have raised over $x — an all time high. Write your deepest wishes. Address the letter to yourself, God, the Universe, your family or just leave it blank. What do you want most passionately? Feel it. Mean it.
When you are finished, fold the pages up and seal them in the envelope. Place the envelope in a safe place — a drawer, book or on a shelf and let the letter work for you. Do no open it, attempt to remember what you wrote or even concern yourself with it at all. Simply KNOW it is there, working for you.
In December 2012, return to the letter. Open it up and read it. You will be delighted and amazed at what you have achieved. Why? Because our mind is an amazing thing and we use and understand only a fraction of it. It will produce whatever we plant in it. And by doing this exercise we plant these plans into our subconscious. You think it sounds cool, stupid, silly, awesome? Great. Do it anyway.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life and help you attract all the donors you need to get the results you want. Remember, your mindset, not your methods, will account for 80% of your success.
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© 2011 Marcy Heim and The Artful Asker LLC.
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Marcy Heim is a sought-after coach and trainer to fundraising leadership, staff and key volunteers who are transforming the world by encouraging philanthropy for their missions. She is a trusted authority in the development profession, who helps organizations and educational institutions uplevel their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success AND promotes increased staff job satisfaction. Her monthly Artful Action newsletter inspires leadership and staff to embrace the real power and joy of philanthropy. If you are ready to take your development efforts to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at www.marcyheim.com.
