Remembering 2012 in Light

Why is it so common at the end of each year to hear phrases like "thank God this year is over" or "can't wait for this year to end" accompanied by severe eye rolling in response to said year? While I think it's wonderfully useful to set an intention for any coming new year that it is going to be great and successful in however we measure that so that we can manifest all that we want for ourselves, why is it that at the end of the year somehow our focus winds up on all of the perceived "bad" parts of the year?

I understand not everything is always rosy and that we experience pitfalls and hardships throughout any year, but you're still standing!! Why isn't that the celebratory statement we make at the end of the year? "Wow 2012 was great, it provided me opportunity to grow and become stronger as I got up anytime I was knocked down!" Or why don't we ever challenge ourselves and say "MAN what a great year this was, let's make next one even better!" because our focus is stuck on all that worked?

I want to share an exercise that I am in the midst of doing right now that is making me smile and putting me in a place of gratitude over 2012. I am writing down my list of accomplishments from the year. After I am done with my big ones I am going to look through my calendar for the year to be sure that I am not missing anything. I will look for anything that I did for me or for someone else that made us feel good. And THAT is where I am going to place my focus as this great year comes to a close. Did I have some rough patches this year, sure. But as I step deeper into my own light and gratitude for all of the wonderful things in my life, it becomes even clearer that it's been a good year. And I too will set my intention for wonderful things in 2013!!