On a dreary day in December when I wasn’t feeling particularly upbeat, I set out to write a holiday letter recapping the year. By the time I had finished recording the highlights and remembering many wonderful occasions and people, I felt much better and more excited about the year ahead. You don’t have to send such a letter to anyone, but it is still worth writing.

It is easy to get caught up in the rush, forget the high points, dwell on the low points, and lose track of the bigger picture. If you haven’t done it already, take the time now or in the next few days to reflect on your professional and personal accomplishments and activities in 2009. Uncover and smile about the high points. Don’t compare your accomplishments to anyone else. Feel good about the progress you made, the fun you had, the relationships you built, the people you helped, the lessons you learned, and more.

Then picture yourself doing this again a year from now. What do you want to be writing about then when you look back at the highlights of 2010?