Reflecting on the Past Year: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t
Dec 23, 2023
As the year comes to a close, it's a natural time to pause and reflect. There’s more to an effective reflection than just looking back, though. We’ll want to take some time to really understand where we've succeeded, where we’ve faced challenges, and how those experiences have shaped our outlook before proceeding to plan for the New Year. In this blog post, we'll explore:
- Successes and Achievements
- Challenges and Lessons Learned
- How the Past Shapes Our Outlook
- Personal Growth and Development
So, grab a journal and a cup of your favorite beverage and let's dive into a meaningful end-of-year reflection together.
Successes and Achievements
Think about your successes and achievements, big or small. It could be reaching a personal or professional goal, finding a healthier work-life balance, or discovering a new passion. Take a moment to acknowledge these wins and appreciate the positive impact they've had on your life.
This year, I’ve successfully incorporated tools for more effective time and resource management. This was a major win for me, in that it allowed me to experience less stress even in the face of expanded commitments and obligations. And, I’ve continued to include regular travel in my schedule, which has always been a source of joy for me, as it is for many others.1
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Reflect on the hurdles you encountered, especially those that tested your patience and resilience. These challenges need not be viewed as setbacks. Instead, they can provide opportunities for growth and learning.
This year brought its fair share of challenges, especially in my business endeavors. I can be pretty impatient sometimes, and it’s always a struggle for me when I don’t see the results I want right away. It helps to know I’m not alone in experiencing this kind of stress.2 Unlike in previous years, I’ve now organized my life and business in such a way that these challenges offer me a chance to practice persistence.
How the Past Shapes Our Outlook
Consider how the mix of successes and challenges you’ve experienced over the past twelve months has shaped your perspective. Perhaps it’s time for a reevaluation of priorities and values. What have you learned about yourself and about what’s important to you?
This past year has brought a major shift in my attitude towards failure. Now I’m looking at it as simply something that didn’t work. Most of the examples from this year were strategies I tried that wound up not being a fit for my personality. Just because a strategy has worked for someone else doesn’t mean it’s right for me. And sometimes there’s no way to know that in advance.
Personal Growth and Development
Think about the ways you've grown and changed over the past year. How have you become a better version of yourself than you were twelve months ago? What can you do to build on this year’s learnings and improve even further?
This year, I’ve become a lot more intentional in the management of my life and business. Although I continue to value flexibility and keeping my options open, I’m not flying by the seat of my pants anymore. Perhaps surprisingly, I’ve found I have more options now than when I didn’t plan anything more than a few weeks out. I’ll definitely be doing more to incorporate planning and tracking into other areas of my life.
Wrapping It All Up
Reflecting on the year just ended is a great way to get started with planning out what’s next for you. If your goals for next year include improving your health, consider joining us for Jumpstart Your New Year's Resolutions. This transformative 6-week group coaching program is especially designed to support you in your journey to better health in the New Year. This isn't just about making resolutions; it's about achieving your goals with personalized guidance, effective goal setting, unwavering accountability, and a community cheering you on.
1. Travel is the best medicine, study finds (latimes.com)
2. Essential Entrepreneur Burnout Statistics in 2023 (zipdo.co)