Take time to reflect
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In the midst of this busy season, most of us have a packed schedule.
And lots of people wait until the new year rolls around to look ahead, make a resolution or two, and hope for good things to happen.
I get it. Carving out time for reflection can seem hard, or may feel selfish — particularly when the calendar is filled.
I invite you to consider the gifts that can emerge when you devote even a small bit of quiet time to reflect.
Take a few minutes for yourself
Set aside a few minutes today — maybe over lunch, or before bed would be a good time to set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes for yourself.
Pull out a journal, paper or a laptop, and have your calendar handy. Then choose one or more of these questions to explore.
1. Look back at your year and see what you can celebrate about yourself.
Here are some questions you might ask:
Were there times when you were brave, or dared to be bold?
When did you have an impact that was meaningful?
Did you accomplish something you would not have expected?
When did your generosity have meaning for someone?
2. Look for lessons learned.
We learn valuable lessons in many ways. One way you may not have considered is to think about challenges you took on, or challenges that showed up this past year, that contributed to your path of success.
See what you can spot. Can you feel gratitude for outcomes that those challenges led to in your life?
3. Look for things you want to emphasize next year, or let go of.
Perhaps there was an experience that opened your heart in a new way, or a person you got to know well and enjoyed, or a place you spent time that was especially meaningful.
Note things you want more of next year.
Think, too, about things you want less of, or things you are ready to release.
Perhaps there are things you said “Yes” to that you didn’t like doing, or that have run their course. Maybe there are habits of thinking you are ready to shift away from. Maybe you want a change in a relationship.
By reflecting and taking note, you can set intentions for next year.
You can consider ways to make the positive things a meaningful part of your life in 2024.
And you can intentionally clear space for more positivity when you set clear intentions to release what does not make you happy.
Do it again!
Why not set aside a few minutes every other day for the rest of this month for some quiet reflection? Start with the suggestions above, and add to ways of mining the past year as new perspectives come to mind.
As you look back and consider your year in 2023, you will be likely to notice many things that will help you move into 2024 with more clarity, awareness and intention.
And if you want to share, I would be delighted to hear about the insights you discover. Email me.
