Updated on January 30th, 2018
The year is drawing to a close, and with winter’s more introspective energy, what better time to review your year?
Check out my 5 Powerful Ways to Reflect on Your Year, and set yourself up for a fabulous next year.
There’s something for everyone – from the simple and quick to the longer and even comprehensive. I’ve added some free tools for you to download, too. So head over to the blog and find out: Which one is for YOU?
Why reflecting is important
Looking back before moving forward might seem counter-intuitive.
Yet stopping our busy lives for a bit to catch up with all that’s happened is vital for our health and sanity, allowing us to process things before diving back into the activities of our lives, and taking our next steps.
It helps us see more clearly, check on the direction we’ve taken, draw out what we’ve learnt, and anchor our future plans and actions.
So we can move forward in our lives in a more conscious, wise and focused way – with purpose and intention, rather than drifting through, or feeling buffeted about by life.
So find yourself…
…some undisturbed time in a quiet place – 30 minutes to start with, or more if you can spare them. Whether at home or away, or outside in nature – go to a place where you are free to think, sense, and reflect.
And have your materials at hand. See below for ideas, and be creative!
Here are my 5 Powerful Ways to Reflect on Your Year:
1. For the big picture
A simple and quick review of your year on a single page – this is for you, if you like to think in short phrases and bullet points, and love having a big picture view.
All you need is a print-out of this sheet (maybe enlarged to A3), and a pen:
reflect on your year big picture
2. For a balanced view
If you like to take a balanced view of your life’s most important areas, the Wheel of Life is for you.
Take a look at the document below, and follow the instructions on the page. The second page has an example of a filled-in wheel.
All you need is a print-out of the wheel (preferrably in A3), and a pen!
3. For telling a story
If you love writing, write the story of your year that’s just gone past.
Include some or all of the following:
What’s been your role in your own life? What have you wanted to achieve? How has your story unfolded over the year? What have and haven’t you achieved?
Who else has played a role in your story?
What’s inspired you? What’s moved you? What’s changed you and how? Which difficulties have you overcome? And what have you learnt and understood about your life and yourself?
Finally: Where do you stand now? And looking forward into 2014, how does your story continue?
I’ve read some amazing stories my clients have written!
Inspired? All you need is pen and paper. Feel free to add your own questions to feed your story. Consider using pictures. And why not share your story with close friends in written form, or read it out to them over a glass of wine?
4. For moving and sharing
The idea of sitting and reflecting on your own in writing doesn’t appeal to you? How about organising a Turn-0f-the-Year Ritual with a group of close friends?
You could create a Past-Year-Display with with photos, graphics, drawings, or writings of your highlights and lowlights, your key events, the people important to you, and whatever else you like to share. Walk your friends through it, and reflect on the year together.
You could then share a meal, to get into the Present Time.
After that, move on to the Year Ahead. Share what you’d like for yourself and your life in the coming year, following on from your Past-Year-Display. And each of your friends could offer a wish for something to help you achieve that.
5. For a quick start into the New Year
If you want a different experience for your Turn-of-the-Year Reflecting, why not work with a Life Coach?
She can help you review your life, draw out a new or improved vision for the coming year and find your first steps to get going in the New Year – or the Next Year – whenever you choose to start your review and reflection.
And if you’re daunted about new year resolutions or the idea of goals, check out my post Set Direction, Not Goals for some inspiration on how to give your new year direction so it works for you!
So what do you think?
I’d love to read about your experiences with End-of-the-Year Reflecting, either in one of the above ways, or in your own way.
Please make your comments in the box below!
And if you want to work with me to review your year (or indeed your life), and discover your vision for what’s next, find out here how to do that.
Or email me at monica@livealifeyoulove.co.uk to arrange your free, no-obligation call to clarify what you need right now.
Title Photo: Pixabay
Comments
As an additional ‘end-of-year’ reflecting tool I played with some LMA (Laban Movement Analysis) terms: Inner/Outer, Mobility/Stability, Function/Expression, and Exertion/Recuperation. I utilized these to assess in which ways each of these concepts related to my year (generally as well as specifically), and how they balanced one another (or not).
Great idea, thanks for the comment, Brigit!