Happy New Year - Reflect, Learn, and Starting Fresh
Happy New Year!
It’s hard to believe that in less than 24 hours we will be starting a new year (and decade!). For the most part it was a great year – there were some ups and downs, lessons to be learned both professionally and personally, challenges along the way - but the good outweighed the bad.
New Year’s Eve is a day where I reflect, think about the lessons I learned, and prepare for a fresh start to a new year. Reflection can be a powerful tool that helps us look ahead and start fresh.
Some questions that you can ask yourself when you look back at this last year:
How have I grown in the last year and what progress have I made? I like looking at things in a relative way – where am I today vs. last year, last month, etc. When we work towards something, even if we take small steps, growth and progress happens. Make sure and celebrate your accomplishments, I have a friend who always reminds me to celebrate them, big or small!
What lessons have I learned? Lessons are learned every day! It could be from a mentor or from a situation that you weren’t happy with and in the future will take a different approach. Embrace these lessons and most importantly, help them make you a better version of you.
What regrets do I have? Sometimes we think of regrets and “what ifs?” (what if I would have done that differently, I should have…, etc.). Instead of asking what if, maybe a better approach (and one that I have been trying to implement for myself this last year) is to let go and learn from these situations. This is one of the first years that I had less “what ifs” and more “I’m excited to see what happens next”.
What do you need to do more of? The days fly by and things that we want to prioritize get pushed back. Maybe it’s spending more time with family, going to the gym more often, reading more, etc. Try to make more of an effort to prioritize things that are important to you.
What did you enjoy most? This is a fun one! There is so much to enjoy - maybe it was a class you took, a group that you are part of, your work, or a relationship you are in (or all the above!). If you feel like you’re not enjoying life, think about some changes that you can make to enhance your life.
After looking back and reflecting, its time to let go and look ahead – think about your goals and all the great things you plan to accomplish!
Wishing you a wonderful, healthy, happy and successful New Year!
