The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is one of my favorite times of the year. The pace of work slows, and I spend the week “closing up shop”– getting my financial house in order and reflecting on the past twelve months. My reflection time is spent pondering three questions:
- What 3-5 things are you most proud of this year? Why? What skills or attitudes helped make those proud moments or accomplishments happen?
- What were your 2-3 greatest disappointments this year? Why?
- What did you learn about yourself over the last 12 months?
Writing out the answers allows patterns to emerge. For example, a few years ago I had taken on a lot of big commitments and spent most of the year feeling like I was on a hamster wheel. Listing my accomplishments fostered a sense of pride in my capacity to get things done. I realized from writing down my disappointments, that some things just aren’t going to happen no matter how hard I try, and I need to let them go and put my energy elsewhere.
So, slow down and give yourself the gift of reflection – a gift that will help you embrace your strengths and accept disappointments, so you can enter the New Year with fresh perspective and renewed energy.
Deb Hornell is a visionary whose personal brand of “Cultivating Environments for Growth” extends into her consulting practice, her family and friendships, and her book: "Good Things for a Full Life."
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