Written by Season Journals
This time of year, I get so excited about the start of a new year, upgrading my goals, dreaming bigger... and I want to leap right into planning my goals for the following year. But I believe there is great importance in looking backward first — as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. So let’s take a moment to reflect on the year that we just experienced.
Here are some steps to follow and questions to journal, so that you can start planning the year ahead with a clear perspective on where you want to go next.
Goals
Did you set any goals last year? If so, review them, one by one. For each goal ask yourself these questions:
- Did I achieve my goal to my liking?
- Did this accomplishment make me feel proud?
- If not, where did I miss the mark?
- Why do I think this happened?
- Did this goal carry me through the year or did it become irrelevant or uninspiring?
- Is this goal something I want to continue working toward next year, or something I will leave behind?
Some additional questions for consideration:
- What did I accomplish that I didn’t feel properly acknowledged for?
- What’s lacking that only I can remedy in your relationships, health, career, or spiritual life?
- What were three lessons I learned this past year?
- What was missing from my success?
Wellness
In our Seven Dimensions of Wellness article, we talk about all the many facets of holistic wellness in our lives. For each of the Dimensions of Wellness — physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, and occupational, ask yourself the following questions. If you need a refresher on each of these dimensions, check out the article linked above.
- Am I currently confident in, indifferent, or disappointed with where my [physical, emotional, etc.] wellness is? Categorize each dimension of wellness.
- Which dimension of wellness brings me the most positive energy and joy?
- Which dimension of wellness do I struggle with the most? What do I believe is standing in the way of making progress in this area of my wellness?
Memorable Moments
For this exercise, think of specific days or moments that come to mind from this year — both positive and negative. Life is full of ups and downs, and it’s been proven that we can move forward with a better outlook if we can journal about the bad with the good.
- What day or moment stands out in my mind where I experienced happiness, ease, and felt like my full authentic self? Relive this moment and write about how you felt, who you were with, and what made it so memorable.
- How can I intentionally manifest more of these moments in my life next year?
- What day or moment stands out in my mind where I experienced sadness, grief, discomfort, frustration, or felt inauthentic? Write about how you felt in this moment, who you were with, and what may have caused these negative feelings.
- What did I learn about myself from this experience? How will I grow from this experience? Unfortunate circumstances are many times out of our control, but we can decide how we react, learn, and grow from them. They give us insight into how we process and deal with discomfort.
We hope these questions spark a meaningful reflection on your year, and wish the best as you begin to plan those big hopes and dreams for next year!
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