I’m a huge believer in the power of a written goal. But before I set my goals, I follow a process. Part of that process, is reflecting on the past year and taking note of where I am currently. I love spending this time celebrating my successes and recognizing where I have room to grow. Here are 15 ways to reflect as we begin a new year!
1. Write down all your favorite moments and memories from this past year.
From the big to the small! Write down every favorite moment that comes to mind!
2. Print out a few photos from this past year that bring you joy!
These photos might even come from your favorite moments list. You can either replace old photos with these new ones, or just place them in an area you will see them often.
3. Re-read any goals you set last year and discover where you are at.
Which ones did you achieve and which ones still need work? Maybe some of them no longer even seem relevant. Did you struggle with any of them? If so, why? Are there any circumstances you can change to make them happen? Are there any goals you would like to revisit or add on to this years list?
4. Determine when you feel your best.
Are you a morning person, an evening person or an afternoon person? Determine when you feel your best and set aside a chunk of time each week to make your goals and yourself a priority.
5. Find one thing you did well last year and one thing you could have done better.
The sky is the limit! Interpret this as you please. Stuck? A few ideas- were you optimistic, complimentary, adventurous, strategic, faithful, etc.
6. Recognize the people who had the greatest positive impact on your life this past year.
Who makes you feel the best about yourself and those around you? Send them a text, email, hand written note or even pick up the phone and call them. Tell them thank you! I bet you will make their day!
7. Determine which relationships were the most challenging this past year and determine why.
What steps can you take to make this relationship positive? Choose one quick and simple action to take right now.
8. Identify one activity you participated in that gave you personal satisfaction.
This could be something you do regularly or something you’ve only done once.
9. What is the best thing (or things) you did for your mental and emotional health this past year?
Do you already do this one thing (or things) daily or weekly? If you answered no, can you incorporate this thing into your daily or weekly routine? Determine any potential obstacles and figure out how you can overcome them now.
10. Find balance.
Did you maintain balance between family, work, community, faith and personal activities last year? What are some areas that received the least amount of attention and why? Could you or do you want to chance that this next year?
11. Be active.
The cold often keeps me inside, but being active is so important for both your mind and your body. Go for a long walk, try a workout class, ride a bike- just do something!
12. Review your finances.
It’s so easy to take a back seat with your finances, but it’s so important to know where you stand and how your savings are actually setting you up for the future. Meet with a financial advisor or at least read one of Dave Ramsey’s books. We completed Financial Peace University years ago and it was so helpful!
13. Set up an inspiring space.
Make sure your space is inspiring and not cluttered. Do you need to redesign your space so it is more inviting, inspiring and productive? Spend 10 minutes a day until your space feels perfect!
14. Assess your closet.
Find 5 outfits you wore last year and loved! What did you love about them? What about them made you feel confident? Use what you learn to inspire your future purchases. While your at it, go through your closet and donate pieces you haven’t worn in over a year or items that don’t bring you joy!
15. Find your story.
If this last year of your life was read as a book, what would the story be about? How would your story read? At the end of my life, I want to leave a legacy and a story. What will your legacy be?
sweater :: belt :: jeans :: boots
trench sold out, similar here :: sunglasses
It’s a really good idea to reflect on the past year. When you take the time to look back you can see how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved. Love the photos in this post too!
I love these 15 ways to reflect on the past year and into the new year! Such a great idea to write down our favorite memories and moments!
Kileen
cute & little
These are really exceptional tips. Most people set new goals for the year without giving any thought to the prior year and what was actually accomplished. I also like where you discuss reflecting on the people that had the most influence on your life. Surround yourself with positive people to breed positivity.
Great way to move forward. Awesome tips truly. Unless we look back at our accomplishments, happy moments and where we have faltered the path ahead will always be hazy.
Wonderful suggestions to reflect on the past year! I appreciate your suggest to print out photos. So often we keep our photos trapped in our phones. I started to regularly do this by creating a photo book of our family’s year, which we open on Christmas morning. It has become a tradition we all look forward to and continue to peruse throughout the year. Each time we see those memories it brings smiles to our faces.
I love this so much and totally agree that writing down goals is the most effective way to stay on track. However I didn’t really think about writing down the memories of your past year. I like this a lot. by writing things down you sort of solidify them and this would help with reflection as well as future goal setting. Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
What a great way to reflect and introspect. I’ve always thought of giving it a try but it just sounds so ephemeral that I’ve not been able to do it. Your pointers are quite actionable – makes me feel that I can give it a go!
I really like this article, I guess that it’s not just because it’s the beginning of a new year but also of a whole decade that makes me think that I should make some positive changes. And it’s nice to look back at the past year at the same time!
Thank you for this wonderful piece! It came at the right time, and seems to be a perfect guide to starting a new year. It was and interesting and educative read.
I’m like you, I like to write down all the good things and the lessons I’ve learned over the course of the year and take them with me into the New Year. I reset my goals, or readjust them. I love the idea of printing out photos! With everything digital we don’t print out photos or change out the photos we have in frames! This is a good way to look back on a happy remember and bring some light into your day! So many amazing suggestions, I’m feeling inspired!
This was a beautiful post. We all need a fresh start at some point our lives. Reflections are a great start to start a new year