Look Back and Look Forward with Purpose
Shifts in the New Year (2018 Reflections & 2019 Resolutions)
As we near the year’s end, it’s a time for reflection. Maybe your year was amazing; maybe it was something you’d rather forget. But as you think back on 2018, it’s not just a time for considering what went wrong, but also to celebrate the victories – no matter how small – and a time to plan your resolutions for the new year ahead.
A Look Back
Before you plan for the year ahead, it’s helpful to take stock of what’s happened in the past 12 months. Perhaps there were a lot of personal goals that you weren’t able to meet. Or maybe you totally crushed it! Either way, it’s important to consider what worked . . . and what didn’t.
Here are 10 questions to aid in your year-end reflection:
- What did this year teach me?
- What did I accomplish?
- Was there anything that didn’t go the way I expected it to?
- Do I feel like anything is incomplete?
- What do I feel especially good about?
- What needs to be left behind?
- What was the most fun?
- What were my biggest challenges or roadblocks?
- How have I changed or grown? Am I happy with that?
- What would I like to do differently this year?
Looking Ahead
Without getting clear on the WHY or real intention behind them, resolutions rarely get carried out. The answers to the questions above can help with that. Using your true feelings and desires about where you are now, you can set the right goals for the coming year.
Should you get fit and be healthier? Take on a travel nursing position and live in a new City? Climb a mountain? Eat just one less donut? That’s all up to you!
Forget about what everyone else is doing.
Take a look at your list; think about the challenges you had and the things you’d like to leave behind: grumpy colleagues, too-early mornings/too-late work nights, and freeway traffic! Why were they difficult for you? Is it something you should work on, or would your life be better if you just walked away and moved on?
But you see those things on your list that made you happy? That you had fun doing? Do more of them! Pursue your dreams and live your best life. How can you expand on these things in the coming year?
We wish you a very happy holiday season and look forward to being of service to you in 2019 and beyond!
