I wish you a well-come new year, full of life lived meaningfully and wholeheartedly! Thank you for your support and encouragement in 2018.
Like many people, I like to spend the quiet period between Christmas and January 2nd reflecting on the previous year and setting intentions for the year to come. Over the next few days, I will post some of the ways I’ve welcomed in this new year.
YEAR IN REVIEW
I’ve sat down to review 2018 a few times in the past week, but despite wanting to progress I felt unengaged in the process. This morning I felt the pull to get things in order, to set in motion my dreams and goals for the new year– but once again, when I sat down to begin, I found myself a little stuck on where to start.
Then a marketing email titled “Reflections to Inform Your 2019”* caused my phone to chime in, capturing my distracted attention. The author outlined a brief listing process, which, with a few tweaks to suit my own thought process, I tried and found both positive and helpful:
10 Highlights: Accomplishments and favorite memories
5 Disappointments: Failures and missed opportunities
3 Game Changers: Unexpected things that changed priorities or perspective
3 Areas of Focus: Where/what you spent most of your time on
3 Things You Forgot: What you didn’t get around to or neglected
Reflection: How does this inform your plans for the new year?
Through this process I listed more than 10 highlights; recounting them gave me pause at how much can be accomplished by embracing our dreams. Focusing on the positive first gave perspective and cushioned the “disappointments” so they seemed more like seeds for growth than insurmountable flaws.
2018 was a huge year for me. I said goodbye to my teaching position of 14 years and watched my first child graduate high school, undergo major jaw surgery, and leave for college. I presented a poster at an international positive education convention and delivered several professional development and wellness workshops for teachers. I started a new job writing curriculum and supporting instruction for an alternative school model, and I submitted applications for doctoral programs.
I realized my disappointments both originate from and reinforce my fears, particularly those in social situations. I recognize old patterns of avoidance and numbing that need my attention. New opportunities allow me to continue shaping my life and contributing to the well-being of others.
Try this reflective tool — may you find it as empowering and enlightening!
Next posts: #oneword2019, Passion Planning, and Reading Lists
*The email came from Camp Helping Hands, a pro-social, service learning youth summer camp that my son attended in its first year. Check out their website and organization at http://camphelpinghands.com/
