I know many people are looking forward to ringing in the New Year and leaving 2016 behind! Before you get too excited for 2017 I am going to urge you to look back over this year first, and then look forward to the next one.
Giving yourself the time and space to review and reflect on your past struggles and accomplishments, is an important step for making 2017 a breakthrough year. Most of us are likely to over-emphasize the negative and under-emphasize the positive. There’s a chance some positive things happened this year you could benefit from acknowledging. This year might not all be as bad as you initially think.
In fact, looking back and acknowledging how far you’ve come and the obstacles you’ve surmounted is an important part of bouncing back. Recalling how you overcame past challenges gives you strength and hope to persevere in the face of adversity. While it might be nice to leave somethings behind from 2016, a new year will inevitably bring new problems. You’ll be more prepared to face them if you take a moment to celebrate how far you’ve come this past year.
Journal About It!
So go head. Give yourself some time and space to look back at the previous year and review your experiences. I like to write in my journal. Go to a blank sheet and write at the top, “2016 in Review.”
I started by writing my game plan for my year in review efforts. I wrote a list of all the places I can look at to review my year, i.e. my journal, calendar, sent emails, photos, etc. Then I made note of a tip I got from my coach Jason Womack last year, to make a least of at least 100 things I accomplished in 2016. And I wrote a few reflection questions to ponder. I’ve been stealing moments here and there to review my 2016.
Reflection Questions for Reviewing 2016
What did you accomplish?
What challenges have you overcome?
Here are a few big accomplishments I am most proud of from 2016:
I worked out 143 times (so far) my goal was to workout 100 times this year!
I completed a training and certification in Conversational Intelligence
I wrote and self-published my first book with a community of co-creators
I served as a citizen representative on the City of Fort Collins Budgeting for Outcomes Committee
My husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary
I survived three tough illnesses, i.e. the flu, and recovered without losing my momentum
What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2016?
You need not go on this journey along. Share your experiences and stories from 2016 in the comments below!