Happy New Year!
As we charge headfirst into a new decade, now is the perfect time to reflect on what the last ten years have meant for you. Did you start a business? Launch a new product? Improve your website? Design something awesome? Crush a trade show? Fight off a slump?
Whether successful or struggling, we can all benefit from hindsight to help us chart a path into the future. What went well? What was terrible? What needs to change? How will you change it?
Recall: What happened?
Before you can really reflect on the past, you have to remember as much as you can about what happened in it. I recommend making a list or word web to capture your memories, using pictures, social media, project files and friends to help jog your memory of what has gone on in your life.
For me, this might look like:
Graduated from the University of Washington
Developed a passion for coffee
Co-founded Chimera Creative Partners
Launched a company blog
Include whatever details you think are important in remembering the events, but for now leave out how you felt about the events. That comes next.
Reflect: What did it mean?
To find value in your recalling, there must come a conversion point where memory and review generates influence on the plans you are making for the future. If an event went well, will you repeat it? What would you change? What do you hope to accomplish with your changes?
Return to your list or web and start going through the events or projects you've included. How did they make you feel? What was challenging? What was easy? What was unexpected?
Expanding on my list above, I could reflect on the process of creating a company blog. In the recalling phase, I might remember the process of finding a blog host, settling on a style and writing content. In the reflection phase, I think about the challenges of maintaining a posting schedule or the joy of watching new subscribers follow the blog or interact with social media posts. This reflection on the meaning of what happened helps me to set new goals for 2020, like expanding blog offerings or considering an Instagram presence to build on past success.
Resolve: What will it change?
The ultimate goal of self-reflection is to know yourself and your process. When I don't stop to reflect, I am prone to repeating past mistakes, making ill-informed decisions and losing track of how I got to where I am. It takes time to reflect well, and one session is often insufficient for substantial growth. Need a new routine? Start working the cycle of recalling and reflecting into your work flow.
As you plan for a new year, I wish you luck. And remember: you're not alone. Need help getting new perspective for the new year? Let's chat. Let's make ideas real, together.
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