Take Time to Reflect on the Year

New Year's resolutions always stress me out. The pressure! I can feel my anxiety rushing through my body just thinking about the expectations and deadlines. 

Whew! Now that you know how I feel about the year's end hype, we can move on. 

There's no sense in making goals for the new year without taking time to review the past twelve months. That would be like filling your closet with new clothes and not purging the faded and too small sized pants! The addition of new clothing doesn't make sense and just clutters your surroundings. 

Intentionally making a space and time to think, review, and process the events of the year are cleansing and helpful in the pursuit of achieving dreams and desires. 

And who said that you had to contemplate the four seasons by the thirty-first and then have a new set of goals ready to go by January first? Well, our culture seems to dictate that, but I never did like to float the mainstream. 

I'm encouraging you to take as little or as much time as you need in order to quiet your space and your mind. Then, contemplate. Don't criticize. Use these questions as springboards for meditating and musing.

1. What was the best thing that happened this year?

2. What were your struggles?

3. Where do you experience the most joy?

4. How have you grown spiritually?

5. Who can you express gratitude to for your wins?

6. What is one thing you can release?

7. What is an area in which you will ask for help?

Pondering this list will get you ready for setting realistic and achievable goals. Think of this exercise as repairing, cleaning, and priming a wall before you paint. 

Then, when you are ready, dream big. Learn from your mistakes and expand on your strengths.

How are you reflecting on the year?