10 Questions to Answer before the New Year

As I shared last year in my final blog post of the year, “Everything has it’s season,” and the end of the year for me is the time of reflection and appreciation for the great things that have happened over the past year.  Last year I recommended one simple practice that you could do to “wow” yourself and really give you some perspective on how wonderful the past year has been.

This year was different for me than other years past.  I spent a great deal of time reflecting and contemplating.  I really took the time to do a personal inventory and try to really discover what was important to me (and what wasn’t really that important), as well as reflecting on who I am, what I believe in, and what I “stand for.”  It was through that process of reflection that I realized myself that as a “personal development” personality on the web and on this planet, I was giving advice more than helping others find the answers they were searching for within themselves.

So, in the spirit of self-reflection and self-discovery, I am sharing with you today ten questions that, in my opinion, you can answer to help you determine where you are now and where you’d like to “go” in the upcoming year.  I suggest taking the time to reflect on these questions in silent contemplation, and find the answers that come to you.

Here are the ten questions I recommend you answer before the new year:

• What am I most grateful for right now?
• What are the things that bring me my greatest joy in life?
• What was the most pleasantly surprising thing that occurred this past year?
• What were some of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had this past year?
• What is something that I’ve done or focused on this year that I want to carry forward into the new year?
• What is my plan for making sure I carry this area of focus or activity forward this coming year?
• What is something that I’d like to stop doing this coming year?
• What is my plan for making sure I stop doing this in the coming year?
• What am I going to focus on this coming year to make my life more wonderful?
• What is my plan for making sure that my life is more wonderful this coming year?

Remember, it works well to take your time and really reflect on your answers to these questions.  This is not a “quick” activity that you do once and then forget it.  These questions are meant to help you realize what is important to you, what areas of joy you have in your life, what you want to do that serves you, and what you want to eliminate that does not.

If you have any questions or reflections in regard to answering these questions, don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know.  I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for a great year, and I look forward to spending next year with you when the time comes.  Happy holidays, and enjoy a wonderful new year.

Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/4176075327