Review, Reflect, and Refocus!

I enjoyed the review and reflection process that I just went through about 2018 and how it helped me prepare for this new year. I was planning to end the exercise with a perfect, one word representation of what I wanted to be in 2019. I really wanted to wear one of those bracelets that have been in all the social media ads with the little metal disc displaying my whole annual plan distilled down into one word...but I couldn't do it!

Last year, I came up with a series of questions to ask myself that helped me define not just one word, but several areas of focus for my year. I wanted to try something different this year, but I realized that different doesn't mean better and after a few false starts, I stuck with last year's method. You can read about it and download FREE worksheets here.

​This year, I was able to add a new portion to my review - I analyzed my last year by jotting down some successes - and failures - from each area of focus that I’d defined during my planning session for 2018. I was kind of rough on myself, recognizing more failures than successes. I almost stopped the review feeling like it wasn't worth doing, but then I decided to look through my calendar to see what I'd been up to. I made a list of all the cool things I'd done, and for those that were repeated  (like date night, volunteering, and time with friends), I began tallying all the times I'd done them. Soon, I started feeling pretty accomplished and began to realize that some of my proudest moments weren’t ones I’d planned for. My prior year's planning and goal setting process provided me the structure to accommodate and excel at unexpected opportunities.

"...some of my proudest moments weren't ones I'd planned for.  My prior year's planning and goal setting process provided me the structure to accommodate and excel at unexpected opportunities."

​One thing that I had no idea would happen in 2018 when I did my planning last year was that I would dip my toe into sales through Clever Container (and be pretty successful at it!)  Though this experience only lasted about 6 months - you can read about how I handled my disappointment about that here - it got me really excited about 2019! What is ahead for me that I can’t even fathom right now??  It also helped me realize that the unknown doesn’t have to be scary, it can be exhilarating! Be wary of counting on things to just fall into place, though. I really believe reflection and planning are still critical to our own success and well-being.  ​

It doesn’t matter that January 1 has come and gone - that’s just an arbitrary date that many people use to give them a clean slate, but you can do this exercise anytime!  Give it a try - ask yourself some questions about your past and your future.  It is really enlightening to see what commonalities appear and how you can get laser focused on certain areas of self-improvement and set yourself up for growth in ways you can’t even imagine at this point in time.

I’ll share my 2019 areas of focus with you below, but I want to be clear that these are just categories or cues for specific goals that I will create and review throughout the year.  Read about some goal setting tips here. This year I want to focus on:

• Shared experiences - I noticed last year that this is how I got to know people better, connected more with my family, and made lasting memories

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• Home - I consistently desire more time at home and a more welcoming space - it’s time to make that happen!

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• ​Creativity - I enjoy the creative pursuits I have tried, but just don’t allot enough time for them.  I also want to stretch and try something new.

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• Calm - Stress wreaks havoc on my mind and body, and I want to slow down and spend more time in calming environments and learn strategies to control how I respond to situations.

I’d love to hear about your plan for this year!  Were you able to come up with just one word to drive your whole year, or do you have several areas to focus on?  What are you most excited about for 2019?  Share with us below in the comments or join me on Facebook!

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Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash