We are swiftly heading towards not only the end of the year but also the end of a decade. Boggles the mind, doesn’t it? To help you navigate this grand transition with grace, we’ve enlisted the help of holistic coach and alternative therapist Suzanne Wylde. Time to dust off those journals and create space for thoughtful, productive and kind new year reflections.
A personal annual review can help you reflect on the challenges and successes of the past year, and help you to prepare for a great start to 2020. Last year I did my first personal annual review and based on how it went I made some pointers to help you do the same. Before we get started on the how, let’s have a quick look at what it is and why we would do it.
The why
This is a busy time of year when we can get swept up in parties, shopping and family drama and it is easy to drift into the new year still in a partial food coma, possibly faintly smelling of brussel sprouts and Ferrero Rocher (not necessarily a bad thing). However, because it is easier to see where you’re going when you clearly know where you’ve been, it will be easier to start the new year with 2020 vision if we take the time to reflect on the year coming to an end (excuse the pun).
The what
Personal new year reflections are just that – personal – so yours may be very different from someone else’s. But to give you a general idea; it is an opportunity to reflect on your achievements, challenges you faced (and how you faced them), disappointments and breakthroughs, what you have learned and what you would like to do in the future. It might take an hour for some people, but others may set aside a day or even a week.
The how
Here are my tips for doing your own great review. I recommend you have a read through and then make this exercise your own by doing it the way that feels right for you. At the end of this article, I will give you some ideas about specific things you can look at.
1 – Set aside time
Plan in advance because if you are a super-busy person you may find yourself doing this last minute, but then you will not really be in the right state of mind to reflect. So whether it is for an hour or two, or every day for one week, I strongly recommend you specifically set aside time in your diary for ‘new year reflections’.
2 – Prepare
Have a general think about things you want to consider beforehand so your subconscious mind has a chance to start working on it, and also gather any facts or data you need. For example, if you will be reflecting on sales figures get the rough data together beforehand so your time is not consumed by this. Or if you want to plan a big trip in 2020, do a little research on different options ahead of time. Getting the more mundane but necessary part of the way first will help you to relax into a more reflective and maybe intuitive state for your actual review.
3 – Create the space
If you are not used to doing this kind of exercise it can feel a little silly and if others are not used to you doing it, you may find it hard to be left alone. Consider your best chances for some peaceful alone time, where you will have the time and space to reflect. Taking yourself out of your normal environment can help give you more perspective, while a familiar place can give you more of a sense of connection to your life. There is no right or wrong as long as you feel comfortable, engaged and relaxed. Create more mental space by setting aside worries and other habits (smartphone or browsing the internet), so you can step outside of the day-to-day, for greater perspective.
4 – Decide what to look at
You may want to look at every aspect of your life or just a couple that are most important right now. I have included different aspects below but you can look at anything you want; athletic ability, travel, cooking skills. I strongly suggest you pick the topics that feel meaningful to you, which will make a difference in your life, as well as at least one area that you know is not your strongest and would prefer to avoid looking at.
5 – Be kind
These new year reflections are meant to help you bring the old year to a close and move into the new year feeling strong, hopeful and centred. Of course, we have to acknowledge mistakes but the main thing is that we understand why they happened and how we would like to act in the future, not get caught up in guilt or shame. So be kind to yourself as you do this review – even if you have had an absolutely terrible year (especially if you have) – because this review is a way of taking care of yourself.
Some things to consider during new year reflections
You could pick 4 – 8 items from the list below to consider in your review, or use completely different ones; whatever you feel is right for you.
– Physical health
– Connection to, and appreciation of, my body
– Amount of fun I have
– General levels of joy
– Amount of spontaneity/ adventure in my life
– Ability to take risks when it feels right (did I play it safe and regret it at all? Did I take too many risks?)
– Mental wellbeing
– Self-compassion in my attitude and actions
– Ability to think clearly
– Amount of time I feel inspired/ lifted up
– Amount of time I spend in a flow state
– Sense of connection to others
– Deepening my relationships, putting time and effort in
– Taking care of others in a healthy way
– Having great boundaries
– Self-love and self-appreciation
– Acknowledging my emotions and listening to them
– Taking care of my emotional and physical needs in a healthy way
– Finances
– Career progress and successes
– Learning from opportunities
– Creating an authentic and strong network for study or work
– Ongoing study to build on current knowledge/ expertise
– Having all my ducks in a row at important times
– Setting myself up for success (did I self-sabotage at all? If so, how and why?)
– Charitable/ pro bono work, giving back to the community
– Considering my impact on the world, the change I would like to make even if small
– My relationship with the environment, lessening my impact, helping nature
– The influence I have on other people (children, students, coworkers, partner, friends and others)
As you can see there are so many things we could consider. And it is important to think about our impact on others also, not just because we are all on the planet together; but because this is how we find meaning. This is a great way for us to bring the year to a close and move towards 2020 with a sense of who we are, our place in the world and the impact we would like to have on it.
Happy personal annual reviewing.
Suzanne Wylde is a holistic coach, alternative therapist, stretching trainer and author. She offers walking massage, assisted moving stretch sessions and acupuncture treatments for a range of health issues, physical pain, stress, postural issues and to boost health. She has a practical yet intuitive approach and focuses on solving the root of a problem, to achieve longer-lasting results. For more information, visit www.suzannewylde.com.
Click here to view Suzanne’s schedule and to book a treatment with her at triyoga.Â
