Podcast Episode 137 - Reflection questions to glean the lessons from last year to help create your best new year
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Do you have a dream, but each new year looks the same and leaves you never reaching your dream?
Have you ever set resolutions only to fail the first month out? Yea, me too!
Do you have a purpose but feel stuck?
Over the next few days, we’ll discuss ways to create your best new year. We’re starting by reflecting on our previous year to glean the lessons that will help us grow in the coming year.
So, today is for you if:
If you’re tired of every year looking the same.
If you need prompts to get your noggin’ thinking about the past productively.
If you’re ready to move into the new year with purpose.
By looking at the past, we can discover the lessons that will help us grow, move forward and make it a better new year. If we don’t learn from our past, we’ll keep making the same mistakes.
Personally, I need prompts to help me productivity dig into my past. So, I’m going to share with you the ones I’ve been using for the last couple of years.
But before I share the reflection questions, I have two rules for you to make this reflection session pleasant and productive instead of a beat-yourself-up session.
Rule #1 Give yourself grace because God does
God doesn’t condemn us for our mistakes, so we shouldn’t either.
Rule #2 Give yourself self-compassion
Grace is how God deals with our mistakes. Self-compassion is giving ourselves grace for our mistakes.
We all make mistakes, but it doesn’t help us if we beat ourselves up.
Self-compassion allows you to move forward and learn from your mistakes instead of letting your mistakes hold you hostage, to your past.
So here are seven reflection questions to help you dig into last year and learn the lessons you can take into your new year.
1. What did I want this past year to look like?
You need to know what you wanted in the first place to reflect on how things went.
2. Where am I settling?
I’ve personally been settling for dreaming about stepping into my full capacity instead of doing it. I have been writing for clients but have settled for speaking only as they come to me instead of reaching out.
3. What skills or talents am I not using?
I haven’t finished the book I’ve been writing, so I’m not fully using my writing skills.
People miss out when we don’t use the gifts God gave us.
4. What have I been avoiding out of fear?
I haven’t done live videos on social media as I intended. I know it’s fear stopping me because I actually like doing videos.
Fear keeps us from showing up fully ourselves and fulfilling our God-given purpose.
So what have you been avoiding because of fear?
5. Who can I forgive?
When we forgive, it frees us to move into our future without all the baggage. That also includes forgiving yourself.
In 2021 I forgave some staff people for some hurts I had over getting let go after 16 years on staff.
Best gift I gave to myself.
This year I forgave myself for some mistakes and missed opportunities.
6. What missed opportunities can I let go of and move on?
One missed opportunity was not keeping up with a course I was taking, and I missed out on the coaching aspect of it. I was busy with client work and laid it to the side. But I regret that decision now.
I must let go of the past so that I can move into the future.
7. What went right this past year?
This year may have been super crappy for you, but I promise there’s always something that went well.
Find it; dig for the treasure in 2022.
One of the things that went right for me was the opportunity to speak at my church’s women’s event (the one I didn’t work for anymore 😉). It was a bucket list item I’d dreamed of doing for years.
Once you reflect on last year, now look for the patterns.
Then ask yourself–What are the lessons I need to take into my next year so I can grow and be my best self?
Over the next three episodes, we’ll keep digging into making our new year something awesome!
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