Some Powerful Reflection Questions For The End Of The Year
I hope you've had a very Merry Christmas!
If not, or parts of it felt intense (it certainly got a bit like that for us with family visiting on one of the otherwise amazing days!), don’t worry.
People can get very stretched over these days that are ‘supposed to be’ lovely, relaxing and recharging. What this general expectation doesn’t take into account is all the patterns, traumas, trapped emotions, unspoken grudges, conditioning, inner conflicts, misalignments,.. that some of the encounters that we get exposed to bring up.
On top of that come all the often carb heavy foods, the quantities of it, and the potentially reduced amount of movement. With people visiting or being on holidays, it can also be tricky to keep up with your daily routines.
Now, instead of downward spiralling, following negative thought patterns and losing connection with yourself…
I’d like to remind you to be kind to yourself.
Take yourself out of the ‘bubble’ that can build into a bit of a pressure cooker for some and take yourself to the beach, into nature or round the block instead. It will help short-circuit the (inner) tension.
Now it’s time to reflect.
So many people are under the illusion that growth requires us to achieve big goals and accomplish great feats but often, it’s in the small things - like reflective practices, including Take The Brakes Off self-clearing and journaling - where our personal and professional evolution unfolds in the most profound ways.
Believe me, it will help you set up for a great year (and is very different to the often practised and all too often unsuccessful New Years resolution leading to disappointment!).
That’s why today I want to share my reflection ritual with you. It’s also a great practice to guide your leadership team through (or clients, if you’re a coach).
Reflection is scientifically proven to support us in feeling more productive and creative, among other benefits.
Reflection also helps us to…
1. See the full spectrum of our successes and manifestations that can be missed in the busy-ness of day-to-day life
2. Identify the attributes/qualities/character traits we've cultivated along the way and how they serve us
3. Celebrate the person we've become, which is vital in a world so heavily focused on doing ‘the next thing’ and ticking ‘the next box’
4. Get clarity on what is and isn’t aligned with the person we want to evolve into
5. Transform hardships into valuable learnings we can embody
6. Help set the tone for the year to come and gain clarity on what will really move the dial for us personally and in business
Now it’s YOUR time to reflect and celebrate.
If now isn’t the best time, I invite you to bookmark this email and create space in your calendar to return to the practice before the end of the year.
Candles, incense, nature, your favourite environment,.. - whatever connects you with You, and brings you into presence are also encouraged!
When you’re ready, grab your journal or paper and sit with the following questions (keeping in mind to not overthink these questions, but rather let whatever comes up flow on to paper) …
1 - What do I feel most proud of this year?
2 - How have I expanded and evolved personally and professionally?
3 - What challenges did I face personally and in my business, and what did I learn from them?
4 - What does my Future Self want me to know?
Once you have reflected on and answered these, it’s time to design and dream for the year ahead!
For this, I’d like to share the following 7 questions with you that will support you to plan for 2023:
1 - Imagine it’s the end of 2023, what do you see? What have you achieved? How do you feel?
2 - What are you creating or manifesting in 2023? What projects are you bringing to life?
3 - What is your #1 top aligned goal that would help you to live your dream? (I.e. It needs to FEEL really good imaging living it already. Reflect and choose carefully for yourself, as this will help you find your focus for the next year.)
4 - What kind of support systems will you put in place to achieve this outcome? (I.e. systems, rituals, habits, physical, personal and professional support)
5 - What mentors do you want to learn from and what skills would you like to learn or develop?
6 - What impact would you like to make that would serve the world? (humanity and / or the environment) Remember, it starts small and will ripple from there.
7 - What is your word for the year that can assist you in sticking to your ‘golden thread’? (I.e. trust, commitment, inspiration, influence, empowerment)
Remember, it is possible to transform your life and to create the career and future that you dream of, no matter where you are right now or how you might be feeling at this moment.
I will too be continuing to contemplate these questions here at the Sunshine Coast of Australia. I hope they bring you as much joy, realisations and clarity as they have been bringing me.
I celebrate the year you’ve had and who you’ve evolved and expanded into along the way!
And I back you all the way to go for your dreams for the year ahead! You’ve got this!
And if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, and would like to equip yourself with awareness of what to watch out for that could trip you up with your intent to follow your 'Golden Thread', check out my recent Video Interview with Michelle Lightworker on the Enlightened Conversations Podcast here:
The 7 Forms of Resistance and how they can show up in our life, holding us back from living our purpose and our wildest dreams
Learn how to recognise your own patterns and why they are not a sign that you’re off track but actually precisely ON TRACK.
If you'd like to grab or re-read my free eBook on this topic, you can download it here.
All of the above reflection questions and resources are for everyone to be enjoyed. So if you feel like any of your friends, family, team members or colleagues could benefit from them, feel free to share this blog post link with them!
Here is to your expansion!
Wishing you a happy New Years.