As the end of the year approaches I find myself looking back at the challenges and opportunities I encountered this year, and the areas of personal growth that accompanied them. I don’t know what your year has been like, mine certainly hasn’t been a walk in the park. But it seems a shame to rush into Christmas festivities and the New Year without taking stock of what has been.

This is an opportunity to reflect on what you would like to take forward from your year, and what you want to leave behind.

 Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.” ~ Gautama Buddha

TAKING STOCK

Before continuing I suggest you “press pause” and return when you have a journal and pen, and know you have adequate time to reflect without being disturbed.

Once you have settled in prepare to take an honest look at how things have been for you over this last year. The following sentence stems have been adapted from Sara Avant Stover’s book “The Way of the Happy Woman.” Allow your intuition to guide you as you explore these questions.

♥  AT THE START OF THE YEAR:

• I felt most overwhelmed by and anxious about ………….

• My main health concerns were ………….

♥  LOOKING BACK:

• I realise that my biggest challenges were …………

• The benefits I am experiencing in my life from doing …………. are …………. and ………….

• The things I’m celebrating most from my efforts this year are ………….

• Three things I’m feeling really grateful for are ………….

♥  I AM AWARE THAT:

• I’m finding it hard to be happy for …………. because ………….

But one way I can celebrate her or him is by ………….

• When I feel anxious and ungrounded, I usually feel it in my body the most in ………….

• When I feel rested and at ease, I usually feel it in my body as ………….

♥  LOOKING FORWARD:

• Five main things that I’m wanting to bring into the new year are ………….

• The values and commitments I want to honor in my life are ………….

• The traditions and strengths of previous family members I want to keep alive in my life and family are ………….

• One habit I’m going to focus on cultivating next year is ………….

I will omit …………. in order to create space for this or change ………….

The three main things I hope to experience as a result of this are ………….

• I will omit my usual time wasters of …………. and …………., in order to make more quiet-time for myself, which I want to spend ………….

“Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead.  ~ Yvonne Woon

As you look towards the new year I hope like me you have identified and celebrated highlights and achievements (no matter how small), what is working in your life, and areas you have flagged for change