Whew boy…how is another year almost gone. It’s always crazy to look back at the end of the year and realize that another 365 days are behind us. And for many of us, the end of the year is when we start looking into January and figuring out what we want our next year to look like. The best way to goal set for personal and business life, it to do a year-end reflection to see what has or hasn’t worked for you in the past year. Once you see where you’ve had successes or opportunities for growth, you can start to narrow down specific goals for the coming year and begin your strategizing and action-planning. If you’re ready to reflect on your 2021 and set future goals, here’s what I do to help me be intentional in the year ahead.
Celebrate the highlight reel
For many of us, the end of the year can bring up thoughts of all the things we didn’t do. But we’re not going to start there. Instead, celebrate the wins you had all year long! Go back through each month, and write down one win or highlight you had. Look at your journal, photos, or even posts on social media if you’re having trouble thinking of any. Make sure to write them down too so that you can see a physical representation of all that you’ve accomplished this year. Once you’ve gotten your wins down on paper, it’s time for the reflection part. Let’s ask these questions to dig a little deeper.
Reflect on what worked How did I make these wins/highlights happen?
Write down at least 3 things that worked for you in the past year. Did you incorporate a new habit that’s helped your routine? Paid down debt? Increase sales in your shop? Give yourself the credit you deserve! Even when we don’t accomplish everything we set out to, even small steps forward mean we’re in a different place than where we started.
Reflect on what could I have done better?
This is where negative thoughts may start to creep in, but that’s not what this question is for. It’s okay to set goals and not achieve them. But looking at why can help us figure out how to move ahead. I maintained working out for the majority of the year. But then September hit, school started, and my routine went downhill. Why? Because the 12pm class I had been going to was no longer being offered and I didn’t want to wake up earlier to make an earlier class. I could have created a better routine where waking up earlier was in my plan rather than making up excuses on why I couldn’t make the class. When we look at what doesn’t work, we’re making room to pivot and adjust to something that does. Think about why you didn’t accomplish something Maybe it’s because you need a little more discipline or a better incentive. Maybe you don’t have the skills to reach that goal yet. Or maybe you’re trying to fit into something that someone else says works for them without thinking of what works best for you.
What moments am I grateful for?
One of my favorite quotes is “It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful. One of the best ways to reflect on the past year is to focus on the things that we are grateful for. There are a lot of reasons why we make not meet a goal (hello, I’m still looking at you covid), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons for gratitude. When we focus on the moments we are grateful for, we are more likely to be in the mindset that helps us focus on what really matters and work on goals that will keep more moments like that happening.
What did I do this year that will benefit me in the next 5 years? 10 years? 50 years?
I made monthly mind maps for my business and create content calendars for every month. Surprisingly, I was consistent in maintaining a healthier lifestyle. I spent more time with my son. I traveled with my hubby and friends. What about you? How are the things you’re doing now, setting you up for future success? Keep building on those. Think through how the things you are doing now are setting you up for long-term success.
Need help working on your goals for next year? Get my Goal Planner ToolKit to help you be intentional with your yearly reflection and create goals that work for you.
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