REFLECTING ON 2021 PREPARING FOR 2022 SETTING GOALS

Finally closing on 2021 (so happy to see you go 2021!) and it is normal to look back and reflect on the highs and lows throughout the year.

 Why reflect?

Take your life as an assignment. Rate it by the highs and lows and see how you’ve performed. As much as you had put your all into the assignment, there are some unexpected hurdles that come out of nowhere (such as Covid-19). Such hurdles can make huge impacts in our lives, affects our goals and visions, and force us to readjust and go back to the drawing board.

Reflection is like going through your assignment and carefully checking where you went wrong. Give yourself credit where you did great and conclude on what changes and improvements need to be done.

You need to know where you came from, how you got there, and where you’re going.

 

How does reflecting help us?

 

Reflecting on your year helps evaluate your overall performance throughout the past 12 months. It teaches you more about yourself, pattern of your behaviour, how you chose to react in certain situations, and what caused you to lose your cool. You learn things about yourself that you probably didn’t even know.

You can reflect on any aspect of your life, relationships, career, personal growth, fitness, business, health, short-term goals, etc. It is important to go through both the wins and the losses, especially the losses- as painful as it is.

You cannot improve yourself without knowing where you went wrong. Acknowledging failures empowers you to find solutions and trains you to not repeat mistakes.  

Give yourself credit!

Celebrate your wins! No matter how small, give yourself credit!

We often get consumed with disappointments that we forget the incredible things we have achieved throughout the year. Giving yourself credit encourages you more and motivates you to not stop.

Paying attention to the positive things that happen in your life cultivates happiness within you. As much as it is necessary to go through your failures, highlighting your wins is as important.

How to reflect on the past year 

It all starts with you as a human being. I have made a list identifying areas in your life to reflect on. 

    1. Look within yourself, your mental health, your overall wellbeing. You may have neglected yourself internally, which may have contributed to a lot of lows in your life. Pay attention to yourself and work on yourself. Taking care of yourself involves admitting that there are certain things about you that need to be worked on.

 

    2. Seeking help is something a lot of people struggle with. There are traumas that we go through in silence. Certain experiences can destroy you to a point where you lose yourself and those around you. There is no shame in asking for help, especially when things start spiralling out of control.

 

    3. Evaluate relationships in your life. Work relationships, personal relationships, or family. We are all unique with different personalities. There will be disagreements and conflicts along the way, but how we choose to handle such challenges is what matters. Remaining ethical in every challenge saves you a lot of mischief in your life. Focus on being a good person no matter how bad situations get.
When you have evaluated the relationships in your life and realise that there are certain things you should have done better, go back and ask for forgiveness from those you’ve wronged. It might not take back the words or change circumstances, but it will teach you accountability and show those around you that you want to do better and be better.

 

    4. List all the decisions you made which turned out not to be good for you - your relationships, business, or career. Remember why you made those decisions because, at the time, you believed they were best for you, right? Although they didn’t work out, they came from good intentions. Acknowledge this and accept it.

Next to them, write what you would do differently if faced with the same situation, challenge, or circumstance. This is to improve on yourself, not to dwell on the past.

    5. Finally, write down the best things that happened to you in the past year and how you contributed to them. Celebrate your achievements. You earned it. You deserve it!

Preparing for 2022, setting goals

Now that we have reflected on the past year, we can prepare and plan for the new year! Reflection has helped us have a clear direction of where we are going and what needs to be done to get there.  Whatever you’re building towards, a level of hard work and consistency is needed. Passion creates willingness; planning creates determination and consistency.

I went through this exciting platform called Canva where you can edit and download a Weekly Planner to help you set and follow through your goals. Click on the following link to access it for free https://www.canva.com/planners/templates/weekly-schedule/. You can download the app or access the website. Time management is very challenging especially if you are a multitasking person like me. When you fill in the Weekly Planner remember to list realistic and achievable weekly goals, for instance writing a proposal, ideally you would think it is a task that can take up to a couple of hours or a single day depending on your responsibilities but prepare yourself for any possible disruption and plan effectively. If you have a 9 to 5 job and you’re planning to do some freelance work or work on your business, make sure to have time to rest after coming back from work. Constant exhaustion can lead to anxiety and depression. Make sure you protect your health no matter what!

There will be times where you miss a day or two due to obligations or emotional setbacks, it is normal. Don’t be hard on yourself when things like this happen, instead go back to the drawing board, and replan.  

Tips on self-improvement

1.   Love yourself, completely

2.   Read personal growth books, there a lot of free eBooks

3.   Watch motivational videos

4.   Surround yourself with people who motivate you and support your dreams

5.   Do the things you love more often e.g., writing, gym, painting etc.

6.    Eat healthy and stay hydrated

7.   Stay ethical

8.   Have a self-care routine

9.   Invest in yourself

10.  Say only positive things about yourself