I am very fortunate to be the mother of three very different children that range in age from 14 years to 13 months, with a 10 year old in between. My 13 month old is very active, trying to climb on desks, tables, and countertops. My 10 year old is very physical, needs lots of activity, and has an existential brain that loves “deeper meaning” questions (which often get asked in the morning while driving to school). My 14 year old is a book worm with an extreme math-science brain who gets frustrated when having to answer “what does this mean?” questions. When her 8th grade English teacher asked her about the symbolism of a cup of soup in Great Expectations, she confided in me that she wanted to write “the character with the cup of soup is hungry.” I dedicate this next step in the reflecting and goal setting process to her; finding the lessons and creating guidelines.
You have looked at all the wins, celebrations, disappointments and challenges of the past year. You’ve done a fantastic job acknowledging it all! Now we are going to, you guessed It, learn from it.
The Process
- Look at what you listed for your wins and celebrations. Is there an emerging theme from the wins and celebrations? Did you spend lots of time out to dinner with friends? Perhaps this means you make social time a priority. Did you enjoy getting the big presentation done at work? This could be a clue that you love challenge and moving something forward.
- Write down your observations.
- Look at the challenges or disappointments you experienced this past year. What tools do you utilize now that will help you overcome these challenges? For example, did you find disappointment that you didn’t get out of debt? Maybe you need to find other leisure activities that don’t involve shopping. Did you miss the promotion at work? This may be a signal to start looking for work that feeds passions in other ways.
- Write down your observations.
Answering the “what did you learn?” question allows for two processes to take place:
- You take notice of what your spirit is calling you to do. Those events that made you happy and perhaps even have your energy are the ones that are most directly aligned with your passions, values, and authentic self.
- Revisiting your disappointments allows you to be sure you are moving in the right direction. Did you react to a situation in a way that left you feeling angry or ashamed? Perhaps you need to explore a way to live from your strengths.
Answering these questions bring meaning and, even more importantly for goal creation as you create A Life All In, guidelines as you keep moving forward. Guidelines for how you will interact with the world, take care of yourself, and handle successes and challenges that come your way.
Take some time to make observations about your celebrations and disappointments. Create guidelines for yourself to help with discernment as you move into the next steps to achieving your goals.
This is A Life All In.
