To quote a popular movie from my teenage years: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t slow down and look around once in awhile you might miss it.” In the movie, this truth was used as rationale to cut a day of school and explore the city. In my life, it is the reason for the first step in my goal setting process: reflect.
If you don’t take a step back and take in what actually happened, it is hard to see if you want to keep going forward or if you need to adjust course.
The Process:
- Grab paper and writing implement of your choice and spend time going through your calendar. Make note of all the fun things, new things, and momentous things that happened in the previous 12 months. Everything from the weekend spent flying kites for the first time to the first solo presentation at work you nailed goes on the list. If it made you smile, made you proud, or made an impact, it goes on the list.
- Go through your social media feeds from the last year. All those posts you were tagged in create an online photo album of sorts and can jog your memory even more. Again, make note of all the fun things, new things, and momentous things that happened in the previous 12 months.
- When your list is done, read it over and bask in the glow of the fun you had and accomplishments of the previous year. You deserve it!
