10 Ways To Reflect Back On 2023
With the closing of December, each year comes the time where we can each take some much needed time for being with our loved ones, celebrating the success of this current year and also take the time to look ahead into the adventures and plans that will accompany us in the new year.
Today I wanted to provide you with a concise yet practical framework for how you can look back on 2023, or any year as a matter of fact, as see for yourself how you have grown, changed or improved and what changes you still want to strive for and in what direction you want to channel your energy and effort into.
Reflecting is a fundamentally useful skill as it allows us to evaluate our past - our thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, habits, challenges and successes - the good and the bad, and from there lay a foundation to what we still want to achieve; to what still drives us forwards.
Feel free to answer the questions below with as much or as little detail as you find useful as this is primarily meant as a personal reflection exercise for yourself and your own journey this year.
I hope you find it useful 😊
TIPS FOR YOUR PERSONAL REFLECTION
When doing this reflection it might be helpful to keep the following things in mind:
This exercise, depending on how in depth you do it, will take you anywhere from 20 minutes to more than an hour, so make sure to set an appropriate amount of time to the side.
Try to find a quiet non disruptive place to do this in, to make it easier to reflect back and keep your thoughts collected.
You can do this on paper or digitally, whatever suits you best.
Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer to these questions, but just try to keep it as more of an open and honest reflection of your thoughts and experiences of this year.
EVALUATING YOUR 2023
Milestones & Highlights
What were some major milestones that you accomplished this year, no matter how big or small?
What kind of effect did reaching these milestones have on you?
What were your personal favorite highlights and best memories of the year?
Challenges Overcome
Which challenges were you able to overcome?
How did you overcome these challenges? What worked best?
Were there challenges you didn't manage to yet overcome and why?
Personal Growth & Development
In what ways have you change grown or improved as a person and individual since last year?
How have you changed based on the following aspects: Habits, behaviors, patterns of thought, mindsets, self talk and beliefs? What from this was most effective in fueling this growth?
Professional/ Academic Growth
How have you grown or advanced in your academic or professional life?
What methods or techniques allowed for growth in these areas?
Unfulfilled Goals & Aspirations
What were some goals which you didn't manage to achieve this year?
Why do you think you haven't been able to achieve them yet?
If you would like to still go after these goals, what do you have to do or change in order to achieve them?
Surprises
What was something that surprised you this year? It could be an event, something you learnt, a person you met or something you did yourself.
Self Care
How did you take care of your mental, physical and emotional health in 2023?
What methods worked best for taking care of these aspects of health? Which methods or habits didn't work so well?
What specific aspects of your health would you still like to work on for the next year?
Relationships
How have your relationships changed or evolved in 2023?
Which new relationships or friends have you established in 2023?
Were there some relationships which you removed from your life because they were no longer serving you?
Gratitude & Learning Lessons
Name at least 10 things for which you are grateful in the year 2023?
What were some main learning lessons which this year has thought you and which really stuck with you?
How will you implement these learning lessons in the upcoming year?
Looking forward
What changes or improvements do you want to make in 2024 based on the following categories: Health, relationships, academics/ career, habits, personal aspirations and finances?
Are there any new areas in your life which you want to explore more?
What kind of person do you want to be in 2024? Think about your energy, the way you interact with people, your habits, your mindsets and beliefs
