It’s not uncommon to dread the upcoming new year. Looking back on what we did accomplish (or the scarier thought – what we did not accomplish) can be such a daunting task that can sometimes make us feel helpless. However, I’m here to tell you that it can actually be a beautiful, positive, and enlightening way to end your year! Here are some tips to effectively reflect on your 2022:
- Highlight the big things that happened
Yes – ALL of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Highlighting all of the big things that took place this year is the part that people tend to look the least forward to, but it’s honestly the most important part of your year-end reflection! Take a journal or a simple blank piece of paper and write down everything that made an impact on you that took place this year. You can even separate them by feelings (happy, sad, etc.) by using different colors or highlighting the ones that made you happy.
Once you’ve made your list, look at all of them on an individual level and remember what the situation was, how you felt, and how you grew from it. This is a great way to make even those not-so-great memories impactful by remembering how you reacted and grew from it.
- Pro tip: If you separated the happy ones, keep those in a safe place and look back on that paper whenever you’re feeling down to bring back some good memories 😊
2. Look at the un-resolved
A lot of folks like to make New Year’s Resolutions – goals that they want to complete for the upcoming year. If you’re anything like me, you probably spend lots of time coming up with great goals, write them down (maybe spend some time on a cute Pinterest vision board), work on them for a week or two, and then go about your business like you never made the goals. Then, before you know it, it’s the end of the year and you’re disappointed in yourself and maybe a little hesitant for wanting to try to make goals for the new upcoming year. However, I’m here to tell you to not dismiss that data!
Looking at what you did not accomplish and the trends that you took over the last 12 months is honestly the best way to sit down with yourself and readjust. Taking the information from this past year can help you make stronger, more specific goals, as well as put systems in place to avoid your typical drop off. If you’re someone who just easily forgets about their goals for the new year, try making a vision board that you can look at every day, find an inspiration picture to have as the lock screen of your phone, or even set calendar reminders for a few times a month for the entire year. Learning from your mistakes is the best way to move forward in the new year versus dreading what you didn’t accomplish this past year.
- Take a look at this TYGES blog post I wrote a few months ago about goal setting: https://tygesbhr.com/how-to-achieve-the-end-goal-the-smart-way/
3. Give yourself grace
As you reflect on the year and what 2022 has brought, it can be easy to beat yourself up about things that happened or didn’t happen; however, it’s so important to reflect on the year with grace. Giving yourself grace will honestly allow you to be more successful in the end, because it allows you to create a more positive narrative. Instead of thinking something along the lines of, “I can’t believe I didn’t lose those 15 pounds,” you could say something more along the lines of, “I didn’t lose those 15 pounds, but I’ve learned a lot of tools to help me reach that goal in the future.”
Not obtaining goals is one of the easiest ways to never set goals just due to the negative thoughts that come out of it. Giving yourself grace and allowing yourself to learn from your mistakes is a huge way to make room for progress.
- Check out this article on why giving yourself grace is so important and how you can implement it: https://medium.com/fgcu-the-narrative/5-simple-ways-to-give-yourself-grace-especially-when-life-gets-hard-90294a10274e
Reflecting on your year can be very special for several reasons. I know for me personally, this is a year I will be reflecting on a lot. As the end of the year approaches, try to take some time to reflect on the good memories you had, and allow yourself the grace for any bad memories, or not being where you thought you would be. The end of the year goes by fast, so try to practice some mindful reflecting and allow yourself to continue growing.
Written by: BECCA FREEMAN, Executive Recruiter
Becca Freeman holds a B.S. in Psychology from Christopher Newport University and is currently pursuing her M.Ed. in Counseling at the College of William & Mary. Through recruiting and counseling, she has a desire to create meaningful relationships and to help improve the lives of others. As a recruiter for TYGES, Becca strives to connect outstanding ABA professionals with the most fitting opportunities.
In her free time, Becca can be found crafting, reading, watching one of her many tv shows, and spending time with her friends.
“We’re here to make good things happen for other people.“
