Last week I wrote about why I’m not making new year resolutions and included a link to a previous article, about looking back and looking forward.
I’d like to write a bit more on this.
Looking back – reflecting on the past year.
None of us expected the last 10 months, and many plans will have been abandoned and challenges faced. But we may well have learned more – how to make banana bread, that you can inspire your child, that you have more compassion for your self and others than you realised. How you found resilience to help with the death, or serious illness of a loved one.
Before we move too far into 2021 its good to take some time, maybe this weekend, to make a note of things you have learned and gained.
Have you built stronger relationships with someone perhaps through setting up a bubble with them? What you have learnt to do, the things you have learned about yourself.
I can focus on the things I’ve lost, such as my social life and losing contact with friends. Realising there were people I did things with (I had many friends whom I met up with at gigs and for cinema and bar trips), and whilst to begin with we had phone chats and socially distanced walks, as people returned to work these activities faded. On the upside I met Shea 6 months ago, and a relationship that started with socially distanced walking is going well. Maybe the slow start helped, we had to walk and talk not hang out in bars and clubs!
Yes, you may not have achieved some of the things you wanted, and without the gym and falling off my bike, twice, I no longer do the exercise I used to and have gained weight, but I have benefited from a slower pace of life and taking more time just to be.
Moving forward maybe we should practice gratitude and keep a gratitude journal, each day making a note of three things we are grateful for each day, and this doesn’t have to be major.
We can also think about what we want more of in this coming year
Think about the future and what you want to do. Do you have dreams you have abandoned, what would help take your life to the next level? What are you tolerating that you want to get rid of?
Are you where you want to be in your career? Do you know where you want to be in 1, 3, 5 and more years’ time?
What about your health – is it as good as it can be, what baby changes could you introduce? Should you be looking to make changes that are more radical?
Think about your relationship with others – family, friends, and the wider community. We all differ in what we want; do you have the relationships you want?
And personal development – how do you want to grow and develop as a person.
I wanted to get you thinking and I’d love to know of anything you want to do.
Take care and stay safe. If I can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
