Please bear with me and get past the first paragraph. I promise you’ll like what I have to say 😉
It’s crazy how many people have brought up end-of-life planning with me lately. A few of them have even talked about writing your own obituary answering questions like: How do you hope people remember you? What do you want to be remembered for? Are there things you want to change now so you can be on that path?
Let’s shift it and apply this to one year. Forget an entire life.
Today, as we put 2022 to rest, take a moment and write down all of the great things you did this year.
What do you want to celebrate?
What amazing things will live in your mind and heart forever?
What things would you like to document so you don’t forget?
What challenging things did you survive and thrive through? And what growth came from the experience?
Work wins. Family frenzies. Communal collaborations. Spiritual surges. Relationship Revelations. Bullet points or grand sagas, they all deserve a nod.
Since it’s been an entire 12 months, we may have already forgotten some of the little things that brought us joy. We all keep a schedule in some form so use that to help jog your memory. Let yourself laugh and cry as you recall the gifts of the last year.
This exercise could become a new tradition. You’ll have a journal of inspiration to reflect on year after year after year. A written and tangible reminder of the strength, joy, and growth you have risen above and thrived through. (The old saying “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger definitely applies here.)
When you’re done looking at the past, grab another sheet of paper, or two, and turn your heart to the future. Jump ahead in time to December 12 months from now and write yourself a letter. What do you see? What did you accomplish?
This additional letter is an opportunity to set some goals and seek out the hope you’ll find. What joy may you find? It can also inspire you with actions to take now towards achieving your goal later.
Journaling Prompts
- What do you think about setting New Year’s Resolutions?
- How may this new way of thinking about things alter that?
- What are you most looking forward to this year?