Week 52: Reflect
The end of the year. Another completed chapter. Let’s tie a ceremonial bow around it and honor your evolution—highlights, lessons learned, struggles, dreams, experiences. Each of these played a role in your year’s unfurling.
To jolt memories, set aside time to flip through places you kept notes and dates, such as your Daybook, planner, online calendar, and journal. Scroll through your photos for visual cues. Pull out cards, ticket stubs, conference swag, and/or exhibit brochures (I keep these items in a shoe box wrapped in pretty paper labeled “memories”). Collect any mementos you may have tucked away from this year and pile it on your kitchen table.
According to Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big Life: Making Room for What Really Matters (Tranquility du Jour podcast #181), “The end-of-year review process is very similar to sowing seeds. When you plant a garden, you don’t sit and stare at the seeds until they sprout. You know that some will germinate and some will not, but it is not up to you to make them grow. All you can do is set the conditions for their growth with good soil, adequate water, and the right amount of sun. And that’s what this exercise does—and while you are sowing seeds during this period, you can be enjoying the fruits of the previous year’s harvest at the same time.”
Here are a few questions to help you start the process . . .
Read the rest of this piece by signing up for Love Notes. Already signed up? Unlock Tranquil Treasures and click on the 52 Weeks tab.
52 Weeks of Tranquility
This complimentary program was designed to help us stay motivated and engaged in 2015 and this is the final essay. Thank you for following along!
The 52 Weeks of Tranquility Journal is now available for PDF download {print copy ships next week}. All 52 inspiring essays are accompanied by a lined blank page to capture your experience PLUS a few bonus essays, Savvy Sources, and access to PDFs and multimedia resources.
To find support and community, join our private Facebook group and use hashtag #52weekstranquility to create additional online connections.
Connect live in our Tranquilosophy Seasonal podcasts. Our next one is New Year, New You on Thursday, January 7, 2016.
Can’t join us live? Recordings are available.
