The year that was 2023!
In this month’s blog, we’ll be exploring reflection at the end of the year:
- Why is it important?
- What might get in our way?
- How to do it
- When to do it
- What to do with the information after you have reflected
If you are not currently taking time to reflect on the year that was 2023, I highly recommend reading on and giving it a go.
“If you want something different, you are going to have to do something different.” Jack Canfield.
Why is it important?
Reflection is a fabulous opportunity for us to remember the good stuff and to acknowledge the things we want more of in our life and/or business.
Reflection is not a process where we spend time blaming, shaming and judging our year so that we end it feeling like a complete failure.
However there is also the opportunity to acknowledge what we don’t want to repeat, the things we will do less of and the lessons we have learned along the way.
One of my major lessons is to not plan to deliver a masterclass 4 days after returning from a trip to see my Aunt in America. The masterclass went well but it was a little hectic in the run up to it; especially as my original flight home was cancelled (thank you to Delta for getting me home).
Reflection is an opportunity to pause and acknowledge the active role you have played in the events of your year. You can be the passenger or the driver in this scenario.
If we consider the reparenting model for a moment, reflection is a brilliant way to acknowledge and validate yourself as well as motivate and inspire. If we can do these four things for ourselves we no longer need external sources to do it for us; in essence we become able to parent ourselves. There is obviously a bit more to it than that but I don’t want to keep you here all day – these blogs are meant to be easy and relatively quick to read!
What might get in our way?
Basically, you might get in your own way and stop you from doing this. A part of us may tell us a story that pausing to reflect is a waste of time. We have a to-do list to get through and action is what’s going to get us the business of our dreams, not sitting down and writing our reflections.
Remember:
“If you want something different, you are going to have to do something different.” Jack Canfield.
Your ego doesn’t like change; it doesn’t care if you’re on the wrong track. It certainly doesn’t want you to learn from your mistakes and make changes. If you’re surviving then what’s the problem? The more evolved part of us wants to do more than survive; it wants to thrive. Thriving means change. Your ego will resist change and it will therefore resist reflection.
How to do it:
This is not rocket science. Make sure you have pen and paper and go somewhere you can sit quietly for 30 minutes (minimum). When you’re settled, answer these 4 questions:
What went well?
What would you change?
What are the lessons?
What are the wins?
There is some overlap between these 4 questions and they are designed in a way that allows your ego to get on board.
I recommend looking at your year month by month – go back through your diary if you need to – you may be surprised at what you then remember.
When to do it:
Don’t leave this to do right at the end of the year when you find yourself in a Baileys and mince pie haze. I recommend doing this before you finish for Christmas and before the bedlam ensues. I like to think you give yourself more chance of remembering the good stuff and being able to reflect from a place of compassion and curiosity if you do it before your Christmas break but it really depends on you and how your life is set up. My only suggestion is to not do this in a rush. It doesn’t have to take long but don’t try to do it in 5 minutes while sitting in the car waiting for Tescos to open for you to do the Christmas food shop.
What to do with the information after you have reflected:
This information is not just there to look pretty in a journal or a notebook. This info has a purpose. The next step is to use this information to inform your plan for 2024:
What things will you repeat/do more of?
What will you start?
What will you stop/do less of?
The lessons from this year inform the next year so that we don’t waste time making the same mistakes. We actually fast track our own success by taking time to reflect. Four simple questions that may save you time and money in the future AND also, most importantly, lead to you having more time and making more money.
Whatever 2023 brought for you in your life and business, there is the opportunity to learn from it. Look at the year with compassion and curiosity. Even if you say to yourself,
“I’m not having another year like that!” allow yourself to acknowledge what you want to be different; how you want to show up in the new year and beyond.
If this idea of reflection and using it to create your own plan has piqued your interest, remember that you can get access to my pre-recorded masterclass – Your 2024 Plan – where you have the opportunity to reflect on 2023 and create a plan for 2024, by joining The Get It Done Club https://philippaaldridge.kartra.com/page/thegetitdoneclub
It’s £39 per month (which the masterclass is worth on its own) and you can cancel at any time. Come and join us!
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x