Truth Seeker: Don't Start A New Year Without Doing This One Thing
Let's get one thing straight before we get started.
You do not need a New Year to make a change. You do not need a New Year to become the version of yourself that you want to be. You simply need a new moment. A moment to decide that you want change.
But I must admit, there is something exciting about January 1st. There is something refreshing about that new planner, and looking at a fresh new stack of unmarked pages. So before you start your new year, I highly recommend doing some investigative work and some serious digging from this past year. How are you supposed to know where you are going or where you want to go if you don't know where you have been?
Most of us fall into this trap of making New Year's resolutions and saying the things that we are going to accomplish, without ever taking into account of the things that we have accomplished in this past year. Don't short change yourself. Join me and follow along with this prompt, to prepare and renew your mind for this upcoming year.
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For starters...
To complete this journal prompt... find your comfy spot. Grab the cup of coffee, sit out on the porch, go to that space where you feel immense gratitude. In order to really dig deep for this prompt, you need a place where your mind can find inspiration and stillness. For you, this spot may be sitting on the beach, sitting in a coffee shop or it could be snuggled in your bed (I do most of my writing from my bed).
Next, grab ALL materials that you have used from this past year. What do I mean by materials? I mean any journals you used this past year, travel books or pictures, and yes, grab your phone please.
Before we start digging, I want you to think about what you said you wanted for 2021. What did you write down for this year? What were your goals or things you were striving for this year? Mentally take note about what it is that you said that you wanted for this current year.
Now... starting from January 1, 2021 until December 31, 2021, I want you to read every journal excerpt you wrote. Yes, this may take you a hot minute but it can be powerful. Even more so, can you read what you wrote out loud? Most of the time when I read my excerpts out loud, I am in awe at the wisdom and the things that I have written.
What stuck out to you about the things you wrote this year?
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What moments were the most memorable to you? What moments did you forget about until now? Was there any personal growth on your part? Did you overcome an obstacle that had troubled you the year before? Was there a particular hard moment this past year? Were there moments of immense gratitude?
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Go through your photo album on your phone. Most iPhones have the feature that create quick video clips of recent memories. I highly recommend watching a video that features your year in review. Go through each picture and investigate your blessings.
Did you go on trips? What pictures brought a smile to your face? What were most of your pictures of? Family, friends, nature? Were most of the pictures "staged" or were they "in the moment"? Which pictures felt authentically you? What was happening in the pictures that screamed immense joy and gratitude? Were there any pictures that you didn't feel were authentic or that brought about a feeling of negativity? Write down your findings.
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After doing some digging I want you to write down your findings. List them and title it "In 2021...". For example, in my findings I found trips that we went on, podcasts that I enjoyed, moments of growth with my kids and in my marriage, and changes within relationships.
Now, list things that you have done right this year. So many times we look forward to another year and think of things that we are going to immediately change. Although goals are great, it is just as important to pause and take a look at what you have accomplished. It could be small moments or really big moments. Give yourself some credit. What did you do right this year?
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Now, list things that you may have not done right this year. This isn't necessarily a resolution or goal you didn't meet. This isn't just when you stopped the keto diet. This is more about what areas needed more improvement and growth. I find every year that I have needed more growth in areas like my marriage, or maybe I didn't give it my all in the area of self-care. What area of your life could have used more growth?
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Lastly, I want you to think about if 2022 is your last year... what do you want for this upcoming year? What would you like to gain in 2022? When you reach December 31, 2022, what will make you beam with gratitude and pride about that year? What do you want for yourself? Where can you grow? What do you need in 2022?
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Can I give one more recommendation? One thing I love doing at the end of this prompt is to list out the months of the year. I love to go in and plug in special dates or events that I know are coming up in those months. It could be birthdays, anniversaries, beach trips, etc. But I love listing them out, not so I can go ahead and plan out my entire year (because we all know plans change). And let's remember that our lives are so fragile and we do not know our "final hour", but I love seeing the events that are coming up, because it creates a moment of excitement and something to look forward to.
May your 2022 be as bright as you are, and may it be RAW, AUTHENTIC and YOU.
For more guidance on goal setting for this upcoming year, check out our journal prompt about how to go for the goal.