I have reflected on my year in various ways since 2015 and in the past two years, I hosted the Enjoy Life Events in my home for friends and family.  Obviously, that is not happening this January but I wanted to share my format and a snippet of my personal reflection of 2020.   

My process is an amalgamation of other people’s processes and methods, including Danielle LaPorte, Anne Bogel, Lavendaire, and PowerSheets. 

I value this process and have found it to be so helpful and inspiring as I try to #enjoylife. It’s great to look back over the past years and see how much I have grown and learned.  I encourage you to grab a pen and take a half hour or so to work through these prompts and then, if you’d like, share what you’ve discovered in the comments.

Gratitude

I start by listing a few things that I am grateful for from the previous year.

• Most of the close family and friends remained healthy.
• The pandemic has afforded my Hubby, the Buddy Man, and myself time together; time we would not have had without it.
• I really love my home and I love that I’m slowly but intentionally creating a space that I love.    

Highlights and What Worked

I write down the positive and fulfilling events and situations that occurred during the previous year.

• Through an unfortunate situation, I was asked to interview the author of the bestseller, The Jane Austen Society, Natalie Jenner.  It was one of the high points of my life.
• I read so many books that I loved this year. I’ll share some of them at a later date.   
• I consistently exercised and hydrated throughout the year.  I’m very proud of that consistency.

Lowlights and What Didn’t Work

I write down what didn’t work for me and some of my lower points of the year.

I am showing myself grace for what didn’t work this year.  I have never experienced a year with so much upheaval and uncertainty.  It was challenging.

• Stress and anxiety were a very real concern for me this year and I didn’t use my coping strategies that I know will assist me as often as I should.  I succumbed to “doomscrolling” the news and some social media accounts, all in the name of staying informed.
• I often found myself “numbing” through unhealthful activities, including mindless Netflix bingening, in order not to feel the full weight of my emotions and because I was feeling overwhelmed by it all. 
• Specifically to this blog, I didn’t share how I was feeling here.  I disappeared for months at a time.

Lessons Learned

I write down some of the lessons I learned throughout the year.

The main lesson that I learned this year is that taking care of myself is a personal thing.  What works for you may not work for me.  And I can be, I am allowed to be, I need to bespecific and intentional about doing what will work for me, especially in times of crises. I thought I had learned this already but, apparently not.

Leaving Behind and/or Letting Go

I write down things I don’t want to do in the new year that I did in the old.

I’m going to work toward letting go my need for permission and validation by others.  This is HUGE for me.

Future Vision

I write down what I want for myself in the new year.  This can be as detailed as describing an entire perfect day or as little as a sentence about what my focus will be.

I can’t control anyone but me. And I know that 2021 will not hold any magic elixir to make the drama and challenges of 2020 go away.  My hope is that it will be a kinder year for us all but if not, then that I will be kinder to myself and those around me.

Goals/Intentions for the New Year

I write down things that I want to accomplish or ways I want to be in the new year. I tend to only have two or three, per Danielle LaPorte’s recommendation.

I want to Be WELL this year.  I loved Emily and Amelia Nagasoki’s definition of wellness: “the freedom to move fluidly through the cycles of being human.”

Word/Theme of the Year

I try to pick a word/theme for the year that I can remember and that will encapsulate what I hope for in the year.

My word/theme is AIR. This word invokes lightness and freedom. I will also breathe air when I exercise and meditate.  Another definition of air is to make known and to give a voice.

enjoy life…