A few weeks ago, I was drawn into a mindbodygreen newsletter which had 30 reflective journaling prompts. The authour suggested choosing five to ten of them as a way to “compassionately review your year and find inspiration for the next.”
Some examples include:
These are five adjectives that I would use to describe a few of my best character traits on full display in 2022.
This was a compliment I received in my personal or professional life in 2022 that meant a lot to me and really rang true.
I’m grateful that I tried to help this person or these people in 2022.
A fear I’d like to start facing in 2023 as a gift to myself is.
I plan to make more time for joy, connection, and creativity in the following ways in 2023.
Someone in my life who really values, accepts, and celebrates me, and whom I’d like to spend more time with in 2023 is.
I surprised myself by answering more than twenty of the thirty prompts. I must have written a long from essay at the end of it. I filled pages and pages in my diary. The self-reflection both boosted my spirits about the highs and made me more self-aware of the lows. I enjoyed the process of slowing down and giving myself the space to reflect on the year that was. It was cathartic and energising just as promised.
I was equally energised to attempt another set of questions from Todd Henry, this set more exclusively dedicated to the professional sphere. Todd Henry calls himself “am arms dealer for the creative revolution.” In fact his tagline states: “I teach creative pros how to thrive under pressure.” He is a prolific authour and podcaster whose every book I have devoured.
Todd Henry’s Questions for 2023
Questions to help you gain clarity, establish a path of action, and make the most of the coming year.
What is my defining question right now?
What do I know, but am afraid to admit?
How will I grow this year?
What is being asked of me right now?
A look back at the past year and honestly assessing how things went.
What went well this year?
What didn’t go well this year?
How did I grow this year?
What did I learn this year?
A look forward to the coming year and how you will grow as a creative pro, leader, and person.
How do I want to be different this time next year?
What do I want to experience this year?
What will I do to stretch miming this year?
How will I serve others this year?
You can download this 12-question PDF packet as a way to supercharge your 2023. I found it extremely helpful as it made me confront the good and bad of the past year which is a great springboard for what I want to achieve this year.
I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful year ahead. I hope you’ll make it a year full of enriching experiences and lots of love.
Over to you now:
When did you last make the time for self-reflection? Did you learn something about yourself in the process?
How can you make self-reflection a more regular practice?
What is the biggest learning about yourself that you want to carry into 2023?