Today is December 31. The last day of the year 2023. It is New Year’s Eve. It is a time of reflection. It is a time of resolutions. Many people want to lose weight, travel, or complete that project they have been putting off. These are all wonderful and it is healthy to set goals and have aspirations. The problem is very, very few of us follow through with our New Year’s Resolutions.
A couple of years ago, my Heart recommended that we do a year in review instead of New Year resolutions as he read in a blog written by Tim Ferris. It was called, ” Forget New Year’s Resolutions and Conduct a ‘Past Year Review’ Instead“. It’s very short so please read. The idea of it is to make two columns. One Negative and one Positive. Then look back on your year one week at a time. He says, “For each week, jot down on the pad any people or activities or commitments that triggered peak positive or negative emotions for that month. Put them in their respective columns.” What was positive? What gave you negative feelings? What went well in 2023? What can you list in the positive column? What accomplishments can you celebrate this year? What activities did you enjoy? What activities gave you anxiety? What trips did you love? What commitments did you wish you didn’t need to make? What people gave you joy? What people left you feeling empty?
As you enter the new year and have completed your year in review Tim suggests you should schedule more of the events that gave you positive feelings. Schedule more time with those “things” or people that gave you joy. On the flip side, work your way out of those activities or people who were on top of your negative leaderboard. Don’t do those “things” that made you miserable. This is a great way to look at the past year whether you are a single or married person. If you are married, please talk about the positives and negatives with your loved one, and move forward to an amazing new year. Discuss how you can work together to squash the negative and invite more of the positive into your life?
“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”
—Hal Borland
I hope you take the time and choose to do this simple task. Look at your year in review and discover what gave you joy. Then it is up to you to schedule more of those events with the people and events you love. I wish you a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve and a wonderful New Year! Live life to the fullest!
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
