As the year winds down, you want to look back at the things you have achieved and not achieved, things that you were proud of and things you thought you could have done better.
December is a festive period. Christmas is coming and many people are looking forward to the holidays where they will connect with family and friends, wear new outfits, attend parties and eat plenty of food. While all these are commended, it is also important to take time to reflect on how far you have come up to this point.
Therefore, this article will take you through what to reflect on this December.
What have you achieved?
You have had 12 months to work on your resolutions for the year. Now that the year is about to end, this is a perfect time to track your progress. The first question is what have you achieved? Is it academics, career, marriage, kids? What exactly did you set out to achieve from the beginning of the year and how have you achieved it?
Reflecting on this will help you know what is working and what you should do better. This way, you will enter the new year with more vigour.
What is not working?
Sometimes, things may not turn out the way you expected no matter how much time and resources you have invested. December is a perfect time to reflect on those failures. What is not working? Why is it not working? What can I do to make it work? Should I let go or should I do something else to make it better?
Asking yourself this question during your quiet time should provide some clarity on the way forward.
Let go of the past
The year has had its share of ups and downs like other years. In some ways, it has been wonderful and in others… not so much. Either way, learn to let go of the past, starting from this December.
Reflect on the positives and let go of the negatives. Life is short and you will only get to live it once. Reflect on this and embrace precious moments.
A new beginning
The new year is still a month away but nothing stops you from reflecting on a new beginning in December. Lots of people prefer to wait until the new year to make a new year resolution.
Remember you cannot make new year resolutions without doing some reflections in December.
Recommit to good habits
Self love is important. Show yourself some kindness by reflecting on habits that have made you a better person. You are the source of your own happiness.
Therefore, use this time to think and plan how you can reach your goal of achieving your own definition of happiness. Think of the beneficial habits you dropped during the course of the year due to certain reasons. Reflect on how you can recommit to them and leverage on them to achieve your goals for next year.
Deepen relationships and support system
Reflect on how you can surround yourself with people that will help be the best version of yourself. They can be family members, friends, professional therapist and even online communities.
December is the best time to make plans for your relationship and connection to important people next year. Think of who has been there for you this year and who you have been there for. Also, think of others you can connect with to make next year even more fulfilling than this one.
Shifting your beliefs
Reflection can make you rethink and unlearn what you have believed and learned all these years. Rather than blindly accepting societal beliefs when in reality they are not working for you, use this December to think of the way forward.
If those beliefs can be modified to suit your reality, it is fine. But if they cannot, you might want to think about discarding and embracing new ones.
Strategies for goal attainment
Your new year resolution is basically your goals for the following year. This also means you have to think of strategies to achieve those goals.
December is not just for enjoyment, it is also for planning what you will do once the new year comes. Therefore, reflect on the strategies you need to employ to achieve those resolutions you have set. Do not forget the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant/Realistic and Timeline) plan.
Identify potential challenges and their solution
Every great plan comes with its challenges. Challenges usually bring out the best or worst in us. Choose the former by pre-empting those obstacles and finding their solutions.
As you celebrate the Yuletide, do not forget that life goes on. So, reflect on your goals for next year and potential challenges you might encounter along the way. Think of solutions for those challenges. This will keep you prepared for what is ahead.
Show gratitude
There is no better way of ending the year than showing gratitude for what has happened to you. Whether those things were good or bad or really terrible, there is always something to be grateful for.
First, you are still alive. When there is life, there is always hope. December presents a great opportunity for you to reflect on what to be grateful for. Is your academics? Love life? Children? Family? Career?
Even if you were not able to achieve all the goals you set for the year, you should be grateful for the things you have. Think about it and you will see that there is no need to be sad about the things you do not have.
There is next year to work harder and better to achieve your goals. But this December should make you relax and accept things the way they are. Find a way to love them and trust that things will get better.
Conclusion
December is a great time for celebration whether you have something to celebrate or not. It is also a time of reflection. So, create a space for a retreat, create a time to reflect during those retreats. Trust in the process and you will have every reason to be grateful for what you have achieved.
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