Hey friends, I know we still have more than a month left, but it honestly feels like the year is almost over. Maybe because the Christmas season started the second that Halloween ended? (I used to be a strict “Christmas doesn’t start until after Thanksgiving” person, but I’ve since been converted)
I've been using this booklet called YearCompass - https://yearcompass.com/ - for many years now to do past year reflecting and coming year planning. I can't say enough about it. So helpful for really seeing all the accomplishments I've achieved (that I often forget about), and to help me find a focus going forward.
For the past 6 years or so, I grab the same journal each year and begin writing things down (good things, bad things, life events, silly thoughts). Typically I try and go from January to December as I think, and I always am surprised by all the things that happened in the year that I had forgotten!
I end it with a reflection and a very broad goal or theme for the coming year, like "be brave" or "wow this year sucked, next year, continue to give yourself plenty of grace and enjoy the whimsy along the way!!"
**I always read back through past years first too, it's a reflection of how much I've grown year to year!
My son and I started making a small "I want to learn" list instead of resolutions. He (2nd grade) was learning about resolutions, but I had had SO much failure with them in the past, and didn't want to put him in the same position. I had read somewhere that learning goals can have the same enriching consequence as resolutions, without the negative stigma.
So, that first year I put down that I wanted to learn to skateboard, and he wanted to learn how to do glass art. By the end of the year, I had made my (wobbly) way down our street on a skateboard, and he had made a glass fusion bowl at a local ceramic studio. I'm not proficient at skateboarding, and never will be, but I tried something new and my kids saw me try, fall, and keep trying (for a bit lol). And my son learned the basics on how glass items are made, and has a pretty cool bowl to show for it. It's turned into a fun time to reflect on what we learned for the year, and to think about the new adventures we want to go on in the next.
I only started doing it properly this since realising I have ADHD and still have a long way to go but feel it is so worth putting the effort in to celebrate my successes.
So I take a little different approach. I've been actively trying to put less pressure on the end of the year, and rather focusing on a system called the "12 week year" which promotes breaking your goal cycles down into 12 week blocks (or 90 days approximately). This system has definitely helped me, but I'm eager to fuse it with this approach of annual reflection, which I am inspired to try for the first time based on your posts, Jesse!
The webinar idea sounds interesting. Also remembering all the things I've achieved is always difficult but hearing others' experiences in a webinar might give "lost" memories some life.
I'm here as a mom of an ADHD kid, and I'm not sure if he struggles with success amnesia, but I don't have ADHD and I struggle with it! Would love a template :)
Annual Reviews and Personal Retreats
I've been using this booklet called YearCompass - https://yearcompass.com/ - for many years now to do past year reflecting and coming year planning. I can't say enough about it. So helpful for really seeing all the accomplishments I've achieved (that I often forget about), and to help me find a focus going forward.
Love and need, template and group.
Usual end-of-year is me cloistered with notebooks, calendars, kids’ schedules, partially implemented/populated apps...
Ah yes, success amnesia. I am hopeless at celebrating. I would welcome a template .
For the past 6 years or so, I grab the same journal each year and begin writing things down (good things, bad things, life events, silly thoughts). Typically I try and go from January to December as I think, and I always am surprised by all the things that happened in the year that I had forgotten!
I end it with a reflection and a very broad goal or theme for the coming year, like "be brave" or "wow this year sucked, next year, continue to give yourself plenty of grace and enjoy the whimsy along the way!!"
**I always read back through past years first too, it's a reflection of how much I've grown year to year!
My son and I started making a small "I want to learn" list instead of resolutions. He (2nd grade) was learning about resolutions, but I had had SO much failure with them in the past, and didn't want to put him in the same position. I had read somewhere that learning goals can have the same enriching consequence as resolutions, without the negative stigma.
So, that first year I put down that I wanted to learn to skateboard, and he wanted to learn how to do glass art. By the end of the year, I had made my (wobbly) way down our street on a skateboard, and he had made a glass fusion bowl at a local ceramic studio. I'm not proficient at skateboarding, and never will be, but I tried something new and my kids saw me try, fall, and keep trying (for a bit lol). And my son learned the basics on how glass items are made, and has a pretty cool bowl to show for it. It's turned into a fun time to reflect on what we learned for the year, and to think about the new adventures we want to go on in the next.
I only started doing it properly this since realising I have ADHD and still have a long way to go but feel it is so worth putting the effort in to celebrate my successes.
I think a group webinar sounds lovely! I'm sure many would be all for it!
So I take a little different approach. I've been actively trying to put less pressure on the end of the year, and rather focusing on a system called the "12 week year" which promotes breaking your goal cycles down into 12 week blocks (or 90 days approximately). This system has definitely helped me, but I'm eager to fuse it with this approach of annual reflection, which I am inspired to try for the first time based on your posts, Jesse!
The template group sounds like a great idea, and I would very much like to attend!
I would love to do an annual review!! Any and all guidance would be lovely!
The webinar idea sounds interesting. Also remembering all the things I've achieved is always difficult but hearing others' experiences in a webinar might give "lost" memories some life.
I'd love take time out for a personal retreat.
I'm here as a mom of an ADHD kid, and I'm not sure if he struggles with success amnesia, but I don't have ADHD and I struggle with it! Would love a template :)
this is a really good idea, to do a year assessment to reflect over everything good that has happened. I would really like the template and the group!
Yes please! I’ve been planning on doing one of these for years but never know where to start. I’d love an overview doc or quick crash course on this.
I would love a webinar on that!