How to start your new year with intention
As another year starts, you might be feeling the pressure to
come up with a resolution, an intention, a “word of the year”. Your social
media feed is likely to be full of gym membership offers or programs promising
a “New Year, New You!”.
But how do you decide what is worth giving your time and
energy to so that you do not hit March feeling disillusioned and defeated?
One way to cut through the noise is to hit pause and get
intentional about what you want for the coming year.
Annual reflection exercises are a chance to practise
self-awareness and to set a direction for the year ahead.
How to make your reflection exercise work for you
There are many ways to tackle a reflection exercise, and the
most important thing is to find what works for you. That may be journalling,
having a conversation with a friend or mentor, mind mapping, or letter writing.
We all process information differently, there is no one right structure. What
is important is that you set time aside and do it!
To make things simple, consider breaking your life into
quadrants: work, relationships, leisure and health. Take the time to outline
how you would like to show up in each area of your life, then for each of these
domains reflect on:
1. The challenges you faced last year.
2. The wins you had.
3. What you want more of in each area.
4. What you are grateful for.
5. What you need to let go of.
If you see a gap between what you want your life to be like
and how you are actually living, think through what obstacles might be getting
in the way and what action you can take to close that gap.
Using this information, set a simple intention for each life
zone that will provide guidance for your year ahead.
Done well, reflection exercises help you get clear on your
values and your personal circumstances so you can set intentions for the year
ahead that are meaningful to you.