Have you ever used reflection questions to know if you have had a meaningful year? Check out these 11 reflection questions.
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As you juggle your personal life and career, you rarely get time to reflect on your life using reflection questions. Reflection involves examining your emotions, thoughts, actions, previous resolutions, long and short-term goals, and challenges. It is simple: plan for the next year by examining whatever you have been through the past year.
Asking yourself reflection questions at the end of the year is crucial because it helps you to:
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Pick out what you are enthusiastic about and what makes you happy
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Examine how you could respond better to challenging and stressful situations in the future
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Pick out your mistakes so that you can learn from them and be a better person in the next year
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Highlight and celebrate your wins
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Examine the skills and knowledge you have gained in the past year
The best part about reflecting is that you do not have to do it at the end of the year. You can do it now and use the remaining days of the year to finalize your resolutions and strategies. Before you start reflecting, you need to set the mood. Sit in a comfortable space with good music and views. Relax your mind and body before answering these eleven reflection questions.
1. What big mistake have I made this year? What lesson have I learned from this experience?
The lesson will help you manage the situation better if it happens again in the coming year. Analyze your mistakes and figure out what you have learned from that experience. This will help you grow and approach other situations with a unique perspective and attitude.
2. What is my favorite memory this year?
As you answer this reflection question, look into what makes this memory stand out. Is it tied to your emotion, a person, or the experience? Is this emotion tied to it negatively or positively? If it is negative, you need to ensure that you do not experience it again in the coming year. If it is positive, you should figure out how to create this memory again.
3. What ten things am I grateful for this year?
Gratitude is a powerful tool if you want to keep a positive mindset. Practicing gratitude makes the mind and body feel automatically calm, happy, and contented. With all the chaos and changes happening within the year, we rarely have time to practice gratitude. What are you grateful for every day? The answer to this reflection question is all you need to make yourself feel calm and happy with your experiences in the past year.
4. Is my current situation better than it was five years ago?
Time makes so much difference in our lives, both big and small. Even if you feel stagnant now, your answer to this question will make you know that you have made progress within the past five years. Currently, you might not have achieved what you had planned. Do not measure your success with money or wealth. You might have adopted a better personality or attitude that helps you approach situations better and pushes you to achieve your goals this coming year.
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5. What five things do I want to achieve next year? How can I do this?
There is a strong link between your answer to this reflection question and your resolutions for the coming year. When you are mapping out your goals for the next year, you want to touch on all aspects of your life, namely personal life, health, spirituality, personality, social life, career, family, and finances. Once you have clear goals for the year, create a system that will help you achieve these goals. This plan will help you create a system that will make it easier to achieve your goals. Create a system by:
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List your goals, both short and long-term
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Create a system that includes deadlines to give you the drive to start working on your goals immediately
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Track your progress and your habits
6. What five things do I want to do more next year?
Juggling everything within 24 hours leaves little time to do things we love. Making a list of the things you love to do and incorporating them into your routine for the next year will help you achieve this. Remember to make time for whatever and whoever makes you happy. All work and no play will make you feel dull and uninspired.
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7. What thoughts are holding me back from achieving my goals?
The process of achieving your goals starts in your mind. Your thoughts are powerful because they affect your actions, health, and drive. Are you holding on to negative baggage that makes you believe that you cannot achieve your goals? Protect your mind by feeding it positive thoughts that help you maintain a positive perspective of life. Be more mindful and work on your self-sabotaging patterns. Create a mindfulness routine that includes meditation, yoga, exercise, and asking yourself reflection questions.
8. What self-help books have I read this year?
With all that is going on in the world, we hardly get any time to read books and better ourselves. Learning is a continuous process. There is always room for improvement in your life. Do not limit your knowledge. Before you start reading a book, list down all the aspects of your life that you think might need a slight improvement. List down self-help books that can help you fix your shortcomings. Apply this knowledge in your life and keep growing. Alternatively, you can form a book club with your loved ones to make you stay consistent and enjoy reading.
9. What is my most common mental state this year?
Your answer to this reflection question will help you know if you are struggling with mental health. If you neglected your mental health this year, prioritize it next year. There is a close link between your mental health and general wellbeing, and it directly affects your productivity. Create a self-care routine that allows you to gauge and prioritize your mental health next year. Try counseling, yoga, exercise, outdoor activities, and meditation. Whatever makes you calm down and take a step back from reality - Do it!
10. How did I use my personal or free time?
Reflect on how you used your free time during the past year. Are you happy about it? Did you get enough time to rest? Did you feel more tired than you were before your free time? Although it is advisable to relax during your free time, you can decide to use this time to build your projects. You can enroll in a short online course, sharpen your skills, meditate, focus on starting a side business, or even bond with your loved ones. Do whatever makes you happy and relaxed.
11. What is your intention for the next year?
An intention will guide your actions throughout the year. The answer to this reflection question will help you know where you want to focus your energy as you achieve your goals. An intention will keep your attitude in check and make it easier to achieve your goals faster and better.
Conclusion
The New Year is full of endless possibilities. Do not dwell on negative thoughts and outcomes. Maintain a positive mindset and believe that you will achieve your resolutions in 2022.
