It’s that time of year — Christmas is over and the birth of a new year is just days a way. Something seems to happen within my soul in these few days. First, my eagerness for planning begins to take form. Then second, I seem to mourn over the year past wondering if any good came of it.
Can you relate? What feelings do you feel these days leading up to the new year? Please tell me your soul stirs too with the agony of lost moments of the year prior and the excitement of days to come.
Know where to start.
The past few years I’ve spent time reviewing the previous year as the new year comes closer. I finally realized I needed to give closure to the year past before I could move on.
You and I fly by day-after-day and some days even moment-after-moment. We fly through life so fast at times that we really don’t slow down enough to realize what is good and dare I say what even might need to go.
Then we sit there as we watch the ball drop us into the next year and wonder where we are headed. We look around and everyone else’s journey seems so much fuller and exciting that our own. Word of caution — do not compare your take-out scenes to somebody else’s highlight reel. [share that]
Thank you facebook for perpetuating this as we all look at each other’s highlight reels from the previous year. I think it would be funner if we shared our take-out scenes — you know the real story!
However, with a little planning clarity will come for the new 365 days ahead. What I’ve learned is that if you know where you’ve been, it’s easier to determine where you are going.
How to review your past year.
1. Review your calendar.
Take your previous years calendar and begin in January. Go through each month making note of things your accomplished, goals met, and things you might wish to add for the following year.
Write these down. There is benefit in seeing your life in black and white.
2. Review your past years goals.
Maybe you aren’t even sure what your previous years goals were, but you know you had made some. If that’s the case, that is because you didn’t write them down. If you can remember them, make a list of how you succeeded and failed. Yes, looking at failures is a great way to learn for the future.
But for your review, pay close attention to your wins and what you accomplished.
3. Spend a few days reflecting on both before writing your goals for your year ahead.
Making note of your successes will bring perspective to your unique gifts and talents. After a year of running hard and even failing at some previous goals you had set, it’s easy to beat yourself up. But taking time to list the awesome things that happened the previous year gives you insight in to how you are wired giving you fresh energy for the years run ahead.
This is also a great time to thank God for all that he has done in your life. Thank him for how he guided you, what you were able to accomplish, and where he is leading you the next 12 months.
Your past calendar points the way to the future one.
Once you have really taken in all the marvelous things (and not-so-marvelous things) that have transpired, it is time to write out those new goals. After seeing a new how uniquely you are wired, it will be easier to write out those new goals to run after.
They will be goals that are thought out and clearer since spending time in review. I can clearly see more of how God is calling me to love, serve, speak, teach, and write. Not to mention the beginnings of new adventures he has placed in my path.
My goals are more concrete this year, as I’ve spent time making of note of what God has called me to. I’ve also realized how I am thrown off track, so I will be paying attention to those things that derail me in the upcoming year.
Have you done a yearly review? What goals are you running after this year? Please share in the comments.
I would like to see the take out scenes too! Sometimes facebook is just too…pretty. :)