Well it’s December 2022 and as another year comes to an end I have a question for you. Is it time for a new beginning?
This article is written to help you begin the process of reviewing and analysing this year of your life. It will provide you with 50 questions you must ask yourself before the year ends, if you want a New Beginning to ensure your best year yet.
My name is Larry Lewis author of the Single Page Plan, a system to create the life you want.
We’re close to Christmas and then quickly after the end of the year. A lot of things have happened to all of us, some good, some bad.
It seems like only yesterday that I was enjoying the hot days of summer with my family in Turkey. I’m certain that there will more exciting times ahead, and to ensure this I take the time during the last few weeks of December to take stock of the past year and plan for the next one, as should you. As a life coach let me help you.
The way to ensure next year is the best year yet you first need to reflect and evaluate the year now nearly gone to ensure you grow from this past year’s experiences. I’m about to show you the best way to do this.
In business we use a SWOT analysis for assessing our businesses to determine what a company does best, and to devise a successful strategy for the future. SWOT can also uncover areas of the business that are holding it back, or that competitors could exploit. So surely you owe yourself to do something similar for your life.
I do, every years end and it’s part of the process I use to ensure year by year my life improves.
I have accomplished a lot, made memories and like everyone, had my ups and downs this year. This is life; we succeed, fail, get back up and try again. This makes us human, but as human beings, we need to plan to ensure we have a chance of ensuring we can make new achievements and enjoy success.
How can we better ourselves without really coming to terms with the good and the bad in our lives, the actions we took and the decisions we made? Life is not always perfect and neither are we. That is why it is essential to take the time to decompress and always try to be better and do better than we did yesterday.
What’s happened in the world during 2022?
- Continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- We’ve seen inflation and the cost of living surge.
- The Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- Currently the World Cup in Qatar.
- England won the Cricket World cup.
- The passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
- The beginning of King Charles reign.
- And to a Grease fan the passing of the amazing Olivia Newton-John.
Two deaths of people who have created an amazing legacy. They need to be a reminder to you of why planning your life ahead and ensuring you achieve goals is an absolute must do. It’s about creating your own legacy and ensuring you leave a lasting impact.
If you are still reading this, that just means you are willing to change and better you’re willing to make the time to get your life planned out.
The starting point and purpose of this article is to get you to reflect on your 2022.
In a way it’s an enjoyable look back on your happiest memories.
Two of my happiest memories of 2022 are being with my partner in Lanzarote for New Year then with both my daughters and 5 of the Grandkids in Turkey during August.
In June I enjoyed a lovely family barbecue to celebrate my 6oth birthday. Another memorable birthday was of my partners daughter Ami whose 30th party was in October where we were also all learnt that the baby she was carrying will be a little girl.
Both my daughters who I’m very proud of have entered fantastic new jobs and continue to grow and develop.
From a business point I can recount all my new clients both in my role as a Merchant Services Broker and as a life coach teaching many my life Planning system the Single Page Plan.
From a fitness perspective I have attended my gym 208 times so far this year with another 3 weeks to go. Now if only my diet had been right for as many days as that then the results I’m sure would be even better. Yes I’ve loss a stone plus , all the weight I put on through lockdown, my muscles have developed a bit more but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.
So I know my diet need work and will be part of my plan for 2023. More on this in a future article when I begin to lay down my action steps and show you how to work out your key activities.
As we age one thing we come to realise is our health has to come first. In truth 2022 has been a very positive one for my health in most ways. The ending will see a slight blip as I have an operation scheduled a few days before Christmas for my eye. As since 2009 I’ve had 9 eye operations this isn’t too big an event and one I’m prepared for and determined to make sure I recover quickly and don’t waste any time as a result of this.
In addition to my gym workouts I have also made sure every day I achieve a minimum of 5000 steps and at least on 2 days weekly I hit 10,000 steps. This I believe is important for my health.
One improvement I need to make is on drinking 2 litres of water daily. Something I know is crucial but one I seem to neglect far too often.
Anyway I will continue evaluating and reflecting on my year in my own time but I share this as an example of what you must now begin to do.
I will be doing my reflection beginning it at the end of this week. On Thursday I will be meeting up with all the team at Card Industry Professionals where we will be enjoying ourselves and celebrating our achievements of this year at our Christmas party. Then we will take a break from work and in my case use the remainder of the year on planning my year ahead.
Start reflecting by asking yourself some questions. Let me give you some help here.
- What significant events took place in this year that were negative?
- What didn’t go well this year?
- What things do I need to do less of in the next year?
- What things do I need to stop completely in the next year?
- What event or experience represented the “worst” of the year, and why exactly?
- What important goals did I fail to achieve, and why?
- Where else did I fail?
- What regrets do I have?
- What opportunity did I pass up?
- What do I wish I had spent more time doing?
- What energised you? what drained you?
- What significant events took place in this year that were positive?
- What went well this year?
- What were the greatest things that happened in the past year?
- What accomplishments from last year am I most proud of?
- What developments have I made in the past year?
- What things do I need to do more of in the next year? What were my biggest triumphs?
- What were the smartest decisions I made?
- Who were the people that had the greatest impact on my life?
- What am I most proud in terms of what I achieved, accomplished or brought into being this year – in life and work?
- What were my wins?
- What did I enjoy most?
- What new things did I discover about myself?
- What was the best news I received?
- What was my favourite place that I visited?
- Which of my personal qualities turned out to be the most helpful this year?
- Which new skills did I learn?
- What, or who, am I most thankful for?
- What was my biggest break-through moment career-wise?
- Was there anything I did for the very first time in my life this year?
- What was my favourite moment spent with friends?
- How did my relationships (family, friends, work) evolve?
- What major goal did I lay the foundations for?
- What experience would I love to do all over again?
- What was the biggest problem I solved?
- What purchase turned out to be the best decision ever?
- What do I deserve a pat on the back for?
- What did I think about more than anything else?
- What new habits did I cultivate?
- What activities made me lose track of time?
- Overall What are the greatest lessons I’ve learned from last year?
- What one sentence sums up this past year?
- What else do I need to say to be complete with the year just gone?
- Who will I ask help and support from?
- Who do I want to be next year?
- What career opportunities do you want to create for yourself?
- What is your intention for next year?
- What are you going to continue doing?
- How do you intend to be different at the end of next year?
- How will make next year matter?
Go through these questions, have a pen and notepad and just jot away putting down your thoughts.
This is your opportunity to bring closure to 2022. Analyze facts, look back, and then make efforts to move on. Remember it is essential for you to make plans with an eye to your future, because you never know where the present is going to take us in the end, but when we plan we give ourselves the best chance for it to take us to where we want to be.
At the minimum take time, sit back and begin reflecting on the year before it’s over. My next article will help you with the next steps to begin formulating your plan for 2023.
If you are serious about taking control of your life and want to use a planning system to help you do this, then please take advantage of my completely Free system the Single Page Plan. Follow this link sign up and I guarantee no catches, it’s free, I only charge for one to one coaching and that’s not something this article is there to promote. I love contributing to the success and happiness of others so if you want it it’s there for you to use, all I ask is if it helps drop me a testimonial.
I spent a good deal of time going back over my childhood, my midlife, to try to understand who I was. We’re supposed to be complete and whole, and you can’t be whole if you’re trying to be perfect. Doing a life review helped me get over the disease to please. Jane Fonda
