It doesn’t hurt to take stock every now and then and the New Year is ideal for this. What went well, what didn’t, what are learning moments and how do we use all that extra knowledge for the next period?
Take a look…
A person learns for a lifetime and it is always good to look back every now and then and see how a certain period has gone. Did it go as you envisioned, what went wrong, what went right and how can you learn from certain life situations? Yet we don’t really do that, or at least not enough.
It is human nature to just keep going, to a certain extent reasonably conditioned, which means getting up and continuing. But taking a moment of rest and looking back on events of the past year in a focused manner can, in addition to being good for the soul, also be very enlightening. How can you approach something like this in a somewhat structured way?
Bring the moments back into your memory
To avoid being too hasty (and overlooking things), it is good to grab something that will help you remember moments faster and better. It partly depends on which resources you use.
- For the person who captures everything in the photo, this can be a kind of diary and you start at the beginning of the period you want to evaluate. For those who also add notes to photos (sometimes it’s nothing more than a few key words), it makes it completely easy for themselves.
- But the man or woman who uses a kind of diary, and we go further than the written book, can also use this. Also consider the frequent bloggers. After all, people often blog about things that appeal to you, are remarkable, or they write down an unpleasant situation.
- Of course, the agenda is an extremely suitable tool and, to be honest, the written version is slightly more suitable for loose comments and notes than the electronic version.
- But the books, CDs and DVDs of the past year can also be a source of memories.
- Mind mapping works for still other people and can be a growing document. You can also combine this with conversations with a partner or good friend.
- If you have fewer specific moments, but you do have a feeling about the past period… try out a mood board. Find colors, materials and situations that give you the feeling about this period.
In short, countless ways to bring up the past period, evoke the feeling and reflect on it.
To block
But overthinking has to lead to something, otherwise it will keep ringing in your head. It is good to try to translate it into the future. How you can deal with a certain situation better in the future, what are learning moments in general and give it a place in your life. This is the best way to end a situation.
In addition to things that did not go well, there are also moments that did go well. Also mention these moments well, for example:
- Look for your greatest success, in whatever area.
- Was there a turning point in your life and what made you make the right move?
- What insights have you gained?
- Have you completed something that you have wanted to complete for a long time and if so what?
Just a few examples of the enormous laundry list you can make of things you have shaped in the past period. Try to recapture that feeling and enjoy it.
New Year New chances
A new period offers a new opportunity, more insight by occasionally looking back and learning from a situation. That is the learning process for every person, but not everyone participates equally in it. If you want to learn from your mistakes, try to convert them into opportunities. Think about what absolutely needs to be on the list for the coming period (and keep the list) in terms of what you are going to complete, what you are finally going to tackle, what you have learned from the past period and will definitely do differently, etc.
Finally
Taking stock is good for yourself to really close things off and not let it be more than a memory. This paves the way for the future, to shape your learning processes and allow new things to come your way.