How She Creates: How to Reflect on your year ep 331

Are you tired of playing the numbers games when it comes to setting BIG goals and then feeling a BIG letdown on January 3rd when you're already behind? Me too. 2019 was a year full of BIG things for me, job changes, big life decisions, new puppy, lots of heartaches and personal growth. This year, instead of making a list of numbers and accomplishments, I did some deeper, slower reflecting on what 2019 looked like for me. From assessing how I honored my values to what feelings I felt and creating art that represented it all, I compiled a list of journaling prompts to help you reflect on your year in a more holistic way and then a way to do the same to set 2020 up with more intention and heart. Listen in as I share how I approached these prompts and will guide you through them for yourself. I suggest listening to this episode as you have about an hour or more to journal, reflect and drink a glass of tea.

Journaling prompts to reflect on 2019:

1. Define your year: Does your year run from August to August like the school year or by calendar? Break it down into sections, such as semester 1 + 2 or spring, summer, fall or before the baby, after the baby. Know what time frame you are looking at and then define it further to be able to asses it in chunks as a year is too long to look at as a whole.
2. Gather data: pull out your journals, your Instagram, your planner, etc anywhere you kept records of things that happened this year. Take some time to read through them and remind yourself of the goals you set, big and little events, how you were feeling. Just let the memories of the year seep back in and help you get in the right state of mind to assess the year versus trying to go off of your general memory which is too fuzzy from a year ago.
3. How did you feel: As you read through this data make notes on how you felt. What emotions were strong for you in each chunk of time or event or surrounding a person, etc. Make notes of all the feelings, not just the final outcome after the event happened. Good and bad, list them here.
4. Big Picture list: Now that you've seen a general overview, make a few lists of what happened. These could include: how you spent your money, what you created, things you accomplished, how you felt, the top 10 moments, etc. Condense all that journaling you've been doing into a few simple lists so you can see a quick overview of the year now.
5. Asses your values: If you have a list of personal/business values you live by write them out and then assess how you honored them. Look for ways you did and did not honor each. The overall answer for each will be 'kinda', so make a list of the specific ways you stuck to them and times you missed out on them.
6. Make art: Create a simple piece of art that reflects your year. It could be doodles of the important events or a bar graph or a heart with each big feeling/event inside sections. Let this be a way to see your year and your heart for it in a creative overview.
7. Reflect: After seeing all of this data, what is your overall reflection for 2019? Write a simple page or list of the big picture takeaways you don't want to forget from this year.

Prompts for planning your 2020

1. How do you want to feel: Make a list of a handful of feelings that you want to embody this next year and then list out a few ways you will do each of them.
2. Honor your values: Make a list of your values again and list out how you can honor each of them this upcoming year. It can be through specific events you know are happening or general choices you will try to make as the year goes on.
3. Changes: What changes do you want to make from 2019? These can be small things that look more like a to-do list, switch the internet to a cheaper plan, or big things like scroll social media less or be braver.
4. List of things to do: at this point, your brain is spinning and little to-do list items are likely popping up and distracting you and getting mixed in with your journaling. Grab a post-it and jot them down and stick it in next week's planner.
5. Take inventory: Don't rush out and buy things to make your 2020 goals and visions happen. Stop and take inventory of what you already have that can help you. Online courses you haven't taken yet, that box of sports gear in the attic, that friend who runs every day and always invites you to join - text her yes!, etc. Now you are using what you have and you have it instantly!
6. Map it out: ok! Rubber meets the road here. Plan out how you are going to do these things. Some are more mindset shifts, some are specific. Start adding them into your calendar or get a goal tracker or clean out that closet. However, you want 2020 to look, make a plan to make it happen. Goal set away - but only based on your values and your reflections from the past year - not the same goal you've been setting and abandoning every year for the past decade. You've got this.

And remember:

Give yourself the time you need to create the changes you want to see.

Show Notes

• Elise Joy's goal setting series (sign up for her newsletter to receive it free)
• Hilary Rushford's Elegant Excellence Journal
• Emily Jeffords Creative Collective
• Tiffany Han
• Mari Andrew's heart inspiration doodle
• My 10 most significant moments of 2019

Radiant Art Retreats: UAE

If being more creative and going on adventures is part of your 2020 plan, then sign up for the next Radiant Art Retreat today! Join us on the beach for a week of creating and exploring that will change the trajectory of your year and put you on the path of living life large and making art from it.

Learn more and register here

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