As 2019 rolls into 2020, this marks not only a new year but also a new decade. We mark new decades based on our birth years but also communely when a new decade happens. And, new decades only happen about eight or nine times in our lifetimes, so they’re a little more important than 11:59 PM ticking over to 12:00 AM any given December 31st. When these new years’ celebrations are turning over a new decade, it’s an opportunity to take stock in what has happened in the past decade, and what you may want to be different in the coming decade.
Reflecting on the Past Decade
As Victor Yocco, PhD, writes in his second article in his Dwelling On The Past series for Smashing Magazine, “Personal reflection enables us to process and make meaning of all of the great (and not so great) learning and working experiences we’ve had. Everyone stands to gain from engaging in some type of reflection.”
While it’s rather easy to consider one year, one month or one week to the next, it’s a bit more challenging to remember the past decades worth of accomplishments, challenges, memories, gains and losses. As we make our way into the next decade, where have you been in all four directions: mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically?
There are many ways to exercise your reflection muscles in this regard. You can outline all ten years past and right down what happened, what stood out and more. You can look at your calendars, diaries or agendas, if you have them going back that time period. And, you can ask family, friends and colleagues to share their memories of you and interactions with you over the past 10 years to see what they remembered.
If you need more structure, look at this resource of 87 self-reflection exercises. One of those is bound to speak to your mind, emotions, body and spirit over the past decade! What did you like? What didn’t you like?
Where Are You Now?
From the past decade to the current may seem like a long-distance jump. Amidst heartache and dis-ease, and jubilation and crossing finish lines and opening new chapters, life’s trajectory needs the big picture. It also needs the focus on the present to help make it all make sense.
So, where are you now? To answer that question, it’s helpful to break your life in unequal parts: your roles, responsibilities, categories of focus, improvement and accountability. For example, you might list your life areas as simple as:
- Health
- Home
- Work
Or, you can expand and detail it more so that you have 10 or 15 areas with subcategories. Give yourself 30 minutes or less to outline this for yourself.
Then, what have you experienced recently in each of those life areas? What was the bad? What was the (potentially) ugly? What was the good? What was the great? What brought you pain, frustration, or boredom lately? What brought you joy, contentment and excitement lately?
Now, you have reflected on the long-term past and the recent past. You can journal about how you feel about having done these exercises and see what opportunities surface in your mind.
Where Do You Want to Go? This Year? This Decade?
And, reflection is only important as the practical and usefulness it provides your present and near-future experience. So, where do you want to go? In the next year, or in the next decade, write out your goals and aspirations for what you want to happen (and what you don’t want to happen) in that time.
Sometimes it’s more helpful to draw the background than the foreground, so that might mean writing more about what you don’t want than what you want, or painting your picture in broad strokes (qualities you want to experience) instead of specific metrics you want to achieve. Remember to touch on each of your life areas and make sure they encompass your four directions.
You might decide to write down on goal for each life area for 2020 and the coming decade. And, from there, write down the very next step needed to move forward on that goal. Do you need to research information? Do you need to talk to your spouse or partner? Do you need to buy something?
—
Once you have determined those next steps for the coming year and decade, you can write those on stickies and post them in prominent locations around your home or work. When you have a chance to take action, you’ll have a reminder of what your past self gifted your present self to do!
Are you seeking more assistance with the planning? Then join Mara at Four Directions Wellness in Alexandria for her upcoming “Exploring Personal Implications for 2020.” One day only on Monday, January 20 from 12:30 to 4:00. Register today at Four Directions Wellness | Classes.
What do you plan to do in the coming year, or decade, to improve your life, work and health? Let me know in the comments!