Even though the future seems far away, it’s actually beginning right now. Mattie Stepaneck
My husband Allen and I have a 20-year tradition on New Year’s Eve. We spend a few hours doing a reflection exercise of things we are grateful for in the past year. We write down a top 10 list of those people, places, and things we want to forever remember. We laugh and reminisce about all the fun we had, the wins, the family and friends that brought us joy, and the clients that helped support us to be able to experience so much of it. Next, we discuss and develop a plan for the year ahead. We decide what we think “right would look like” on the same day a year from now. Things like what we would have, be doing differently, and how those things might make us feel. We place it in an envelope so we can open it the next year.
I am sending this a few days early to you so that perhaps you are able to find the time to reflect on some of the questions a truly great innovation coach, Raff Viton, posted last week about reflecting on 2018 and entering 2019 with intention. Here are a few of the questions that stood out for me.
2018 CURRENT YEAR/CURRENT LEVEL REFLECTION
POSITIVE:
• What did I love most about 2018? When was I happiest?
• What am I most grateful for from 2018?
• Which three moments were most meaningful?
AUTHENTIC/PURPOSEFUL:
• Where did I really use my strengths?
• How did I live out my values/purpose?
DISAPPOINTMENTS/LEARNINGS:
• What were my biggest disappointments? …frustrations? …failures?
• What were my biggest inconsistencies with my values/purpose/priorities?
• What still makes me feel angry? …sad? …anxious? …scared?
• What is the most honest thing I can say about my disappointments?
• What is the most compassionate thing I could say to myself about my disappointments? (reframing)
MOMENTUM
• What momentum did I start to build in 2018 that I want to take forward?
2019 NEXT YEAR/NEXT LEVEL PLANNING
• What do I love to do that I want to do more of in 2019?
• What core values are most inspiring to me?
• What priorities do I want to focus on in 2019?
• What would be most inspiring for me to accomplish in 2019?
• What would be my heart’s desire or biggest dream?
There are more great questions that you can find from Raff’s full article here.
Allen and I could never have experienced the countless satisfying moments we had in 2018 without you. You have become our work family. Your dedication to the work that we do inspires us daily. The encouragement you provide us with sustains us. We deeply appreciate you. Thank you, for supporting both of us, our team, and the Cortex work that so many of you are shining examples of.
May 2019 be full of deeply satisfying accomplishments for you, your family, and your team!
