It is time to reflect

The end of the year marks a threshold and invites a pause for reflection. It’s a great time to take stock of the year 2019 and look ahead. It is also a great time to reflect on where you spent your time and attention throughout the year, and see if those time commitments align with your mission and goals. You can apply these three approaches to reflect on the year 2019.
First acknowledge all that worked well: the goals you achieved, the events and circumstances you feel good about. Your first take on this will likely not capture enough of the good. Your brain is built to default to remembering more of the negative. The positives –albeit nice in the moment – tend to be more fleeting in memory. So be intentional in remembering more of the good. This will fuel you and likely surprise you. Perhaps enough to make your year better than you first thought.
Next think about the people who played a part. Let them know. These include your key stakeholders; staff, clients, directors, suppliers, investors, family and friends. Expressing gratitude will not only strengthen your relationships, it will make you joyful as well. It’s a great gift and it is the season, after all. Whatever else each of us derives from our relationships there may be nothing more precious than the feeling that we truly matter. “Threats to our standing in the eyes of others are almost as powerful as those to our very survival.” Daniel Goleman
Lastly ask yourself; What’s not working? This question is as important as the others but make sure you reflect without judgment. Resist complaining and instead just take an honest look to acknowledge what isn’t working any more. Perhaps a strategy or a situation that was fine or great for a long while isn’t now. Times and conditions change – have you changed too? Has your team changed? Has your Business adjusted? What are you putting up with? What are you settling for? Where are you playing too small? Where are your systems and processes not working? Where are your values & goals; Mission & Vision being compromised? This is a tough question, but if you are true with yourself this could reveal insights leading to more meaningful goal-setting for the year ahead.
The Bible says something about true reflection “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” James 1:22-24.
We can learn three lessons about true reflection from this Bible verse;

• True reflection should reveal where you are-‘Look at yourself in the mirror’
• True reflection should motivate you into action-‘Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says’
• Your attitude is truly the most important half of the journey-‘immediately forgets how he looks like’

As we come to the end of 2019 will you take some time and truly reflect?

Mary Kamore is the Founder and Lead Consultant, M_OliveS Mentors