It’s that time of year again. Planner season! I bought two new planners for 2023 and refill refresher pages for my other. I will use them for budgeting, personal habit tracker and writing routines. I’m getting started later than what I normally do. I try to begin setting my goals at the beginning of December. This ritual also includes me going over the current year. Journaling about what went right, what went wrong and what I am grateful for. This was not a year I wanted to relive again, therefore, the procrastination.
Once I finally sat down in the chair, placed my journal with the bookstore pictures cover on the table and pored a glass of wine, I went through my list of questions to review my year. It’s a habit I’ve been practicing for close to 10 years now. It’s helped with staying on track with goals. Facing the fear of getting better at being me. I did do one thing differently then in previous years. I asked for the lesson. That’s what summed up this year was for me. It was a wake-up call, a butt kicking and a lesson nudging me to make better decisions.
When I look through my journal, I see which months I was ready to give up and which months I pushed myself a little bit harder. As a fan of journaling, it helps to be able to look back and see what I was thinking and why I was thinking about it. This process has taught me that at the beginning of the year I am more motivated and start off full speed. I learned that by the summer I want to be outside more and start slacking off. I know the months of July and August are going to be months my mental health are going to prevent me from doing anything. Then, by October I am back to being gung ho, and I end the year in full speed again.
The lesson is, number one, know thy self. And number two, if you know thyself, then you know how to plan. I know trying to start a new project at the beginning of the summer is going to be fruitless. I know the seven months stretch from October to April are my productive months. With that information I am able to set my goals properly for 2023 so that I can make it a successful year. I’ve got my year planned and I am proud of what I have setup so far. If you are interested in my list of questions to review your 2022, I left it below. Use it to setup what you desire to create for yourself in 2023.
YOUR YEAR IN REVIEW QUESTIONS:
- What were your goals at the beginning of the year?
- What were your major highlights for the year?
- What went well this year?
- What went wrong this year?
- What still feels unfinished?
- How did you change as a person?
- Who did you meet this year and how did they change your life?
- When you look back, what are you grateful for?
- What are you looking forward to accomplishing next year?
- If you can only accomplish one thing on next year’s list, what is that one thing?
Happy planning my friends!
Love and light,
Portia
Portia Leivette 