Pause to Reflect on the Past Year
As one year comes to an end and another begins, take some time to reflect on the past year. From looking back on lessons learned to new memories made, make sure to check in with yourself this month.
As one year comes to an end and another begins, you may find yourself pausing to reflect on the year behind you. It’s natural for this practice of reflection to evoke a range of emotions. The last year has not been easy. Take time to congratulate yourself on all of your accomplishments, both big and small. Celebrate the things that went well, reminisce on your favorite moments with friends or family and remind yourself of the things that brought you joy during what may have been a trying year.
The below questions can help guide your reflection on the past year. Think through your answers, or better yet, write them down on paper:
1. What is one lesson you took away from this year?
2. What is one thing you’ve learned about yourself?
3. What are you the most thankful for this year?
4. What are you the most proud of?
Inevitably, there may be parts of the past year that, for whatever reason, didn’t turn out exactly how you wanted them to. There may be lessons you wish you learned earlier, things you wish you’d done differently, or outcomes you wish were different. As you take the time to reflect, you may find yourself grappling with a harsh inner critic. Often we have negative beliefs, sometimes outside of our immediate awareness, that can impact our emotions and behavior—which is why it’s important to check in with our thinking:
Identify self-defeating thoughts: The first step is awareness. If you find that you’re being critical, hit pause, and take note of what you’re telling yourself. You may even notice that one negative thought such as, “I’m frustrated that I didn’t meet that goal,” leads to additional negative thoughts like, “I’m not good enough or smart enough to do it.”
Write your thoughts down: Writing down negative thoughts as they arise can help you externalize them. By exposing your thoughts to the light of day, you can begin to see them for what they are—simply thoughts.
Challenge your thoughts: We often treat our thoughts as facts but just because you think it doesn’t make it true. Our thoughts need to stand up to scrutiny. So, if you find that your inner critic is leading you to feel negatively about yourself, consider asking yourself: How accurate is this thought? What’s the impact of this thought? What’s a more helpful, empowering thought?
Reframe: See if you can replace your thought with a more balanced, realistic and useful evaluation. For example, “I’m a failure for not meeting that goal,” might turn into “I didn’t reach all the goals I set for myself but it has been a really challenging year and I’ve learned a lot about what I can do differently next time.”
Train your inner critic: By working through these steps, you can change your inner voice from critical to balanced—and even motivating. You can do this work on your own or with the help of a therapist.
If you or someone you know is struggling, your mental health support program is here to support you. Click on your respective country below to learn more about what resources are available to you.