Well, it’s that time of year again. But this year not only do we have a new year but a new decade.
This is a great time to reflect on the last 10 years. It’s a powerful thing to do and it certainly helps puts life into perspective.
I have come up with some great goals over the years. Goals that I would love to achieve. They are my own personal goals and are close to my heart.
However, this year I am going to do things differently. I am going to reflect over the last 10 years. What have been the best times? What have I achieved? What have been the most challenging times? What got me through those times?
I am also going to reflect on some really thought-provoking questions and write them in my journal.
Here they are.
6 thought-provoking questions to ponder
How can I live a life aligned to my core values, and not the life others expect of me?
What are my strengths and how can I leverage them in my life for good?
What are those patterns of behaviour that sabotage me in my quest for living the best life I can?
What have been the happiest times in my life?
What haven’t I done that I would have loved to do?
How can I best make a difference?
The next step will be to write myself a letter in the future. Normally I would write the letter in 2 years, but I am going to try something different and write myself a letter for the decade ahead!
I know there is a lot of talk about goal setting and whether it is effective or not. Well, all I can say for myself is that if I follow a process and am serious about improving my life, setting specific goals is worth it. The funny thing is, it is not actually about the goals themselves, it is about the momentum these goals give me to follow a certain path.
We know the real value of setting goals is not in the goals themselves but in the person you become as a result of working on your goals. It is learning about yourself as a person, about growing and stretching yourself, about stepping out of your comfort zone and about manifesting more of your potential.
Often we end up not achieving the specific goals we have. What is important though is the energy goal setting and taking action brings. Sometimes I don’t even achieve those goals but what I do know for sure is that following a plan has helped me make some positive and deep-lasting changes in my life and makes me feel good about myself.
I am so convinced that taking time to reflect on your life and setting an effective plan to achieve your vision, that I wrote an eBook on this topic. It is called Be Your Own Life Coach: 10 Steps to a Successful Life. Here is the link.
Following the steps in the books well as taking time to reflect on the last decade and have a vision for the future will help you develop a greater understanding of yourself, your core values, strengths and passions and, above all, your purpose in life. This is where true success lies.
My eBook has specific steps with background information, helpful tools and techniques and powerful quotes to motivate you. You will go through a structured process starting with deep reflection on your current life.
Throughout your journey, I encourage you to do some journal writing. Having a daily journal can be cathartic and a great tool for growth and development of wisdom. Journal writing is like having a one-on-one conversation with yourself.
The steps include:
10 essential steps to creating a life you love
Discovering who you really are. There are a number of activities including a life satisfaction audit. You will uncover your core values, key strengths, and what sparks you with purpose and meaning in life.
Creating your own personal vision statement. There are activities that will help you do this such as writing a detailed letter to yourself in the future covering all facets of your life. Another powerful activity is writing your eulogy, what is it you want to be remembered for.
Learning how to set SMART goals. Focus on where you want to improve your life. Normally you would not set more than 3 goals. These goals form a blueprint for your successful life, personally and professionally. I always recommend at least one of these goals have a focus on your inner life.
Developing a personal action plan. This is a detailed plan which makes you accountable to your actions and gives you the momentum to take effective action.
Monitoring the progress of your goals. This is essential to achieving success and involves both holding yourself accountable for your actions and learning to reflect on what you have learnt about yourself in the process. Make sure you celebrate any small successes and wins on the way!
By following these steps over a timeframe of your choosing, you will make deep and impactful changes to your life. You will learn more about yourself in the process and your life will be richer and more fulfilled.
If you decide to take time to do some reflection on your life and then follow the steps in my eBook it will empower you to transform your life. It will give you a greater understanding of yourself, what it is that will make your life fulfilling and it will give you the momentum to make those changes.
Best wishes for a fulfilling and transformative year and decade ahead!