3 Powerful Questions to Reflect on 2021
And turn your experiences into insights
“In moments of quiet reflection our minds embrace the sea that we have crossed.” — Holmes
I am so incredibly proud of you — yes you, who’ve chosen to pick up this article and find moments of reflection at this time of the year. First of all, congratulate yourself on all that you’ve done in 2021, and how you’ve adapted and shifted throughout the pandemic and your day to day life.
Truth is, if you give yourself the time and space to reflect on these prompts, you’d be surprised by how much you’ve evolved.
1. How have I grown and what have I learned?
I know for myself that I have navigated through so much in the past year that I gained a newfound sense of resilience and strength I never thought I had.
No matter how big or small your wins are, celebrate them! Whether it is just eating less takeout, making a major career shift, or having more time to spend with your loved ones, be proud of yourself. And if you are still lingering on things you haven’t done — hold that thought for now. It’s crucial to take stock of what went well, capture the lessons before you dive straight into goal-setting! (This one’s for all the high-achievers out there.)
“The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.” ―John Ruskin
As you reflect on your accomplishments and what you are proud of, try and expand beyond a single point of focus, or event, but think in terms of the larger picture of who you are and how this accomplishment has changed you as a person.
2. What did I achieve and what challenges did I overcome?
We all tend to overlook our achievements and especially for those who have strong inner critics housed within, it’s important to build this as a regular practice of reflecting on your own wins to counter the negativity bias we may have, especially with ongoing situations such as the pandemic.
And as you list your achievements, dig further by asking: What was most important and WHY?
One of my biggest lessons of this year is that not all things matter equally. As much as I want to do it all, I had to learn to focus on the few things that truly mattered and move me forward.
And following this, I believe this is one of the most powerful questions to bring insights and clarity to what’s important in your life:
3. What were some of my best moments in 2021 and when did I feel best?
Expand on this question by bringing yourself back to that moment and capture those feelings, emotions and surroundings. This was my favourite journaling prompt as I led my personal growth community through a ‘end of year’ reflection. For in those moments, their recounts of those events made me witness and feel that aliveness, joy and flow they had in their lives!
And as you start to tap into these best moments, ask yourself: How did I feel? What was I doing? How can I have more of these moments in 2022?
These questions could really give you good insights into what brings you joy and positive emotions, which you can perhaps carve out more time and attention to cultivate more of them. It’s about bringing clear intention into the new year, with insights gathered from your own experiences.
To wrap it up, find some quiet time and space to:
- Reflect on your lessons and growth
- Celebrate your small and big wins
- Capture your best moments and feelings
Following these, you will be able to clarify and set your intentions for the new year ahead.
If you’ve enjoyed this piece and have further questions about personal growth and journaling, feel free to connect with me or submit a question here.
Here are some of my other work and reflection prompts you may try: