New Year Reflection Questions

This time of year, I love to take some time to reflect on my year. For many years, my hubby, Noel, and I would make a list of the Good Things of that year. Over our 33 years together, we’ve built up quite a list of Good Things, and I love the memories evoked when reading these. 

While I still love to do the Good Things list, now I also like to reflect on my year with five questions. 

Here are the five questions I ask myself … and my answers. 

1. Who inspired me, and in what way? 

My daughter, Kelsey, is truly an inspiration. If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that Kelsey is an ultramarathon runner and that we have been the support crew for her races of 100 miles (160 km) and longer distances. Her perseverance and mental toughness are beyond anyone else I know!  Half the people who start these races don’t finish, but Kelsey never quits. Like the Everready bunny, she keeps on going and remains cheerful throughout. Seeing her cross the finish line is always emotional, but mostly I’m incredibly inspired and proud.

2. What is something I achieved or contributed that I’m proud of?

As you probably know, my mission is to empower people with chronic pain with tools to help them create a life of freedom again. I do this through my webinars, guest speaking on summits and podcasts, my Wellness by Design podcast, and written and video media. What really lights me up is my Living Pain-Free community. This is where I get to connect with and love the people I want to serve. So, this year, serving my members and growing this supportive community was my North Star and where I chose to place my focused attention … and this community continues to grow. I’m also so proud that I hosted my first in-person retreat in Costa Rica with fourteen beautiful souls … truly a dream come true! Personally, this year I took up trail running and even competed in some races up to 10km. Seeing how far I’ve come since being barely able to walk in 2016 is quite incredible. 

3. What happened that was challenging, and what did I learn? 

I’m truly blessed that there were no big surprise challenges this year, unlike in 2016, when my health took a nose-dive. What is challenging for me is always trying to balance my time between family and my work (my calling!). My husband, Noel, is retired, and we waited our whole lives to have the time and freedom to travel. We have had a few vacations this year, which has been amazing, but it comes with stress for me to have everything prepared so that I can still honor my commitments while I am traveling. I’ve learned that I need some assistance to help me so that I can be more present for Noel and make travel times less stressful. 

4. What did I NOT make time for I wish I had?

Living the solopreneur life is wonderful in many ways, yet I have a never-ending To-do list. Wanting to check things off that list is a behavioral adaptation I’ve had my whole life, and I still have work to do in that arena! Because of that, I don’t make time for personal creative pursuits like painting and sewing. I miss doing those activities and know it's a regret waiting to happen, so I will do better in 2024.

5. What am I most grateful for and why?

This one is easy! I am most grateful for my family, my loving relationships with them, and their health. I feel so blessed to have these beautiful humans in my life, for me to love and learn from. 

Maybe you could pose these questions to yourself or your family. After all, as  Queen Elizabeth II wisely said, "Good memories are our second chance at happiness." 

Let me know in the comments if you're going to give this a try and what resonated with you. 

A great tool to get you into a place of relaxation and peace is my 3-Minute Heart-Focused Breathing audio. >> Download it for free here