Re-posted From: http://KindCommunication.org/2014/12/29/integrate-your-year/
Last year about this time I shared an exercise on my blog to aid you in reflecting on your past year. As I was thinking about what to write, I remembered this exercise, looked it up, and still believe it is a wonderful tool to help you reflect upon and integrate your past year. I’ve reposted it below. If you used this exercise to reflect on 2013, you may be surprised and interested in the ways your life changed, and stayed the same, in 2014. I hope you enjoy.
I invite you to take a moment and ground yourself here in now. Right now, you are in the transition from one year to the next. You are in the in between time. And I don’t have any suggestions for you on what to do differently in the New Year, but I do have a fun exercise if you’d like to try it. This exercise will help you discover what you truly want in the New Year.
First, get in a quiet place, with paper and pen, and allow your mind to settle down. Become still. Many people find following their breath, or becoming aware of their expanding and contracting chest, to be helpful in quieting the mind.
Then, write down the 3 lowest moments in the year 2014. What moments are etched in your memory from this year because of the pain and sadness? What moments do you reflect on and cringe? What is that moment which you don’t want to write down?
Now, write down your top 3 moments from the year 2014. In what moments did you feel utterly alive? What were the moments that you wished could have been frozen in time? What moments do you almost wish you could go back to right now?
Now, write about what feelings and needs were met or not met in each of these moments. Take your time with this step. Allow yourself to actually connect with each feeling and need. This allows you to not just mentally review your year, but to process your year emotionally. This will help you connect with your deepest values, core concerns, and core desires you have.
Finally, reflect upon everything you’ve written down. Is there anything you want to make sure to do in the upcoming year to meet your needs? Is there anything in the upcoming year you want to make sure you avoid? Do you notice any recurring unmet needs? If so, what specific things could you do to make sure those needs get me this year? Do you notice any recurring needs that got fulfilled? What specific things can you do to make sure they keep getting met? With all these questions the more specific you can get, the better.
KindCommunication.org is a project by a close friend of Wiki World Order, Alex Leach. WWO fully supports the study, practice, and teaching of non-violent communication as one of the core solutions which already exists.