Socrates didn’t mince words when he said, An unexamined life is not worth living.

While it’s not exactly clear what Socrates had in mind when he made this statement, I think it’s reasonable to suggest this:

Our lives take on the most fulfillment, purpose, and meaning when we practice the discipline of reflection. To examine the choices we make and why, to check the values by which we want to live, to consider the relationships in our lives, and such.

The end of 2014 is fast approaching. As we look ahead to a new year, I want to share with you a practice that has been meaningful and helpful to me in the discipline of reflection. While I believe we can intentionally self-reflect with every encounter and in every situation, every single day, it can also be valuable to have regular, more in-depth times set apart for reflection.

While there are a vast array of questions one could use for  New Year’s reflections, these are the questions that Charles and I have found valuable over the years.

10 New Year’s Reflection Questions

1. What was the highlight of this past year? What does this say about you and what is important to you?

2.  What was the low point of this past year, something that was hard, painful, disappointing, or felt like a failure? What have you done, or need to do, to learn from this and to move beyond it?

3.  In what ways did you grow as a person this past year? Was this related to your greatest joy or your greatest pain?

4.  Who were the significant people in your life this past year? How has your life been shaped by these people?

5.  Who do you want to go with you on the journey this next year? What will you do to continue to build those relationships? Are there relationships you need to let go of to move forward?

6.  Do you have anyone you need to forgive before you start a new year? Bitterness or resentment to let go of?

7.  What is something you would like to learn this year or grow in? Is there a step you can take towards that? What do you need to let go of to do this?

8. What do you want more of this next year to be most healthy and fully alive?

9.  What can you give more of this year? To those nearest you, your community, and/ or the world?

10.  What is your greatest hope for this next year? (If you did this last year, look back to see if your greatest hope for this year was realized.)

Do This Yearly And See What Happens

And here’s what else is helpful about this.  I record my reflections on my computer so that every year it’s easy to go back and read earlier years.  Seeing my response each is a valuable exercise in recognizing the ways I have grown, gotten stuck or simply to recall things that I may otherwise forget.

Sometime between now and New Year’s Day, I plan to set aside about an hour, find a quiet and uninterrupted place, and reflect on these questions. Want to join me in this?  Let me know your thoughts!