For there to be a beginning, there needs to be an ending. Think about it. Nearly everything that begins, starts because something else ended.
- You start a new job, and end being unemployed or leave a previous job
- A new commitment to healthy living means an ending to certain freedoms, like eating whatever you want. Or perhaps giving up an apathetic attitude about your health.
- You decide to save for a big trip, and so ends going out to the movies whenever you feel like it.
Endings and Beginnings. Beginnings and Endings. Either way, we’re talking about transitions.
Transitions are a perfect time for reflection
This time of the year, after Christmas and before the New Year, is a time of transition. We are leaving one year behind and looking to the next. This past year held a vast array of experiences- learnings, opportunities, missed opportunities, hurts, joys, and on it goes.
Below are some questions that I’ve found useful in reflecting on the past year before moving into the next. With some adjustments, these questions could be useful for any transition.
I believe reflection and examining our lives is one way that we make the most of our lives. Socrates said,
The unexamined life is a life not worth living.
So, set some uninterrupted time aside (usually an hour is sufficient), light a few candles, turn on some quiet music, create an environment that helps you to reflect and have fun with these questions.