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 he was referring to the practice of reflection.

Socrates likely knew that our lives take on the most meaning and purpose when we practice the discipline of reflection. Reflection is part of how we make the most of our lives.

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.

The end of 2018 is fast approaching. It’d be easy to just flow right into the new year, but I believe it’s valuable to take some time to look back at the past year before moving ahead into the new year.

I want to share with you a practice that has been super helpful and meaningful to me over the years as I look back.

Yearly, usually on New Year’s Eve, I write my response to the below questions in my online journal. It’s powerful to look back to see how I responded to each of the questions over the years. It’s a valuable way to track growth, change, and to remember significant life happenings and milestones.

While there are a vast array of questions one could use for end of the year reflections, these are the questions that I have found helpful:

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, reframe it, 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.)

Ways To Use These Questions

I’ve used these reflection questions not just for myself, but in small group settings and with friends. I know of someone who went through these with her school-age grandkids. Even little kids can begin to grapple with this practice.

How About You?

Do you have a meaningful practice as you anticipate the New Year? Or do you have questions to add that have been helpful to you? Leave a comment!