Prepare Your End-Year Review

I hope you’re peeking at this while enjoying a beautiful holiday celebration with your family and closest loved ones. I’d like to take a moment during this sacred week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s to prepare you for your end-year review.

I love this season; I enjoy the peaceful reflection and all the unspoken love and gratitude that stirs in between the festivities. I hope you experience much of the same.

The upcoming annual review and reflection is my best series on the blog, and there’s no better week to conduct it than this downtime between end-year holidays. I can hardly wait to reflect on a glorious 2015 and plan for a brilliant 12 months to come with you!

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

What You’ll Need:

I’m going to offer you journal prompts along with review and reflection exercises in the coming days. If you’ve never done a self-reflection exercise like this before, you’ll probably be a little surprised at how intense it can get and how many thoughts and feelings are waiting to spill out of you. Here are a few things you’ll need:

#1 Your Best Year 2016

Your Best Year 2016: Productivity Workbook and Creative Business Planner offers reflective prompts, a revolutionary goal-setting system and thorough progress-tracking. There’s simply no substitute for it! You need this resource.

You can download + print off a digital version immediately, order a paperback version, or grab a bundle of both. Visit the Marketing Creativity Etsy shop to see every option.

#2 At Least One Day Planner

I run a multi-faceted creative business and two day planners help me separate the plans and goals I create. I keep a day planner for my blog (it serves as an editorial calendar and note-keeper) and another one that oversees my entire operation and schedule. I’ll explain this in more detail later in the series, but if you’re a planner-junkie like me, I just gave you a good reason to go shopping in the paper section!

#3 A Giant Drawing Pad

While you’re at the store, pick up a children’s giant drawing pad. They’re typically 16×22″, cost about $5, and you can find them on the bottom shelf of the Crayola aisle at any chain store.

#4 Alone Time

I choose to do my annual review and resolution-setting when I can find some solitude, over a period of about four days. I typically spend one to two hours in reflection, and I set the mood so that it is gentle, calm and sober. If that’s not possible for you, carve out a block of quiet time in one day (give yourself at least three hours).

I’ll take no excuses here: make this alone time happen. I’m a married mother of four, and I’m determined to honor this sacred practice. I’ll go to my bedroom and send the “do not disturb” message before I begin. Self-reflection is critical to your wellbeing. Once you start a session, you are not to be interrupted.

#5 Space to Spread Out

I prefer the living room floor, but any wide-open space will do. It’s always better to do planning + review exercises outside of your normal work space; it allows for fresh perspective and new ideas.

#6 Comfort Items

Be sure to have ready a delicious ice water and/or hot drink, favorite pens, and any additional resources you plan on using. If possible, turn off electronic distractions.

For best results, I recommend using a fresh journal or notebook to collect your thoughts and feelings during our review and resolution-setting. When you follow the ruminations of the mind without pen and paper, you chase thoughts that are too scattered to truly connect.

With a notepad, your thoughts escape to the page where they can be reworked and shaped into successful ideas. After a few minutes of writing, a sense of clarity will begin to fall from pen to paper. Many-a-journal session has left me with new solutions, insight and understanding. I always walk away with a more peaceful perspective and a refreshed sense of self. If you’re already using a journal, I’m sure you would agree!

The 7-Day Series Begins Sunday, December 27!

Because 2016 is going to be epic. In this annual series, we’ll cover prompts + review questions that will help you evaluate what has been working (and what hasn’t) in both your life and business. It’s time to turn your dreams into reality.

Click below to continue on …

:: day 1   ::  day 2   :: day 3  :: day 4

Here’s to your success,