One year is ending, and the next is beginning. It’s traditionally a time of reflection, and of opening up to new possibilities.
It’s also a time when many people are opening gifts. Many of us struggle with the consumerism that has crept into this season. But are gifts just packages of stuff? When you reflect on your past year, what gifts did you receive? If you imagine that under your tree, or around your menorah, are the gifts of growth and change you’ve received over the past year, what are you unwrapping?
The Gifts I Received This Past Year
Take a moment to reflect and answer each of the following:
1) How have my experiences over the past year changed me for the better?
2) What new attitudes or awarenesses have I gained this past year?
3) What new beliefs have I taken on in 2010?
4) Who are the people I’ve been gifted to know this past year? What was the gift in each of those relationships?
5) What were my most unexpected gifts of this past year?
6) What were my hardest earned gifts?
7) What new habits have I established in this past year, and how are they contributing to my life?
8) What else did I receive this year for which I am grateful?
You may want to bring this line of thinking into your conversations this holiday season. If you’re a parent, perhaps you can give the gift of this way of thinking to your children. If you’ve got parents, perhaps this framework would be a gift to share with them.
The Gifts I Want to Receive In The Coming Year
And now, when you think about 2011, and you make your wish list (much like a child makes a list for Santa, only different)
Again, take a moment to reflect and answer each of the following:
1) How would I like my experiences over the coming year to change me for the better?
2) What new attitudes or awarenesses do I want to acquire in the coming year?
3) What new beliefs will I take on in 2011?
4) What are the gifts I hope to receive in my relationships?
5) What new habits will I established in the coming year, and how will they contribute to my life?
6) What else do I hope I receive this coming year for which I will be grateful?
I would love to hear what your reflections spark for you, both as you look back, as well as forward to the coming year. Let’s inspire each other by sharing in the comments section below.
And, as the holiday season gets into full swing, many blessings to you. May your holidays, and the year ahead, be rich with gifts, especially the ones that are harder to see.
I love the way you suggest to examine what I have achieved this year. I bet that few people would take this type of action, but instead be hard on themselves because they didn’t reach all of their goals in the exact way they thought each one should be achieved. Thanks for the great idea.
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Very cool way to reflect on the past, and look forward to the future with anticipation – especially since we’ll always see whatever we’re looking for! =)
Dinyah, Great exercises to start 2011. Reflecting, knowing where you are, and getting clear on where you want to go. We should all take this advice and do this valuable work.
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