I love birthdays. When it’s someone else’s, it’s an opportunity to share why they’re a gift to you and/or to simply let them know you’re thinking about them.
When it’s yours, it’s an opportunity to test your ability to receive attention and love.
It’s also a natural moment in time to pause, reflect, and look ahead with intention.
My birthday is this week, and with each one I get, I try to remember that this, in and of itself, is a gift.
17 years ago, I started a tradition of reflecting on the year in a public-facing document (what happened, what I learned, what I celebrated, where I had room to grow). I’ve not missed a year. Doing so has created a time capsule for me to see myself both in macro and micro ways over most of my adult life. I’ll start writing this year’s on our birthday trip to Banff.
Whether you want to wait until your birthday or not, here’s a suggestion for how to do something similar, but less labor-intensive: find one unrushed hour, with your phone on silent, and answer four questions. Write fast and don't edit. The answers you wouldn't say out loud are usually the useful ones.
Questions for you to consider:
What did I do and learn this year? (include what you're proud of and what didn't go to plan.)
What do I want to leave behind? (a habit, a grudge, a commitment, a 'should.')
What do I want to take with me?
What do I hope for in the year ahead?
A birthday is a natural milestone for this, but it isn't the only one. It works just as well on a random Tuesday (such as this one).