Only a few days ago the whole world welcomed the new year and a new chapter in our lives
As we are still in the early stages of 2018, it’s always refreshing to take a moment out of the busyness to reflect on the year that was and how far we have come. I reflect on what I’m grateful for and appreciate what I’ve been able to experience thus far. I also like to ponder how many more years I have left and what I want to do in that time, along with the aspects of my life I want to change.
Reflection can be a revitalising experience, it can help you refocus, take stock and open your mind up to new direction and opportunities. Sometimes though, a moment of reflection can be a painful task, bringing up memories and decisions we would rather forget, but cannot shake off.
Revisiting the Past
A respected leader once told me that there are certain chapters in their life that they do not like to revisit, as they feel embarrassed, shame, guilt and regret. I found this confession a little unsettling, as this person has always portrayed themselves as a pillar of confidence, strength and success. I guess behind every facade there’s an element of vulnerability, which got me thinking about my own history. We all have parts of our lives we prefer to leave in the past and chapters we are not proud of. For
Earlier last year I decided to pass up on what turned out to be a very lucrative opportunity everybody was telling me to take. The reason I didn’t take the opportunity was
Moving Forward
Since we can’t change the past, there’s no point feeling regretful, guilty or ashamed of it. Let’s not forget how our past along with our struggles and mistakes have helped shape the person we are now. Sometimes we need to be reminded that our stories are not something to be regretful or ashamed of, they are something we should proudly stand next to. They are a testament to how far we have come – like a glorious before and after shot.
Before we can dream and plan for 2018, remember to look back and reflect on the year
“It is not sufficient simply to have an experience in order to learn. Without reflecting upon this experience it may be quickly forgotten, or its learning potential lost. It’s from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that generalisation or concepts can be generated. And it is generalisations that allow new situations to be tackled effectively”. G Gibbs Learning by doing 1998
As 2018 begins, we reflect on our own experiences throughout 2017; what we have gained, what we have lost, how we grew, the highlights, what we have learned and accomplished. We enter 2018 with a fresh mind in search of new insights and opportunities into 2018 and beyond.
“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action” – James Levin
Happy New Year to each and every one of you.
Here’s to a great 2018, may you continue to evolve, grow and find peace and happiness
This story first appeared in myvoicemystories.com a blog run by 2 Sydney Based BFF’s where they share not only their life experiences but also capture stories from everyday people and learn about their unique- their challenges, heartbreak, happiness and all things in between.
Vickie Gerasimou: Vickie has spent the past few years working in tech
Sandra Nolan: Sandra is an aspiring writer with over 10 years’ experience in the Corporate World. She has held various senior roles, working with many
On the 25th of March 2018 I reached my “2000 days of gratitude” milestone, in essence, every day for more than five years I had found things in my day to be grateful for and I have written those moments down. When people find out that I have kept gratitude journals for over five years they will often ask me to share with them some tips about starting a journal. I often share these five things that I believe one should keep in mind when starting a gratitude journal.
"What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have," Oprah Winfrey.
Oprah speaks about what she knows for sure often. Indeed she has written a whole book about it. She has mastered the phrase in every sense of the word.
Recently I watched a commencement speech given by Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired U.S Navy Seal, in 2014 to the graduating class at the University of Texas. I was so intrigued listening to his speech which recounted 10 lessons he learned from his 6 months of gruelling, demanding, tiring and debilitating Navy Seal training. These 10 lessons not only apply to life as a Navy Seal, but it equally applies to the challenges that each and every one of us endure as human beings living in an uncertain world.
COMMENTS
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Comments (5):
Reflections from the past sometimes hurt you and disturb you. It is always suggested to stay positive in your life and remove all the old memories that disturb you. By the way, the dress worn by the lady in the picture seems like the one I bought from Geox.
elizabethlee - April 11, 2018
I really like that last quote from James Levin. R
rmmrosiem - January 24, 2018
this comment is so inspiring and a wonderful verse
Nosa1968247 - January 23, 2018
Inspiring
Mary - January 18, 2018
Very interesting..
Rob_Strac89 - January 18, 2018