Birthdays mean different things to many people. My youngest loves to be front and center, celebrating her special day with as many people as possible. With a March birthday, her celebrations often align with Spring Break. In 2021, we celebrated her birthday on a flight to Disney. The entire plane sang "Happy Birthday," and she even got a special picture with the pilot in the cockpit. My older daughter, on the other hand, has had to celebrate several birthdays at dance competitions. She was mortified the year she was brought to the front of the stage for everyone to sing to her while awaiting awards.
I, however, am on the mortified side of birthday celebrations. I've never loved being the center of attention on my birthday. A small gathering of friends and family with good food is all I need. As I get older, I sometimes even dread what another year might mean. This year, I'm taking this next revolution around the sun as an opportunity to look back and look forward. I'm celebrating my accomplishments, reflecting on my stumbles, and planning for the future.
Reflecting back can be done in many ways. For private reflection, any structure that allows self-questioning works. One easy method of reflection uses the questions: What, So What, and Now What. This framework encourages you to think about an experience, its implications, and what it means for the future. In the past year, I've had many experiences to reflect on: traveling with my family to amazing places, completing a leadership development program, training to be a coach, and making a major career transition. I've also had some not-so-wonderful experiences—difficult conversations at work, challenges with my children, challenging clinical situations, and more.
From reflecting on these experiences, I've spent time this year reevaluating my own purpose and what is meaningful to me. This is the "so what." Purpose can give life direction, motivation, and a sense of fulfillment. People who find and pursue their purpose tend to live more fulfilled lives. They may be more engaged and motivated in their work and report higher levels of job satisfaction. This is why I focus on purpose in coaching. I wouldn't ask others to focus on things I don't find important for myself. I've spent a significant amount of time this year thinking about purpose, and my experiences have helped reset this for me. When looking at these experiences, questions about purpose help me categorize them.
Then there’s the looking forward, or "now what?" This involves reassessing my vision and checking in on my goals. My vision includes being present for my family and helping those in my various communities thrive. I've set both short-term and long-term goals, personal and professional. One thing I hope to be better at this year is celebrating when I achieve these goals. Celebrating wins, both big and small, can help maintain positivity and provide momentum for reaching the next goals.
If you haven't recently reflected, take some time to do so now. Think about your past year, your "so what," and plan for the year ahead. If you're looking for more personalized guidance, feel free to reach out to me for coaching services. Let’s make the next year our best one yet!
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#self-reflection #professionaldevelopment
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