Reflecting on 2023
2023 has been an eventful year for me, and I believe many people can relate. Moments of mountains and valleys, the pace was fast and furious at times and slow but steady at other times. Reflecting, evaluating, and making plans as the year ends makes sense. A critical look will help us to be grateful and hopeful instead of regretful. Sometimes, we are too hard on ourselves; other times, we complain so much about what we don’t have that we lose sight of the richness of what we possess. I’ve been musing on this for some time & I thought I should pen it down.
𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: Reflecting on Accomplishments and Growth
(a) Celebrate Landmarks and Achievements: Consider all your professional and personal achievements, regardless of size. This affirmative introspection creates the conditions for thankfulness and contentment. Every win deserves recognition. Could you give some thought to the accomplishments you’ve made this year? Those times you dragged yourself out of the bed, times you mended, bounced back from setbacks, etc.
𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: Adapting to Change and Embracing Flexibility
Evaluating and Embracing Adaptability: Consider how well you can adjust to unforeseen disruptions and unknowns. In today’s fast-paced environment, being able to adapt is essential. Recognise instances where you showed adaptability and openness. Think about the ways that taking a more flexible approach improved your results. This is a continuous process that will make you more resilient to unforeseen events in the future.
𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: Recognising Patterns and Growth Areas
Identifying Personal and Professional Trends: We live in an era in which people talk about what’s in vogue regarding fashion and music. How about examining the patterns that surfaced in your personal and professional life over the year? “Forecasting based on trends” is a concept espoused across many industries by unpacking historical and current data to anticipate the future. Understanding patterns in your life offers essential perspectives on areas for development, passions, and goals. This reminds me of the saying attributed to Peter Drucker that “𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑡”.
𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: Resolving and Planning for the Future
Resolving Unfinished Business: List any outstanding assignments, undertakings, objectives or relationships that must be addressed. Could you review the reasons for their pending status and decide if they need to be amended? Resolving outstanding issues guarantees a fresh start in the upcoming year. Could you make a plan to finish unfinished business and move on with new projects? Making a plan gives you a sense of purpose and direction as you move forward.
It’s a week to the end of 2023; use this time to bid farewell to the current year and pave the way for a promising and purposeful journey. God speed!
Ṣeun Oyekọla
