Looking Back, Moving Forward: Your Year-End Reflection Guide

Welcome back to Evolve!

It's great to reconnect as we gear up for the year's end, focusing on mentally preparing ourselves for the exciting journey ahead.

This marks the second year of my intentional commitment to taking life more seriously—setting goals and steadfastly working towards them.

As the new year looms, a natural wave of reflection sweeps over me.

I had specific goals for this year, achieving some while others remained just out of reach.

Nevertheless, it's been an overall great year.

With this issue, my goal is for us to collectively reflect on the past year.

Let's scrutinize the goals we set—what we achieved and where we fell short.

Only after this thorough reflection should we venture into setting new-year resolutions.

I implore you not to rush into resolutions without engaging in this vital self-reflection.

Awareness and self-reflection are the keys to growth, and there's no better way to foster them than by delving into an honest review of your journey.

So, let's be brutally honest with ourselves.

This issue isn't just an invitation; it's a shared journey.

I don't want you to merely observe the map of your year; I want you to walk its paths, feel the lows, and celebrate the highs.

Take a deep dive into your experiences, regardless of how the year unfolded.

Only then can we authentically embark on setting our new year resolutions.

Reflecting on the Journey

Let's rewind to the genesis of this transformative journey.

At the year's onset, I shared a tweet that laid the groundwork for what I aimed to achieve:

Looking back on the year, it's been a mix of ups and downs.

At the start, my main goal was clear—to snag a remote DevOps job.

I nailed it just days before my birthday in August, a moment I shared here as the highlight of my year.

On another front, I kicked off this newsletter adventure, turning it into a thriving community of over a hundred subscribers.

It became a significant achievement that brought joy to the year.

Around September, I got back into the gym with a goal to bulk up.

I'm happy to say I achieved that goal, adding another positive note to what I'd call a pretty okay year.

However, as the months rolled on, I noticed a drop in my energy.

The post-job excitement seemed to cast a shadow on my work rate.

It started small—missing routines, a slow slide into a more relaxed state.

I found myself drifting from my disciplined habits.

There was a time when I read every day, but that consistency faded.

I became a bit careless, maybe because I hit what I thought was the peak of the year, or maybe I just lost steam.

Upon deep reflection, I discovered the missing pieces—the constants that slipped away.

Soon, I'll be sharing these constants with you—the reliable pillars that can keep us anchored in our journey of growth and self-discovery.

Returning to Consistency

In the whirlwind of daily life, it's easy to lose sight of the routines that truly anchor us.

For me, these routines are the secret sauce that turns an ordinary day into an exceptional one.

One key pillar is the simple act of waking up early.

I've talked about its impact in past newsletters and even dedicated an entire issue to the magic of early mornings.

If you missed it, you can catch up here

Another constant is the power of a weekly to-do list, broken down into daily tasks with assigned time slots.

It's a practical approach that keeps me from drifting through the day on autopilot.

But, if I'm honest, after landing the job, I slipped away from these reliable habits.

The consequences echoed in my productivity, affecting even the quality of the newsletters I shared.

Late wake-ups meant missing my prime writing hours in the early morning.

As we step into the new year, the goal is to reclaim these dependable practices.

I invite you to reflect with me.

Questions for Self-Reflection:

1. Goal Analysis: What goals did you set for the year, and how many did you achieve or miss?

2. Identifying Hurdles: What obstacles stood in your way to reaching your goals?

3. Shifting Priorities: Have your priorities shifted, and if so, how?

4. Productivity Pulse: How have changes in your routine or habits impacted your productivity?

Whether you had specific goals for the year or not, it's never too late to make that change.

Goals are like the engine that propels our pursuits forward.

If you haven't explored effective goal-setting, check out this past issue.

As we approach the year-end issue, next week I'll talk about how a year can transform one’s life and set the stage for a great year ahead.

Stay tuned.

See you soon!

Uthman.