Coping with the Holidays (Day 8)

Christmas season is an excellent time for reflection. The year is coming to an end and the new year is upon us. December/January has always been a time for me to take a look at the past year and think about the amount of change I have gone through in the span of 12 months.

As a child, I used to take inventory of my good deeds to bad deeds ratio. Since Christmas was around the corner, I would always be curious of whether or not I made it onto the nice list. It was no different every year, I was convinced that I was definitely on the naughty list. At that conclusion, I would make it my sole goal to ensure that for the next Christmas season, I would surely be on the nice list. Here we are, 20 years later, and I'm still not convinced that I would make it to the nice list, but my habit of reflecting over the year still exists.

I love reflection as it reminds me of the things that make me happy, the things that have helped me grow and the lessons that I have learned. It is also a time of looking forward. I take a look at what I have accomplished in the past year and what I can do in the following year to build on that momentum. This practice helps me connect with myself and helps me get to know myself a little better. I also learn to appreciate the challenges that life throws at me. In recognizing my challenges and my ability to overcome them, it builds confidence in myself as well as reinforce my resilience. I reflect on strategies that have worked and those that have not. I think about my weaknesses and how I can use the following year to improve them. I dwell on low points where I really could not bring myself up, but then shift my attention into thinking about the courage it took to get through that funk. I recreate memorable moments in my mind that have given me great joy, re-imagine the people that I spent quality time with, laugh at the jokes that were appreciated over the year and the adventures shared with loved ones.

This reflection really helps me appreciate life in general. It reminds me that it truly is the simple things in life that bring joy. I may not remember how an expensive birthday meal tastes, but I definitely recall the taste of Bulk Barn salted chocolate pretzels that I snuck into the movie theatres by hiding them in my romper. I may not remember the feeling of sleeping in fancy hotels, but I remember the help of locals that showed so much compassion while I was barfing up a storm.

I encourage you to take some time this holiday season to reflect and think about the year that has passed. What are you grateful for? What would you change? Would you even change anything? What were your highs? What were your lows? How does this reflection change your outlook for the new year?