This morning for some reason it donned on me that realistically there are at least two approaches that I use in this process:
– chronological
– area focused
Chronological
Simply put I will pick a period of time, normally a month at a time, and mentally go through what all happened during that month. During the year, I try to keep a calendar of what is coming up, as most people do, but I also attempt to add back in some of the major things that happened. In addition to that calendar I have keep a calendar that outlines what I have done in general each hour or two that I am awake in a day, at least what I have done in specific areas of my life. This is not a habit of mine quite yet; I might get back to it at some point, but looking at those periods of time really helps me remember what was going on and what the *wins* were.
Area Focused
As opposed to an open “What was going on in March of 2008?” approach to reflection, in this one I start with a specific area, like my physical, and either look at records or just think about where I was and where I am and write down what the major milestones were.
The best Approach
Either way is good as long as you don’t ignore some area of your life. Some areas you will find easier or more natural. There will be a strong draw to those areas. Those natural areas are probably either one of two extremes:
– area you are naturally drawn to – thus needing the least amount of work and intention in
– area you struggle with – your wins jump out at you because they are so unique or special
The best approach really depends on you. I tend to use both, one at a time, or a combination. Part of this process really is just to make you look at your life from a different set of eyes, perspective, or paradigm at least for a short period of time.
