It’s past April Fool’s day—which means that you’ve made it through the first quarter of the year. It’s a great time to stake stock of goals and plans to see what kind of progress you’ve made so far, and to tweak and adjust as necessary. Life is an adventure, and like any great story, it has peaks and valleys.
Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.
Take a moment to evaluate how your first three months have been. There are two primary choices: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them. To help you reflect on the first quarter, ask yourself the following:
- What are the first thoughts that come to mind about the first quarter? Mostly positive, negative, or neutral?
- What was one of the most interesting things I’ve learned so far?
- Who was one person I met that I’d like to get to know better? Why?
- What was one of my most challenging moments? Why?
- What was one of my favorite accomplishments?
- What was one personal strength I used this quarter? How did it benefit my work or life?
- What hurdle came up more than once? (time, money, attitude, location, knowledge, etc.)
- How well did I communicate with the people who matter most to me?
- What three events or accomplishments were made possible by the help of others?
- What advice would I offer someone else on the basis of a lesson I’ve learned so far?
- What are three problems that came up at work? How did I approach solving those problems? Are there any trends in those problems or solutions?
- Who needed my encouragement this quarter? What did I say or do to help them along?
- If I were writing a memoir, what would I highlight in the chapter about this quarter?
- What was I doing when I forgot about time and was able to be “in the zone”?
- What frustration seemed to come up again and again?
- What did I start and not finish?
- What did I try and fail?
- What three things am I curious to know more about?
- If I could wave a magic wand and master one skill, what would it be? Why?
- Who is one person I could help right now? How? What would it “cost” me? What would I gain?
- When did I slow someone else’s progress? Why? What was I worried about?
- What’s one thing I made or created from scratch? How did that feel?
- What’s one thing I did that left me exhausted at the end? How did that feel?
- What’s one thing I was a part of this quarter that I’ll remember for the rest of my life? Why?
- What was the nicest thing someone did for me?
- What was the nicest thing I did for someone else?
- If I could change one thing that happened, what would it be?
- What felt difficult last year ago that now feels easy (or easier)?
- Of the books I read this quarter, which was my favorite?
- How did I capture my thoughts and feelings? (journaling, writing, social media sharing, talking one-on-one with friends or family, etc.) Was that method helpful?
- What are six adjectives that best describe this quarter? What would I like those adjectives to be next quarter?
