Here’s a little exercise I’ve done the last few years on New Year’s Eve.
1.List all your favourite times of the year.
These can be long stretches or little snapshots- anything you think back on fondly from the year gone. For me one year I had a certain month travelling during winter where I was in an excellent flow with my creative work. Then there was this walk I took with my mum. I also had a sweet conversation with my niece on a log on a beach at sun set. And I really enjoyed being on tour for a show. And reading a particular book over croissants. As you can see there’s no upper or lower limit to the things you can list. The idea here is to capture the magic.
2.List the commonalities
What are some of the overarching themes in these experiences? Using the above, I found that spending time away from home to complete creative tasks was good and enjoyable for me. Being in nature with people I love. Having a good fiction book on the go.
You should then have a pretty specific and juicy list of things that ensure you enjoy your experience of life! The idea is you can curate and plan your upcoming weeks and months using these themes as guides for how you spend your time.
You can also do the same exercise for the opposite-
- What are times you didn’t enjoy this past year?
- What are the commonalities?
- How can ensure you don’t experience these this year?
