Reflect on this past year and shape 2023 for more fun, ease and contentment.

‘The product of your past thoughts is the life you are currently living!’!

This saying recently reminded me again that we create our world ourselves - with what we focus our thoughts on. 

The year that is ending, the beginning of the new year and the associated holidays offer a good opportunity to reflect on our lives and, if necessary, to 're-think' and redesign certain parts of our lives.

Since we don't have roadmaps for our lives, often the easiest way to go through life is to be reactive rather than actively heading in a certain direction or towards a certain goal.

Why not make next year your best year yet? Why not take responsibility and shape your life to make it the way you want it to be?

Below are some ‘tools’ that might help you in the process: 

1. The 'Wheel of Life' which helps you assess the eight areas of life - in the here and now.

After you have assessed (on a scale of 1 to 10, 10= very good) each area, identify the areas of life in which you rated yourself low or in which you see potential for improvement.

For each area of life, you will find questions that can help you to think about what a redesign or rethinking of life could look like. If the suggested questions don't suit you, find questions that will help you advance and think outside the box.

First, go through the general questions and then the specific questions about the different areas of life. It might be a good idea for you to start by answering the questions with just a few words, and then take time later to dig deeper into the redesign topics.

Explanation of the ‘Wheel of Life':

The Wheel of Life is a visual tool used in coaching to help clients quickly understand how balanced or fulfilled their lives are at this moment.

The wheel consists of 8 (and up to 10 - feel free to add any that you think are missing) areas that are important to most people for a fulfilling and balanced life. Clients rate their satisfaction with each area of life and then map them onto a picture of a wheel. This visual gives an immediate overview of your current "life balance" by using ratings on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 is the highest value). You can color the Wheel of Life or simply write the number inside.

Crucially, the Wheel of Life allows clients to immediately see areas of their lives that could potentially benefit from improvement - a helicopter view of how satisfied they are with their life across predefined key categories such as health, finances and relationships.

53 Questions to advance, rethink or redesign your life for the best year ever:

5 general life questions:

1. What would you try in the new year if you knew you couldn't fail?

2. What would be your biggest triumph at the end of the year?

3. What advice would you like to give yourself to start the new year?

4. What is your greatest joy and how can you include more of it in the new year?

5. What is the one change you would like to bring into your life in the new year that will make you feel happier?

5+1 questions about your relationship/ partnership:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. To what extent is your relationship at eye level on all levels?

3. If your relationship were ideal, what would be different compared to now?

4. How do you contribute to making your relationship with your partner ideal?

5. What do you need to allow or let go of to be more content/happier in your relationship?

6. To what extent can you improve communication in your relationship?

5+1 questions about your health:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. How would you describe a 'healthy' lifestyle?

3. What one health-related thing would you like to change about your lifestyle this year?

4. What activities would you like to add to your routine this year?

5. Who could be a partner who encourages, supports and guides you towards a new sporting routine?

6. What would you be willing to try that is outside of your comfort zone to improve your health?

5+1 questions about your finances:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. What could you do to give yourself more financial peace?

3. What changes can you make to improve your financial situation?

4. What realistic amount of money would you like to have saved by the end of the year?

5. Imagine if you asked for a raise and it was granted - how much money do you think your job is worth?

6. What financial risk are you willing to take this year?

5+1 questions about your career:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. What would your career be like if you had unlimited choices and could do anything?

3. Which of your strengths or undeveloped talents are you willing to nurture this year?

4. What is your life really about? What is your purpose in life? Why are you doing what you are doing?

5. If you knew you couldn't fail at your career, what would you do?

6. How could you bring more joy and satisfaction to your work or education?

5+1 questions about your spiritual life:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. What miracle would you like to experience this year?

3. What unfinished business would you like to finish this year?

4. How attitude and behaviors could you adapt to fully support who you are?

5. If you weren't afraid, what would you do?

6. If your life was based solely on your values, what would it be like?

5+1 questions about your family:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. What contribution would you like to make this year in terms of family activities?

3. What is your favorite thing to do with your family and how can you make more time for it?

4. Which important family members would appreciate more time with you?

5. If you had a wish for your family, what would it be and how/when can you communicate this wish to the family?

6. What do you want to accept and/or let go of about your family?

5+1 questions about your personal development:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. Why is it important to you to invest in your development?

3. What topics would you like to explore this year that make you feel like you've evolved?

4. How much time per week, month or quarter would you like to invest in your further development this year?

5. What do you want to learn this year that you have put off until now?

6. What would be different once you've completed your advancement topics?

5+1 questions about your social life:

1. What would make your rating on the Wheel of Life one number higher?

2. What could you incorporate into your social life to have more fun?

3. Who can you spend more time with this year to experience new things?

4. What does your dream vacation look like this year, who are you spending it with and when are you planning it?

5. If you could throw a themed party for yourself, what theme would it be?

6. What and who could bring more joy and happiness into your life this year?

Wishing you from the bottom of my heart that going through the reflecting exercise using life area questions to up your rating of your different life areas will contribute to your best year ever! 

All the best to you and cheers to a wonderful new year!

Kind regards,

SabineDecember 2022