7 Reflection Questions for the New Year
Many people naturally spend time around the new year practicing self-reflection. They consider the past, look toward the future, and perhaps make resolutions or set goals based on what they’ve learned about themselves. My practice is to review my journal entries from the previous year, noticing themes and considering what intentions God might have me set for the upcoming year.
As I scrolled through my Instagram feed around New Year’s, I noticed that several people I follow were setting aside time to journal with the help of a few reflection questions. On New Year’s Day, I took a few quiet moments to work through some of the questions in my friend Rev. Dr. Laura Murray’s New Year’s reflection guide. (Laura is a spiritual director and serves as director of Spiritual Engagement and Innovation for Fuller’s Center for Spiritual Formation.)
Positive Self-Reflection is Good For You
As I wrote in a previous article, positive self-reflection can enhance our well-being. It can also help us grow as leaders. We can practice reflection individually and with our teams. Instead of ruminating on what didn’t go well last year, let’s reflect on the past thoughtfully and prayerfully so that we can carry the true, beautiful, and good into this year. And let’s consider our hopes and what God might be inviting us into.
Questions to Ask Yourself
If you’re not naturally introspective, it’s good to keep handy a list of questions to ask yourself when making space for self-reflection. Here are seven reflection prompts you can use at the beginning of the new year.
- As I reflect on the past year, what are 1-2 lessons learned that I want to bring into this year? Why are these lessons significant to me?
- What 2-3 core values would I like to shape my life, work, and leadership this year? What might those values look like in action? (To help uncover core values, we love The Values Deck™ by Rebecca Johnson, one of our cohort guides.)
- What brought me joy this past year? How can I get more of that joy this year? (If you like this question, consider watching this video from Dr. Pam King, director of Fuller’s Thrive Center from Human Development.)
- In what areas of my work and leadership do I sense God calling me to exercise faith this year? What might it look like to exercise faith in these areas? How might I learn to depend on God and God’s people in new ways?
- What might it look like for me to be more loving in my work relationships this year? Who, specifically, might God be inviting me to love better?
- What is one professional relationship I would like to improve this year? What inner work do I need to do to be a better contributor to this relationship?
- What are 2-3 skills, habits, or traits that I need to cultivate to be a more effective people leader this year? Who could mentor me to help me develop these skills, habits, or traits?
Do you have any favorite reflection questions that you like to use at the beginning of a new year? Let us know in the comments.
Meryl Herr
Director of Research and Resources
Dr. Meryl Herr is the Director of Research and Resources at the Max De Pree Center for Leadership where she designs and conducts research studies that add to the understanding of what helps marketplace leaders flourish. She also oversees the team’s efforts to convert research findings into r...