Reflect on 2023 and prepare yourself to achieve your vision for 2024.
We’re about halfway through the first month of the new year already! For me, these initial two weeks of 2024 have been crazy hectic with both a vacation and a death in the family happening just as the year began.
For the past month or so, I’ve been slowly working on my vision for what I want this year to look like for myself. This has involved a lot of self reflection, journaling, and creating a vision board. Journaling has been a great way for me to reflect and create actionable goals for myself.
Below I’ve complied a bunch of journaling prompts that I’ve used so far to help me get a snapshot of my ups and downs from 2023, get an understanding of what I can improve for 2024, and set actionable habits and goals to strive for in different areas of my life.
Reflecting on 2023
Reflecting on the year behind you can help sort out what went right and what went wrong. You can find gratitude in your successes and motivation in your failures. Assessing your previous year helps you take the good and leave the bad.
Prompt #1: What goals did I accomplish this year?
Prompt #2: What were the most significant challenges or obstacles I faced this year?
Prompt #3: What major lessons did I learn this year?
Prompt #4: What were the best and worst moments of this year?
Prompt #5: In what ways did I change this year? In what ways did I stay the same?
Setting Goals for 2024
It’s hard to accomplish anything without a plan. Taking the time to really think about what you want 2024 to bring into your life will set yourself up for success. From there, all you need to do is put your plan into motion.
Prompt #1: What is my word of the year?
Prompt #2: What interests or hobbies do I want to pick up or explore this year?
Prompt #3: What ways can I challenge myself?
Prompt #4: What healthy habits do I want to focus on?
Prompt #5: What are my personal, professional, and financial goals this year?
Putting it in Action
Now that you’ve reflected on your past year and the year to come, it’s time to create an action plan. It’s important to lay the groundwork for success so you don’t find yourself giving up on your goals before the end of the month.
If, for example, one of your financial goals is to save $6000 this year, how will you accomplish this? Maybe you save $500 per month, setting aside $250 from every paycheck. If one of your healthy habits is exercising more, prioritize it by scheduling it into your calendar.
And remember, we are not bound to the goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year. As the year progresses, life may change and we may need or want to adjust our goals. It’s important to be able to listen to our bodies and make decisions that reflect our own best interest.