As we enter the month of September, I'm reminded of the importance of taking a step back and reassessing our goals and priorities. With less than four months left in the year, it's the perfect time to reflect on what's working and what's not, and make any necessary adjustments.
I have to admit, I wasn't always a believer in the power of journaling. In fact, I used to think it was a waste of time, a luxury only afforded to those with too much time on their hands. All that changed four years ago when I started working with an executive coach. She introduced me to the concept of journaling as a tool for personal and professional growth, and I was skeptical at first. But as I began to incorporate journaling into my reflection routine, I started to see the benefits firsthand.
One of the most important lessons I've learned from my coach is that "the more senior you are, the more you should journal." It reminds me of the Zen quote "You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you're too busy, then you should sit for an hour." As leaders, we're often so focused on driving results that we forget to reflect regularly. Journaling provides a safe space to reflect on our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and to identify areas where we need to make changes.
As we enter the final stretch of the year, I want to encourage you to take some time to reflect on your goals and priorities. Here are a few journal prompts to get you started:
Are my 2024 goals still really what I want? Have my priorities and capacity changed over the past few months? What adjustments do I need to make to ensure I'm on track to achieving my desired outcomes?
Examine your values to ensure alignment. What's most important to me? Am I living in alignment with my values? What changes do I need to make to ensure I'm staying true to myself? (A free exercise here in case you haven't revisited your values recently: https://www.think2perform.com/values/)
What is no longer serving me and needs to be removed from my life? Is there a toxic relationship or a bad habit that's holding me back? Is there anything draining my energy unnecessarily? What steps can I take to eliminate these negative influences and make space for more uplifting experiences?
What was on the backburner that now should be put on the front burner before year-end? What are my top priorities, and what actions do I need to take to ensure I'm making progress on these goals?
Let's think about 2025 for a second. What kind of life do you want by then? Is there something I really want in my personal or professional life? What's holding me back? What if your greatest fear disappeared for one week or one month? How would you live differently?
I hope these prompts are helpful! Pro tip: If you really don't enjoy writing, you can try voice notes. If you have found useful insights from these reflection exercises, I'd love to hear from you!
Ps. After a few weeks of feeling pretty unwell this summer, I'll be refocusing on my mental and physical health. Thank you for those of you who took the time to check in on me when I got a little quiet. It means more than you know.
Be well,
Serena
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