How’s my
life going? Am I the kind of person I want to be? Doing what I’ve set out to
do? How can I make life better?
Many of us wait for a milestone, like the beginning of a new
year to ask these questions. Some of us begin to think in terms of a life
review as we reach a certain age. Others wait for a crisis to heave us into
contemplation. The truth is that ANYTIME
is a good time to take an honest look at what course we’ve taken. From there,
we can decide if this is the route we intended to take or whether it’s a path that
is beneficial or not, in light of our desires, skills, and values.
Doing an Anytime Review* has its advantages.
- · We can get our bearings. (Where am I right now?)
- · We become aware and have the opportunity to make changes or shifts. (What next?)
- · We validate what we’ve done and how far we’ve come. (I’m right on track. I’ve done a good job. Or: I need to make some adjustments.)
In order to lend a structure to the Anytime Review, it helps
to have a few guidelines and points to think about. The over-arching question
is: Where am I right now on my journey
in life? Finish a few sentence beginnings in your head and jot the sentences
down. This helps narrow the focus.
- · On my journey, I think . . .
- · On my journey, I am grateful . . .
- · On my journey, I regret . . .
- · On my journey, I feel proud . . .
- · On my journey, I am determined . . .
- · As I continue my journey, I need . . .
When working with the Anytime Review, I choose one or more
of the finished sentences from above and write about them in my Journal. I set
those aside for a day or so, then return with “new eyes” to read what I thought
and wrote.
This process has led me to forgive myself for actions I
regretted from my younger days, something that I didn’t know still bothered me.
From the Anytime Review, I’ve been able to express gratitude and visualize
where I wanted to go next and what I needed to help me get there.
With life being so unpredictable, it helps to check up on
ourselves in an honest, tangible way. We don’t have to wait for a milestone or
a landmark occasion. We can do it anytime. How about now?
Wishing you a happy, healthful New Year on your journey.
~ xoA ~
*Adapted from
Abe Arkoff. “The Illuminated Life.”
