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This Year Upon Reflection

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Dec 30, 2024
  • 2 min read


Time is relative and that is never more obvious than on New Year's Eve.  You might have your list of New Year's resolutions already to go on January 1, but they are forgotten by January 31.  This situation can be compounded if you are retired.  You are not in the resolution state of mind.  Then, in a blink, it is the end of another year. How did your year go?  Instead of making resolutions, try reflecting on this past year and discover how your year really went!

Even if you didn’t have a plan, here are some questions to help you recall what you did, or didn’t do.


·      Major Accomplishment: What was your biggest accomplishment this year?  What goal did you achieve that you’re most proud of?


·      Challenges and Growth: What was the most significant challenge you faced this year and how did you overcome it? What did you learn about yourself during this challenging time?


·      Personal Development: What new skills did you acquire or significantly improve upon this year?


·      Relationship Dynamics: How did your relationships with family and friends evolve this year?  Who made a significant positive impact on your life?


·      Positive Experiences: What was your favorite memory from this past year? What brought you the most joy?


·      Areas of Improvement: What are the areas where you feel you could have done better this year? What changes can you make to address these areas?


·      Gratitude: What are you most grateful for this year?


·      Self-Awareness: What did you learn about yourself this year?


·      Future Goals: What are your top priorities and goals for the coming year? What steps can you take to achieve them?


·      Time Management: How did you utilize your time this year? What could you have done differently to manage your time more effectively?


·      Biggest Surprises: What was the biggest surprise or unexpected event that happened this year?


·      Biggest Mistake: What was your biggest mistake this year, and what lesson did you learn from it?


These are general questions that can be tailored to your life.  Why go through this review?  As you get older it is so easy to fall into a routine that is just ‘routine’.  Your brain needs stimulation, mental challenges, novelty, exercise, fun, and the ability to grieve and learn resilience.  When your biggest statement at the end of the year is “Where did the year go?” then you have done your brain a disservice.  Reflect on these questions and honestly answer them.  You will have your bearings on where you are in your life.  Celebrate the accomplishments and think seriously about the challenges.  It will increase your life satisfaction and give you a sense of fulfillment.  The goals for the New Year will then have meaning and give you the promise of a Happy New Year!

 

 
 
 

Comments

   And suddenly it is May!! April turned out to be an extremely busy month and I was caught off-guard by the start of May. There are a lot of activities and celebrations that kick off May and start the Spring-Summer season. The 151st Running of the Kentucky Derby was May 3. It was a mudder this year. We had experienced consistent rain throughout April, and it hasn’t left the area. The horses in that race are incredibly beautiful even when they covered in mud! Sovereignty, a three-year-old colt was the winner!! In a move I applaud, the owner of this beautiful horse was asked if they were going to have him run in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown. This owner deferred his answer because he wanted to talk to his team, but most of all, he wanted to see how Sovereignty was doing. The Preakness is only a couple of weeks from the Kentucky Derby and the lure of winning the Triple Cown has resulted in some bad decisions about entering a horse that hadn’t recovered from the Derby. May 4, was the 27th Flying Pig Marathon. If you have been following me for a while, you would know that my husband Russ and I volunteered at the race, running a fluid station for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for 25 years. This race is amazing. Last year it was voted as one of the Best Marathons in the Country. I watched from the comfort of my dry home (still raining) and finally got to see what happens at the finish line. The stories of the runners were great! This race was the first time that the male winner had ever run a full marathon! The female winner had run many marathons, but this was the first time that she ran the Flying Pig! It sounded like she will be back next year because she said she was thinking while she was running that this was the most fun marathon, she had ever been in. (I can’t imagine even thinking while I was running a marathon!) Then there was an older woman who had just finished her 159th marathon! She was incredible! Next week she is on her way to New Zealand to run again! Everything these runners practice can be applied to maintaining a high-functioning brain. Of course, the lifestyle they practice is phenomenal for brain health. I teach about neuroplasticity and the power that we possess to change our brain. But to do that we must be dedicated to that change by repetitively and consistently challenging our brain. It is a marathon for brain health that we must live.

 

   May is Older Americans Month, and it is a time to recognize the contributions of older adults and highlight the positive impact they have on communities. The 2025 theme is “Flip the Script on Aging” encouraging individuals and communities to challenge negative stereotypes and celebrate the diverse experiences of aging. Celebrations often involve community events workshops, and activities designed to engage and connect older adults.

 

   I am booking online and in-person presentations for June. Topics are extensive. Contact me at patricia@myboomerbrain.com if you would like to discuss a presentation for an event or organization.Enjoy the renewal of May.

 

My very best, Pat

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