New Year is often a time when we want to close one chapter of our lives and start fresh – with new ideas, with new energy and determination to fulfill our goals.
What usually happens, we do set new goals but as the months progress, so does our goals whittle along with autumn yellow leaves – until they become forgotten, unfulfilled and replaced by random events called life.
Instead of making a New Year’s resolution list, I have a different proposition for you. Why ‘hit your head against the wall’, and think of what and how you can accomplish when you are looking for the answers in the wrong place?
Here are 6 questions for your creative reflection exercise that can help you evaluate what you have accomplished in the previous period/year and maybe start from there? You might have a project that you could finish or idea that didn’t have enough time and space to mature – maybe now it’s the moment to give it a try?
6 questions for creative reflection:
1.What creative/writing projects did you accomplish in the previous year?
2.What you have learned from that?
3.Are there any projects you didn’t start and why?
4.What would you like to do the most in the next year – is there any room for unfinished projects?
5.What is the obstacle, what is holding you back?
6.Describe your most creative moments in the previous year and think of ways how you can integrate more of that in your current life situation?
Use this as a starting point for designing more creative life in the next year. It is important for us to make an objective estimate and work from there: building a realistic foundation for inviting more creativity into our lives. Instead of setting, sometimes lofty goals that quickly escape our reach like deflating balloon – making little changes and adjustments in our current schedule can seem less daunting and scary – and more likely achievable.
To get in more depth in planning your projects consult these additional 9 questions that can help you clearing any doubts about your creative ideas, offerings, opportunities..
Do you have any exciting writing or creative ideas for the next year? Do you have a firm plan how to achieve it? Please, share with us in the comments below.
Naomi Shihab Nye
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These are some very good questions! #2 particularly resonates with me – I need to actively remind myself to see past experiences as learning outcomes, even when they haven’t resulted in anything “finished.”
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That’s a very good point! Thanks for sharing with us Vihelmina 🙂
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Ah, that is one of my favourite poems by Naomi Shihab Nye – I mentioned it too one New Year on my blog…
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Excellent questions, Maja, that I want to work through in the days ahead. Also, Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones – wishing you peace, joy, health, love, and blessings – over the holidays and in the coming year.
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Thank you for your kind words! I also wish you have a wonderful holiday season and prosperous and creative 2017 🙂
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Loved the poem
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Ideas for next year? At the end of August I left my profession with enough resources to concentrate fully for a year and an idea for a book. The last four months have been spent working out, in practical terms, how to achieve success. (By success I mean writing something meaningful.) One of the first things that hit me between the eyes was it will take considerably longer than one year. Having said that a plan is in place which, by answering the questions, above can only be improved and that is the primary task for the remainder of this year.
Sincerely enjoy what you are doing here, have a good break and success in the coming years.
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Thank you! I truly hope your writing plans will come to fruition and that the year ahead is one of the best you’ll experience 🙂
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Another great post that generates a lot of personal reflection Maja. I read some time ago about research in the US stating 40% of people cannot relate to goals and goal setting. I think it is more about creating the next small steps and the questions you have posed will help with that. Have a great Christmas and New Year and thank you for your excellent inspirational blog which has provided plenty of focus during 2016.
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Hi Davy! Well thank you for being my faithful reader and I’m glad if my blogging has somehow contributed to your creativity. I know about that research and I did have that in mind while writing this post. Sometimes is better to take look around, see where we are and work from there instead of pressuring ourselves with too much obligations.
I hope you will continue your great writing in the next year and I wish you prosperous and creative holiday season 🙂
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Thank you Maja 🙂
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I agree with DavyD!! A great post Maja! 6 Questions for Creative Reflection is just what I need. Just making a small start towards a goal is the hardest and most important step! Baby Steps (reminds me of the movie – What about Bob!)
I have to get out and dust off the quote I saved and loved but haven’t taken to heart as much as I should – “What Have You Done Today, To Make Your Dreams Come True? Not enough!
Thanks Maja for this post!
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Thank you for coming back to my blog and reading these posts. I’m so grateful to you and all my other readers and if I can help any how, the more motivation I get to write 🙂
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Reblogged this on Write Through It and commented:
The only New Year’s resolution I made in my adult life was when I was working on my first novel, The Mud of the Place, and was desperately afraid I was going to choke and not finish it. I resolved to work on it every day until it was done. Note that I did not resolve to write X number of words every day or for X number of hours. Sometimes I was so panicky that I opened the file at 10 minutes to midnight — and every single time I found something that needed doing.
Pretty much my only resolution is “Keep going,” and I make it every day. Nevertheless, I do like this list of non-resolutions and think I will give them a try. Maybe you will too.
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Thanks for sharing my post Susanna!
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It was a good one! I do believe it will inspire a future blog post or two or three . . . 🙂
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Love your questions and the poem, keep up our inspiring work.
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Thank you 🙂
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I love your take on the questions! Great blog post!
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Thank you!
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Many thanks for this article,Maja. Thought-provoking indeed. 🙂
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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Thank you maja, it’s always good to be reminded of this, not just in the new year.
For me, I’ve been seeing a theme running through my poems, and I’ve taken one of my longer ones to rework. I’m intending to incorporate my theme, and the ideas around it, that I have so far only expressed separately, and work them together into a more cohesive whole. Hm, kind of like what I’m indenting with my Self. Lol
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Thanks for reading and I do agree with you – it’s always interesting to go back to our earlier writings, reflect and even produce something more deep and creative. Hope you’ll have fun while doing it 🙂
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In this way I’m meeting the daily challenge, too. https://dailypost.wordpress.com/discover-challenges/retrospective/
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Thanks for sharing 🙂
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I guess my biggest project has been starting this blog. It wasn’t a new year’s resolution as such, and although I’m not an experienced writer by any means, it’s enjoyable and I hope to help people.
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Well you joined some great community here and I hope you’ll find inspiration to continue writing 🙂
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Thank you!
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This is a good and inspiring list. Forrest 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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The BIG answer this New Year is not to have a big answer, but to keep doing exactly what I’m doing, without doubts sapping my precious time and energy. We on the right road folks, just keep on going, it might take a while but we’ll get there soon enough.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂
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Lots planned for 2017! 4 books to publish and more to write!
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That’s amazing, I’m cheering for you 🙂
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This is something I needed to read today! Awesome. Thank you for such a great post!
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Thank you for reading 🙂
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Answer to number 5: Procastination holds me back
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🙂
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These are awesome! well done! Def following. I’m new to this site and very happy to finally find a place to share my words. If you ever wanna take a look that would be very much appreciated.
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