Any time of the year is a great time to press the pause button and reflect on:
- Where you’ve been
- Where you are
- Where you want to go
With the arrival of the year 2020, a new year and a new decade, there’s no time like now to be fully mindful of changes you want to make to ensure you attract joy into your journey. It’s the perfect opportunity to start fresh and become an even better version of who you were last year.
The power of self-reflection is that it can keep you focused on self-improvement that will bring you forward movement in your life. Movement that will make life a little better for yourself and others, and ensure you are the best version of yourself.
Go into the new year with excitement to enjoy the journey. Not everything life brings will be sunshine and roses. Focus on the good nuggets that come out of not-so-good circumstances, and let go of the rest that doesn’t serve you well.
5 Self-Reflection Questions
Here are helpful questions that you can reflect on now and on a regular basis throughout the year. Get clear on what you want and what is possible. Then you can jump on opportunities that the universe will surely bring your way.
PIN FOR LATER!
1. What knowledge and skills could you develop?
When developing skills, people most often think about careers and areas of expertise. Developing self-improvement knowledge and skills is also important and satisfying.
What would you like to learn more about so you can improve yourself? Consider self-awareness, meditation, communication, intuition, oracle card reading, The Law of Attraction, reducing negative self-talk, building self-confidence, and the list goes on and on.
A little investment in yourself can have life-long benefits. In my life, I’ve noticed that self-development activities have an accumulative effect, and the value of an investment increases with time.
Read books, listen to podcasts, watch webinars, get a life coach, or attend conferences.
Make learning fun! If you have fun with it, you’ll be more likely to apply and integrate it into your life. I am blessed to meet with a small group of like-minded friends for a monthly discussion group. We have fun while sharing ideas, thoughts, education, resources, etc.
(I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.)
My Self-Improvement Book Recommendations
(Click on the image to view on Amazon)
2. What new strategies can you integrate into your social relationships?
Attitudes are contagious, so choose your friends wisely.
Do you want to grow your friendship pool? What hobbies or community classes can you take where you’ll naturally meet people with similar interests? Activities that facilitate conversation are even better for meeting people.
Do you need to move away from some friendships that are making you be less than your best? When a friendship reaches its end, it’s simply time for another new beginning.
Also, think about what you want in friendships and decide if you would meet that standard. Do you need to work on your listening skills? Develop empathy? Learn to trust?
For more thoughts about the importance of your social relationships and how they can either support or bring you down, read my post How to Build a Circle of Support for Your Life.
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”
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3. What lessons can you learn from last year to make life better going forward?
Life is a continuous learning experience. Some life lessons can only be learned by facing certain situations. We can learn from both our own experiences and from those of people around us.
Live and learn! It’s up to YOU to choose to get motivated to make changes to make life better.
Make last year’s experiences (good and bad) work for you in the new year. What did you learn that you can now use in the present and going forward? Think about life areas such as health, spiritual, career, social, personal, friendships, fun, etc.
This reminds me of the ol’ saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
4. What is an intention you can set to empower yourself?
Intention statements can help you live purposefully. It’s not about what you “should” do or what you “need” to do, and is all about what you choose to do.
I really like the intention statement format I learned in the Life Coach Certification Program at the Fearless Living Institute. The format is: “I am willing to practice…”
Being willing to practice takes the focus away from the end result, and puts the focus on your process. You’re not dependent on someone else doing something to be successful. It empowers you because you are making choices, and not waiting for someone to do something to make you happy.
For example:
“I am willing to practice being a good friend”
You can then add goals to support that intention statement, such as:
- I will listen more closely to my friends.
- I will plan one outing per month with various friends.
- I will journal 3 gratitudes each evening about people in my life.
Note that to be successful, my friends don’t have to do anything in particular. Success is in my control.
Learn more: How to Create a Powerful Intention
5. What are your dreams that you want to make a reality?
In order to create the life of your dreams, you need to know what you want.
- What do you want your future to look like?
- What things that make your heart go pitter-patter?
- Do you want that house with a white picket fence or do you want to travel the world?
Get in touch with yourself, identify your dreams, and focus on attracting those desires into your life. Understanding The Law of Attraction and how energy flows where attention goes will make what seems like “magic” happen in your life.
A vision board can be the first step in purposely bringing the things you want into your life because it makes you think about and create an intention for what you want. (Read my post about how to make a vision board.)
If you can dream it, you can live it!
Catalyst For a Joy-Filled Life
Your future self thanks you for taking time to reflect upon and answer these questions honestly, and then put your responses into action so you can gain forward growth for a better, more joy-filled 2020. (I just love that number!)
Use the above self-reflection questions as a catalyst to make 2020 your best year yet. Don’t wait! Take a baby step and get started today. Reflect, set your intention, and then envision a light shining on the path to your happiness and dreams.
I leave you with a saying I learned in my Fearless Living studies that really helps keep on keeping on:
Do what you can, when you can, the best you can.
[Update:] Bringing joy into your daily life is important, so I’m adding a related post that I think is relevant for reflecting to make life better. It’s called Finding Joy in the Little Things. It offers thoughts about finding joy in little things and simple moments. Purposely seek little joys to take your power back from negative thinking and attract a more fulfilled life.
Special Invitation For You!
Would you like my support as a Life Coach? After our work together, you will have:
- An understanding of how fear makes you behave in ways that don’t support your goals
- Tools to move through fear-based behaviors like not speaking up for yourself or holding back when you want to play full-out
- Trust in yourself to make the right choices and not constantly question your actions
- Self-confidence to achieve things you’ve never attempted before
- A better life with more meaning, fun, and joy!
Want to know more? Book a free strategy call and let’s talk!
PIN TO REMEMBER TO REFLECT EACH YEAR:

Thank you Ellen, this inspiring article is the springboard for me for 2020.
Such profound questions that I’m sure we all will refer to not only at the beginning of each year but throughout the year to kerp life balanced and focused. Thats my theme for 2020, Be focused and balanced!
Take care
Mohsina
Another great thought starter! Thanks Ellen. I am hoping Bruce will do the vision board with me as I know we have some differences and I would like to attract what we share in common!
A couple’s vision board is a great idea. I imagine lots of golf and some beaches!😀 You really got me thinking… I think I’ll approach Ray with that idea.
I love the idea of intention statements!!!!
Intentions are a tool that really help me stay compassionate with myself while I take steps toward my goals.
And I love this so much! Self reflection is me. all the time.