2018 in Review: An Exercise in Gratitude
So, I blinked and we’re nine days into 2019! Church and gym parking lots are packed thanks to the new resolutions that come with a new year. Store shelves are filled with containers and bins to help us bring order to the chaos of our closets. The sound of new pens being uncapped resounds across desktops everywhere, etching the first checklists in new day planners.
And every fiber of my being wants to do the same. Set new goals. Organize those shelves. Write those lists.
And I will.
But there’s a small voice within beckoning me not to rush into the new year without first pausing to look back. To take stock of what 2018 brought my way.
And let’s be real: looking back isn’t as fun as charging ahead. Because where the new year has to offer a fresh, clean slate, last year looks more like the classroom chalkboards of our youth, clouded with the dust of erasers that have lost their erasing power, layers of old messages and mistakes faintly visible in different lights, marks permanently scratched into its surface by unruly children on substitute teacher days. “Fresh and clean” it is not.
But the reason I listened to that voice this year is because I listened to this same voice a year ago when I created a “year in review” spread in my bullet journal. And, friend, it was SUCH a meaningful practice, I resolved to make it an annual tradition.
So, this Monday during Juniper’s nap, I flipped to the back of *my new Horacio Planner–to those extra dot grid pages–and I wrote out some categories on shreds of magazine pages to help guide my reflections on 2018:
- highlights
- travels
- my one word
- favorite memory
- biggest accomplishment
- biggest challenge
- best book
- successes
- time well spent
- lessons learned
I jogged my memory of what actually happened last year by scrolling through my camera roll, 1 Second Everyday videos, and our family calendar. And by the time our little firecracker was rubbing the sleepies out of her eyes, I had two whole pages filled up.
I spent the next few days reading over them–sharing them with Mark–comparing my “2018 in review” to my “2017 in review”–marveling at how much life we lived, and all the joy and love we shared (even through the hardships).
And in the midst of all this looking back, something shifted inside me.
Now remember, I’m a recovering perfectionist (emphasis on the word, recovering). I’m quick to slide back into my perfectionist ways. Last week, if you asked me about 2018, I would have focused on all the ways I fell short of meeting my 2018 goals. The baby book I didn’t finish. The prayer group I never started. The video footage left unedited. The unchecked lists.
Measuring my year in terms of how many goals I’ve met will always leave me feeling like a failure.
But through this practice of looking back on what did happen, I’m able to see all that we’ve been given. The sweet visitors we broke bread with. The travel adventures we took. The hard work we invested into projects that bred victory…and the hard work that didn’t breed victory, but instead bred learning. The valleys God faithfully walked us through. The mountaintops we summited–some planned and some unplanned.
There are an abundance of gifts all around us. Sometimes we just need to slow down, and look back–look closely–to see them.
And friends, that shift inside me that I mentioned? It’s huge! It’s everything.
It’s contentment where I formerly was discontent. It’s gratitude where I was feeling envy. Peace where I had been anxious.
Clean slate, I’m comin’ for ya.
But first, I’m gonna take a little more time to with my worn out chalkboard of a year. It turns out, she has her own goodness to offer me yet.
Action Takers
After completing a “year in review” spread two years in a row, I can attest to its incredible value for not only fostering a heart of gratitude, and helping to put all of our new year goal-setting into perspective.
I want to invite you to join me in pausing to look back and take stock at what 2018 brought your way–either through creating your own version of a “year in review” with specific headings like I did. Or even just by choosing one of the headings and freewriting a list for 10 minutes.
See where it leads. See what it shifts within you.
Where to go next?
If you’re curious to see the dream-map of my One Word for 2019, here ya go.
If you’re curious to see my other “Year in Review” spreads, here ya go: 2017 | 2019
If you’re eager to learn more about bullet journaling, here’s the inside scoop in 5 Bullet Journaling Myths…Debunked!
Wondering what my favorite tool for capturing memories happens to be? It involves just One Second of Video Everyday. Yup. Crazy awesome.
*Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase after clicking through, The Thinking Closet may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping to support this site!
Maybe these categories (or similar ones) would be a good outline for those annual holiday greeting letters! Hmmmm, still need to do ours! You work fast to finish your 2018 review in the time of one Junie nap..Looking at the year of photos and your calendar probably really helped to bring key moments to the fore-front. I have some time this weekend with the snow storm coming.
I’m going to review 2018 and pick a word for 2019!
Good thinking! The future “Lanker Letters” perhaps! I drafted it in one lonnnnng nap, but it took a bit longer to map out in my planner and to create my watercolor letters…don’t give me too much credit, ha ha! Hope your time of reflecting back and looking forward was/is fruitful!
Lauren, I love your compassion and inspiration! It’s a good thing to reflect back on our year and see what we did and where we went – helps to reinforce living a life of accomplishments and not failures. We really tend to be too hard on ourselves, too critical. And it takes hard work to change that way of thinking!
Also, congrats on baby #2 on the way!
P.S., I LOVE the nail polish you have on in that last photo of you – would you mind sharing what it is?
Happy 2019!
Yessssss! I tend to be very critical of myself (and others at times). This was such a useful practice in fostering a heart of more gratitude. There really is SO much to be thankful for, even in the face of challenges and hardships. Aw, and thanks for the warm congrats! We are very excited to add another little lady to our family this spring.
P.S. They are “Color Street” nail strips. I learned about them from Layla from The Lettered Cottage on Instagram, and decided to give ’em a try. It takes me about 20 minutes to apply them at home, and I can get two manicures (or a mani and ped) out of one $12 set. They last me about 7 – 10 days and probably would last more if I was faithful to apply clear coats. But I’m a big fan! You can check out her “My Nails” Insta-story highlights on the top menu of her Instagram feed to see her talk about them…and link to her shop. Have fun!
Love the YEAR IN REVIEW idea, Lauren!!! I’m taking notes on this right now from your shared book of category notations! This is a splendid way to focus on the positives and the blessings, despite the incompletions, bloopers, etc. Thanks for sharing & inspiring!
Oh I’m so happy to hear this resonated with you, Juanita! Ha ha, yes, life is full of bloopers isn’t it? Seeing all the blessings around us helps us to laugh through them a bit more (or at least see our growth as a result of the hardships!). Thanks for reading and commenting! Happiest of 2019s to you!
I am SO doing this … goes with another truth I heard the other day … stop being a bully to yourself. Not sure how to make that my “word” for 2019, but maybe it’ll be my motto! Anyway, going to hop right on celebrating 2018 and remember the good! Here’s to 2019 … bring it!
YES! Do it, Kim! I know you’ll be encouraged through the process. Maybe “self-love” could be your “word”? 😉 There’s a great Andrew Peterson song called “Be Kind to Yourself” that I think could be your theme song. It’s a favorite of ours! (He wrote it for his daughter. The music video is really sweet.) Ha ha, yes, bring it on, 2019!
Loved this! You are always so thoughtful and intentional. Thank you for sharing this beautiful practice of gratitude. Happy New Year (and old year), dear friend.
Aw, thanks for the love, my friend. You made me smile with that last line. Makes me think we should start saying, “Happy old year!” to throw people off guard and spark some meaningful conversation, ha ha.
Lovely! I would need to sit and do the same, as I am one that check lists continue on, and often like today, thing not on the list are higher priority!
I’m glad you found some inspiration here! I do love me a good checklist…but it’s so easy to tie our joy to the checkmark instead of the bigger priorities tugging on our hearts, right? Thanks for taking the time to comment, Neva!