Before charging into the new year, it’s important to pause and reflect. Here are some questions to help get you on your path of self-discovery:

1. What brought me the most joy this year – and why did it make me so happy?
2. What was my biggest personal triumph – and why am I proud of it? 
3. What was the bravest thing I did – and what did it teach me about myself? 
4. What was my biggest mistake – and what did I learn from it? 
5. What am I most grateful for – and who/what do I have to thank for it? 
6. What challenges did I overcome?   –  and what did they teach me?
7. What relationships brought me the most fulfillment?  – and who/what contributed to this feeling?
8. What habits and routines served me well?  – and what benefits did I receive?
9. How did I grow as a person?  – and what will I do to keep growing?
10. What do I wish I had done differently?  – and what will I do about it now?

Take some time to write out your answers to these self-coaching questions.  

What has been revealed? How will you use these reflections to light your path for the coming year?

Bonus: Find a trusted friend, colleague or partner share the questions for them to reflect on, and then share your responses with each other. Verbally talking through your answers will provide a deeper layer of understanding for yourself and the person you are sharing with. 

It’s amazing how a few sunsets and rainbows can wash the stress away. I have just returned from the most amazing two-week vacation. The first week I spent quality time with my awesome hubby, Jon, and the second week I spent with my amazing sister, Donna.  It didn’t hurt that it was on the beautiful island of Maui. From the moment I stepped off the plane, I felt a release.

I don’t know about you, but daily I have so much information coming at me I feel buried, so I asked myself, “How do I want to be on this vacation? Instead of What do I want to do?” My perspective shifted when I answered: I want to be present, at peace and in awe. I needed to get real about what it would take for me to show up that way. I made a commitment to myself that I was going to truly disconnect.  No news. No social media. No work. No agenda. No problem, right?

As I reflect on the trip, I realize how much I gained by reducing all the noise and living in the present. I experienced slow mornings sipping tea and writing in a gratitude journal, I spent in nature hiking the Lao Valley watching the water flow to the ocean, I sipped champagne on the cliffs and ate fresh seafood, I swam with sea turtles and dined with a gecko, and most importantly I deepened the relationships with my loved ones. Vacations and rest are not just for summer, it is a necessity to take time all year round to recharge so you can be at your best.

Self-Coaching Corner: Questions to Plan Time to Pause and Recharge

• When is my next scheduled break?
• How do I want to feel during this break?
• Who do I want to share this break with?
• How will this break help me recharge?

A TALENT is a natural recurring way of thinking, feeling or behaving. Represents a capacity to do something. TALENT combined with knowledge and skill create strength.

A STRENGTH is the ability to provide consistent, high performance in a given activity. When fully developed and applied, it is the basis for achievement and excellence. STRENGTHS are PART of your personality – they affect your character, temperament, disposition and identity.

Use these journal prompts and self-coaching exercises to help you deepen your understanding of how to leverage your strengths through self-reflection.

Describe a day when you were at your best, What were you doing? Who, if anyone, were you with?

Thinking about that day, how were your strengths in action?

5 Strengths I have are…

What does each strength allow me to do?

When/Where have I recently used each strength?

Commit to the following action to leverage a strength, and then complete the following statements:

• The strength I chose to focus on is
• The action I will take is
• The specific steps I will take to implement the action are

After you have implemented the action, then answer the following question.

• What did I learn about myself that I didn’t know before taking these actions?

My strengths can be leveraged to address needs, challenges and issues at work.  Complete the statement to identify opportunities to apply your strengths.

My strength in _______________________________could be used to address_________________________________________________________________________.

This is just a beginning of your journey of self-discovery. Taking the time to reflect empowers you to create a roadmap for your professional path and navigate the rapidly changing world of work.

Until next time, here’s to unleashing your true potential through the power of self-coaching.