That’s it – we’re in 2022. The holidays are coming to an end and you might be feeling the pressure of a new year. Although a new year brings new beginnings, it also brings the responsibility to make the most of it.

This sense of responsibility can make us act impatiently – set audacious goals without having reflected on the lessons we’ve taken from the year that’s gone.

A quote to keep in mind

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

– Socrates

How to start 2022 feeling grounded

Before attempting to set audacious goals for 2022, take some time to reflect on what went well and what didn’t go so well in 2021.

If you have a preferred framework, go ahead and use it. If you don’t have one, you may wish to give the following a go:

Step 1: Define your reflection framework

Which life areas feel most meaningful and important to you in 2022? Pick 3-5 for each of your 3 life domains:

Personal – health & wellbeing, mindset & spirituality, knowledge & learning, travel & adventure, fun & relaxation, home setup, contribution to others, personal finances

Work – personal work performance, career progression, professional status, company progression, company finances, social impact, team & colleagues

Social – family, friends, romantic partner(s), colleagues, acquaintances & networking

Step 2: Reflect on your chosen life areas

For each of your selected life areas, ask yourself the following:

What has gone well in this area of my life?

What hasn’t gone that well in this area of my life?

How do I want to maintain and improve it in 2022?

Step 3: Pick out your top 3-5 intentions

List out all the intentions that have arisen during Step 2. Then ask yourself:

Which of the above intentions would have the greatest impact, assuming that all other things remained the same? Give each of them a score out of 10.