What better way to end this year than an honest self-reflection so we’re ready to move forward in 2021. Here are some reflections on my journey in 2020 using these 5 questions, which I got from the newsletter of a well-known author and business development person, Pamela Slim.

1. What things did I do this year?

• Successfully completed long term consulting project

• Provided Executive Coaching for several clients

• Published 41 podcast episodes with 15 interviews

• Co-delivered a webinar in Emotional Intelligence for an audience in India

2. What new skills or abilities did I learn from these new things?

• Have been developing and growing my thinking around the “Silver Entrepreneur” idea

• Learned to connect with a wider group of people to share their wisdom and knowledge on my podcast and just be engaged with a wide group of wonderful people

• Reconnected with colleagues on the power of listening and conversation 

• Sustained my daily journaling and meditation

• Learned new skills for sharing my message on social media

3. What lessons did I gain from any spectacular failures or hard times?

• Had a summer pause in my podcasting

• Through journaling, I learned to surface and write about things that were upsetting to me which helped me gain clarity.

• Learned to take small steps each day, when I was somewhat stuck on the big ideas (and still a work in progress!)

4. What am I really proud of in 2020?

• Published 41 Podcast episodes with 15 interviews

• I received anecdotal evidence from a variety of people that my podcast was useful and helpful.

• Have been able to add value to colleagues in my interactions with them

5. Which of these new things do I want to bring forward into my work in 2021?

• To keep expanding the scope of my podcast on my 3 themes for 2021

  • Leadership, Process, & Technology

  • Silver Entrepreneur

  • Executive Coaching and Emotional Intelligence

• To be more engaged with my current colleagues and expand my contacts to learn their wisdom

• To develop and weave my knowledge and skills around Emotional Intelligence into my life and work

Have you done some self-reflection? Hopefully, you can also use these 5 questions to help you reflect on yourself, your work, your career, and your life in general as you’re ending this year and you’re ready to move forward to a better year in 2021!