Thirty Reflective Questions As I Leave 2023 (Thank Goodness) and Enter 2024 (Bring It On?)

I’m a bit behind on pulling together a reflective 2023 post; I don’t think I did anything like this in 2022, but it feels like a helpful exercise. To sit and ponder; to reflect on what happened over the last year and learn from the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful.

I’m shamelessly borrowing a mashup of prompts from this End of the Year Reflection post by Tsh Oxenreider and Lisa’s 2023 Survey.

From Tsh…

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year? Therapy.
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened? Complicated interpersonal dynamics in our local area. #Understatement
3. What was an unexpected joy this past year? New friendships.
4. What was an unexpected obstacle? Having to revisit some trauma from the past with lasting repercussions.
5. Pick three words to describe this past year. Hard. Beautiful. Lifechanging.
6. With whom were your most valuable relationships? John, Joy, Laura, Rebecca (and many bloggers – but especially Lisa, Nicole, and Suzanne – who virtually held my hand during some very dark moments). Our small-group members at church.
7. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year? Stepping down from my primary working role!
8. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally? Ooof. I “grew” a lot (I think?). I learned some new strategies for resilience, I learned that I can’t keep everyone happy all the time and that it’s not my job and never has been. I continued to learn that life is hard and complicated and messy; it’s okay to feel my feelings and it’s also okay to make lemonade out of a bag of lemons I didn’t want.
9. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually? God felt nearer and dearer to me in 2023 than He did in 2022 and I hope to be able to say the same thing about every successive year until I see Him face-to-face. While I love Him more with each passing year, I’m slowly recognizing He has never loved me more or less. What a thrill to catch the faintest glimpse in my mind of the height and depth of His love. For me. The song Still/PEACE by Hillsong became my anthem. Without Him I can do nothing.
10. In what way(s) did you grow physically? I regressed physically and I can feel it. That’s okay. To everything there is a season…
11. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others? I reached out more. I *think* I listened better?
12. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)? Staying focused and engaged. A short answer about something that was a very big struggle for me in 2023.
13. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year? My phone. Ugh.
14. What was the best way you used your time this past year? Connecting with others/spending time with people I love.
15. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year? I can do hard things.

And questions from Lisa:

1. What did you do in 2023 that you’ve never done before? Paid for therapy with someone I trust and admire. One of the best decisions of my life.
2. Did anyone close to you die? Sadly, yes. A dear friend and neighbour passed suddenly and tragically from a brain tumor. The teenage daughter of our beloved primary teacher also passed away suddenly and tragically from a brain tumor. Our little community has been overwhelmed by grief this fall/winter.
3. What places did you visit? John and I went to Rome at the end of February/early March. We went to South Carolina as a family in May, my parents’ house on the lake multiple times in the summer, and then I did a solo retreat there in September.
4. What would you like to have in 2024 that you didn’t have in 2023? More downtime. More patience, more calm. More time to sit and think. More time at my favourite coffee shop. More exercise. More stretching. More time with people I love.
5. What were your biggest achievements this year? Surviving! Making new connections and friendships, getting my blog back online (better than before?), and stepping down from my project management role.
6. What was your biggest failure? Lack of exercise. Something had to give, and physical activity is what gave. But I know that it impacted my mental well-being (and how well my clothes fit).
7. Did you suffer from illness or injury? I had an endometrial ablation in February, a wisdom tooth removal in April, eye surgery in May, a horrific stomach bug in June, and mental health struggles most of the year.
8. What was the best thing you bought? The Bible Recap reading companion, a more reliable vehicle and, I know I JUST got it, but I’m pretty sure my giant Stanley leakproof water bottle.
9. Where did most of your money go? The house (paying down our mortgage and doing some major landscaping) and buying a used vehicle.
10. What did you get really, really excited about? Rome…after we went. And my solo retreat (a first since having kids almost 13 years ago). Oh, and every single slice of Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake over Christmas.
11. How did your spend Christmas? At home with my parents, my father-in-law, the kids, and John. It was a wonderful Christmas – perhaps the best of my adult life.
12. What was your favorite TV program? Easy – Drive to Survive on Netflix.
13. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 36 when we were in South Carolina. I spent my birthday in Charleston! It was low-key, but fun.
14. Who did you miss? John when he was traveling. And I know this might sound cliche and lame, but I missed myself. At a few critical points of the year when certain stressors felt overwhelming, I didn’t feel anything like myself. Therapy and some big life changes have made a big difference and I feel like Elisabeth again.
15. What’s a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023? It’s okay to be average. Step back, stand down, say No. Also, I should trust my gut instincts – they tend to be right.

Your turn. Any questions above you care to reflect on in the comments?

Header photo by Isabela Kronemberger on Unsplash