Reflection: Your 2024 Playbook

As we embrace the new year, I want to share a quick story. Excitement brimmed as I laid out my grand calendar of science literacy events we’re planning for 2024 to my wise friend, Asma. However, she paused the enthusiasm train with a wise reminder, a quote from Luke 14:28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”.

As I reached out to extend season’s greetings to many high achievers, I discovered a common theme: they were reflecting on the old year, not planning for the new year.

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Why Reflect?

Reflection serves as a magic mirror, uncovering the true meaning of our experiences. It goes beyond reminiscing, emphasizing the importance of interpreting events correctly.

Whether it's after a major event, the closure of a day, or the turning of a year, reflection unveils the hidden treasures in our journey. It's not just about extracting valuable lessons to guide future decisions. It turns worry into gratitude, revealing the magnitude of our achievements, big or small, and offers insights for the path ahead. After all, the best insight often comes from hindsight.

A Lesson Is Repeated Until It's Learned

Ever felt stuck on repeat? That's life nudging you to reflect. Adults who skip this often find themselves in a déjà vu loop. Lessons persist until learned. Reflection? It's your shortcut to learning, a pragmatic approach to making sense of life.

Planning for an Unpredictable Future

Plans are great, but life's script has a mind of its own, with unpredictable offspring. Reflecting ensures that, as we embark on our journey, we're not just climbing fast but on the right wall. It's a reality check, a way to remember not to make the same mistakes again.

As you step into 2024, take a moment to ask yourself: What is the most important lesson I learned from the year behind?

Let's make this year not just about resolutions but about gaining meaningful insights from the past that will drive our initiatives.

Wishing you a reflective and purposeful New Year!

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