5 things to reflect on in a weekend

Many of us go through our lives as total strangers to ourselves, simply because we never pause long enough for moments of self-inquiry. 

Wisdomis not about knowing all the answers; it’s about asking the right questions. In the long run, the simple questions you ask yourself on a regular basis will determine the type of person you become.

At the end of each week a personal timeout for self-reflection and self-inquiry is needed, so ask yourself questions like these:

1. What pleasant surprises did I discover this week?

Life’s dynamic nature continually renews the possibilities before you; open yourself to them and pay attention. 
Some of your best discoveries will likely come when you least expect them, in places you never even thought to look. What you were not looking for can end up being more than you ever hoped to find. So seek your goals and dreams diligently, do not blind yourself from all the unpredictable wonders and opportunities passing in your periphery.
You are never too old, too young, too busy, or too educated to find value and joy in new, unexpected opportunities. 

2. Are my short-term efforts and long-term goals still aligned?

It’s not what you do or achieve every once in a while, but what you do every day that counts. Dream big, but realize that short-term, realistic goals are the key to success. What you want to achieve is directly connected to your daily actions. The way you spend your time defines who you are and who you will become.

While the pleasure junkies of the world avoid pain and discomfort at all costs, be someone who truly understands the value and benefits of working through the tough situations that others typically avoid. 
Be more interested in something being effective than you are in something being easy. While everyone else is looking for the quickest shortcut, look for the course of action that will produce the real results you want for yourself.

3. What could I have spent more or less time doing?

As Stephen Covey once said, “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” In other words, productivity is not just about getting things done, it’s about getting the right things done.
At the end of each week, look at how you have spent your time, and adjust the allocation as necessary for the upcoming week. Do your best to get rid of your schedule’s complexities so you can spend more time on the things that matter. This means fine-tuning and eliminating all but the essential tasks, so you are left with only the ones that add value to your life. And above all, know when to set aside the important things for the vital things, like family.

4. What mental clutter can I clear?

Just as you don’t move from one place to another without first sorting your belongings, and leaving behind what is not useful or needed, so too should you follow the same process with what you’ve mentally gathered, before moving on. Don’t carry excess baggage into next week. Eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary may shine bright.

Throw away any regrets, shame and anger that you have accumulated this week, and take only the treasures worth keeping: the lessons, the love and the best of what can be remembered.
The bottom line is that you have to close the door on this week’s negativities, change the record, clean the house, and get rid of the mental dust and dirt. Don’t deny yourself a fair chance at the week ahead. 

5. What is the first logical step for next week?
The week ahead is a new beginning – a blank canvas upon which you have the delightful opportunity to create. 
On Monday morning you will be standing at the start of an impressive adventure, with the very real and present opportunity to shape your present and future in exactly the way you see fit.

Bon Voyage!