17 Questions To Ask Yourself That Will Help You Honestly Address How Well You’ve Spent Your Year Thus Far

By

1. What New Year’s resolutions have I honestly stayed true to, and what resolutions have I broken?

2. Which failed resolutions are worth another go, and which resolutions are unnecessary to the path I want to be on?

3. What have I done since the year began to get me further to the place that I want to be at year’s end?

4. What choices and actions have I failed to make that I knew I should have, and how can I make sure to fix that in the near future?

5. As Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.” How do I honestly, actually spend my days?

6. How many hours of my days are spent on wasted opportunities, because I’ve been distracted by the internet and other black holes of procrastination?

7. How can I make sure not to waste my hours going forward, while still maintaining a healthy and productive amount of relaxation in my days and weeks?

8. If I live the next nine months of this year the same way that I’ve lived these first three, how will I feel at the end of the year? Satisfied? Guilty? Disappointed? Ashamed? Happy? Almost satisfied, but not quite?

9. How can I guarantee that I will feel accomplished and happy with the way I’ve spent these last twelve months when it comes time to reflect on the year in full?

10. What are some easy things to incorporate into my days that will help me feel more inspired and productive? Short walks? Exercising? Online brain games? Reading? Meditating? etc.

11. What incentives can I give myself to ensure I incorporate these activities? (i.e. picking up a cup of coffee at the end of a short walk, giving myself a decent amount of guilt-free time on the internet after I’ve read X amount of pages in my current book, etc)

12. What hesitations and fears are holding me back – mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically – from what I want to accomplish these next few months?

13. Who can I promise myself that I will talk to about these worries, in order to force myself to address them, acknowledge them, and work through them (with the support of someone I trust)?

14. At the end of the day, what motivates me? What is it that I really want to do with my life? And even if it’s a far-off and difficult goal, what can I do now to get myself even a little bit closer?

15. What useless things am I spending money on that I could easily avoid? And as a way to motivate myself, what better use could I put the money to that I normally spend on [takeout, delivery, online shopping, alcohol, etc]?

16. Am I taking enough time for myself outside of work and social activities? Am I taking time to work out, or get a massage, or organize my living space, or take a class on something I love just for fun? If not, why not?

17. Where do I want to be in ten years, and what habits do I have now that need to be broken if I ever want to get there?