There’s no need to put it lightly: 2020 was rough. You may be grieving for lost loved ones, or trying to understand the economic struggles of family members who lost their jobs. You may be thinking about the lessons learned from Black Lives Matter protests earlier this year, or simply surviving the stress of isolation and distance learning. No matter your struggles, reflection is a useful tool in processing your emotions, exploring yourself, and gaining insight to move forward. Though you may be excited to put this time behind you as soon as possible, there may be moments and lessons you want to take with you into 2021.
Here are some questions and prompts to help you reflect, refresh, and reset:
Reflect
What is the most important lesson you learned?
Name the best thing that happened this year.
Describe a challenge you overcame.
What did you learn about yourself?
Refresh
What is one thing you will never take for granted?
Name one thing that has energized you.
Name one thing that has drained you.
What did you remove from your life?
Reset
Have you been kind to yourself?
What would you do differently if you could?
How has 2020 changed you?
It has been a long year, and we know that most of you are counting down the days to a fresh start. We hope these prompts help you reflect on the tough experiences you have endured, refresh your perspective, and reset your intentions for 2021. If these questions have brought up feelings of uncertainty about the future, here’s an article to help you sort through those emotions.
You are a part of history, and in some ways, the events of 2020 will always be with you. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, for there are lessons to be taken with us as we move forward. You may find that you will bond with others over your experiences from this time. For some more questions to consider, check out this article from the New York Times all about the challenge and change faced by teenagers just like you.