Looking Back, Looking Forward

There is something satisfying about looking back at a full calendar. Yet, looking at a clean, unmarked one is equally satisfying. As someone with a June birthday, I always feel bad for December and January birthday people. I get two equally spaced times each year to reevaluate and restart. Looking back and looking forward is something I enjoy twice a year. 

Those with December and January birthdays get robbed of a mid-year evaluation unless, of course, they choose July 4th, our nation’s birthday, as their restart date. Those born on MLK Day are the exception. They get to start again because everyone knows that by mid-January most people have already quit their New Year’s resolutions. 

Anyway, this is a time for new beginnings. It’s a time to look back and learn from the past and look forward to a world of possibilities. Did you reach your goals? Celebrate! If you didn’t, rest easy knowing no one reaches every goal. As we start a new year, let’s focus on the goals we did reach. Should we keep the same goal? Increase it by 10 percent? Decrease it by 50 percent? Pick a new one? 

In the blog Let’s Make the Last 100 Days Count, I committed to writing every day and encouraged you to focus on your goals. Yesterday, I printed the first draft of Finding Joy in the East. Staying committed helped me reach the goal I set on January 1, 2025. 

My Happy New Year blog suggested writing out our goals, sharing them with others, listing steps to reach them, and having accountability. I hope to have my second book ready for an editor by my birthday and ready to print by December 31, 2026. 

I’m writing these goals and sharing them with you so you can hold me accountable. So, what are your goals? Please share them so we can encourage each other. If you haven’t done so, look back and look forward. And let’s make this year one to remember. 

*iStock Photo by bombermoon

Thanks for being a part of this journey!

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Joy M. Walker