For a few years now I’ve been following Doug Neill over at Verbal to Visual. He has a great YouTube Channel and Mighty Networks group (sketchnoting courses and global community) that I’ve had the privilege of watching grow over the past few years.
Each December, he reflects on his new learnings and achievements by sketchnoting an Annual Review (click the link here for his 2018->2019 video). As this year I didn’t get my Christmas cards out ontime and didn’t want to totally scrap the tradition, I opted to sketch out my year in review to send in some packages to friends and family across the US.
Like most things on this site, I decided to split it into two categories, WORK and LIFE, because each influences the other so much in the tug of war pull we try to think of as balance. While this did not capture a comprehensive list and I opted to “skip” some of the negatives… ie family health issues, lost jobs, global pandemic… you know, the things we couldn’t avoid this year, I did want to highlight some bright spots. Most essentially, reflecting and realizing what I had gained this year by choosing to be intentional about screen time (after Zooming all day) and making better efforts with daily fitness and creative outlets.
What makes the cut for YOUR Annual Review?
- New habits or hobbies that arose from sheltering in place for months?
- New skills or ideas that have had major impacts on your teaching?
- What mindsets, realizations, or new traditions were born out of survival this past year, that may stick with you long after 2020 is just a distant memory?
I know we’re only a few days into the new year with an uncertain future ahead, but fast forward 12 months from now. It’s December 2021. What will you want to see on next year’s Annual Review? What habits, goals, or intentions might you set now as you kick off a fresh year?
Whether you choose to share with an audience or keep it on lock in Dear Diary, take 10 minutes out of your day to write or sketch out your annual review. We spend so much time reading about others’ histories. Why don’t we take the chance to record our own? You never know, it may end up a primary source document as it captures the life and times of a 2020 citizen.
And if… just if… you have the confidence to share with an audience, I’d love to see your annual review! Feel free to share in the comments below, email me, or tag me on Twitter @AlishaZare.