kayteable

Hello fellow humans. Today is kind of a long blog- but to summarize it- I am answering the “12 Month Reflection Worksheet” from my PDF: Mind Body Spirit Reset 2023. If you want to follow along with me completing the exercises you can either get yourself a copy or slowly go at my pace as I complete them here on my blog. I still want helpful information to be available to everyone- so buying the PDF is not a requirement, but it will make following along or going at your own pace easier. I hope that seeing a completed version of the worksheet may provide an idea of how to start on yours. Remember these are very personal and vulnerable- they are meant to be just for your eyes- but as I am trying to lead by example- I am putting my vulnerability out in the open in hopes it can help. With that- let’s get into it.

Personal 12 Month Reflection

Personal 12 Month Reflection

1. If you had to describe the past 12 months with a single word, what would it be? Why does that word best summarize your year?

Hard. I am choosing the word hard- I don’t want to reflect on this last year as a bad one. But I want to acknowledge that it was extremely hard. I became a mother, we moved, and we rediscovered who we are as parents. We became dog parents too, which is shockingly harder than a baby- believe it or not. So that is why I am choosing the word hard.

2. How are you now vs how you were 12 months ago? How have you changed? How have you stayed the same?

I am in a lot of ways a lot less anxious now than I was last January. I have settled into my role as a mother, I am a lot more comfortable with myself, I have discovered a sense of self-worth, I have been more consistent with myself and everyone around me. I feel that I am overall a more well-rounded and better human than I was in January 2022. 

3. What are the top three things that stick out to you from the past year? (Events, memories, feelings, etc)

1. February 2, 2022. The best day of my life is when Kai came into my life. It was also a trigger day for events to come. But that day was the day my son came into this world and I will never forget it. 

2. February 14, 2022. This is when I started reliving a lot of darker memories, really struggled with my mental health, and just overall was incapable of being a human being. I want to remember this because this was a time that I worked through a lot of my demons, faced a lot of my fears, and accepted a lot of emotions I had been avoiding for years. 

3. December. I just randomly decided to become very consistent at the gym and taking Spanish lessons. I woke up one morning and decided to accomplish something I have been wanting to do for years. Why? I am not 100% sure- but I think me finally coming to grips that my goals and myself have worth even if the things I am doing only benefit me at the moment. I think this is when I started to realize that taking care of myself and filling up my cup- was in the better interest of both myself and my family. A burnt-out mom- is not a fun mom. 

4. What accomplishments (big or small) are you proud of this year? Why are you proud? (Specify the things that bring you pride and why. This helps us notice how we tick and what we see value in.)

I wrote and published an Ebook. I have always been really scared to put myself out there as I thought the number of copies I sold would equal my worth. But it was not. Only three people bought my book, but I am still insanely proud of myself. I tackled something that scared me and I did it anyways. 

I birthed a whole human and survived. 

I have been breaking cycles with my son and even though it’s hard, I am doing it. 

I have trained a dog, while taking care of a baby and a home…primarily by myself. (While I have help from my love, it is mostly on me to get these things done.) I am proud that I am balancing life better than I thought I would. There are days I get overwhelmed, but for the most part- I am doing alright!

I am proud of the fact that I made it this far. I faced every deep wound, fear, and insecurity in my soul last February and I still showed up for myself, my son, and my love this year. I stood back up even when it felt like I couldn’t ever walk again. But I did.

I am proud of becoming a more consistent version of myself because it has helped me. I broke the train of thought that told me the routines were restrictive, boring, and unhelpful. I am changing from the inside out. 

5. What mistakes/regrets are you holding onto from the past year? What would you do differently if you could?

I wish I would have asked for help sooner last year. I kept pushing myself, kept shoving things down. If I could go back- I don’t know if I would change anything. I am who I am today because of February- but in an ideal world, I would have paid attention to my body, taken it easy and slow, asked for help, and communicated that I was having really difficult emotions to deal with. 

I wish I would have spent money more wisely. If I could go back, I would be more mindful of my resources and plan ahead more often. 

I wish I would have invested in a better car. I was a little antsy to get back on the road so I got a car in a mildly impulsive manner. I would test more of the features in the car during the test drive and maybe get it checked out by an outside source. 

6. What are three things you have appreciated about yourself this year?

1. I appreciate that I was very strong and pulled through a very hard time in my life. 

2. I appreciate that I am a gentle mom. I appreciate that Kai feels safe and warm with me.

3. I appreciate that always strive to be the best version of myself. 

7. What is one thing you want to improve about yourself next year? I want to focus on being balanced this year. 

8. What brought you joy and happiness this year? Who, what, and where brought a smile to your face? List everything you can think of.

My family. My love and my son brought me a lot of joy this year. They are my support system and I love them very much.

Going on walks with Kai. My favorite memory from last year is taking him to parks and coffee shops in his little stroller. 

Going on little adventures with Dylan. 

Going to the gym. (It was a little nerve-wracking at first but then I really got into it.)

Taking Kai swimming. Seeing him be a silly goose was the best. 

Training Mochi (our dog) to do tricks. 

Doing art projects. 

Reading

Writing

Coffee. This is probably at the top of the list. Sorry fam. (Just kidding…my family brings me more joy…lol)

9. What disappointed you this year? What people were not there for you, what things were just in the way, what responsibilities just weigh on you instead of improving your life?

I was a little disappointed in the lack of support from some people in my life when it comes to my Kayteable projects. 

I was disappointed that the first month I was supposed to be bonding with Kai- I was losing my mind. (I know that I had to take care of myself at the moment, but it was very disappointing to have the time ripped away from me.)

I was disappointed that being a mom can feel a lot more lonely than people talk about. 

I was disappointed that I feel like I don’t have very many connections or friends around me where I live. 

I was a little disappointed that I am not as adventurous or spontaneous as I was before I was a mom.

10. Are you ready for the new year? Are you ready for genuine slow and steady personal growth? 

Hell yes.

That is all for the 12 Month Reflection. I hope that it was helpful to some. I highly encourage you to do some form of reflection before trying to take on your future goals. Seeing where you came from, what you loved, what you didn’t- can really aid in creating the best future. Thank you for reading.

-Kayte