For this first week of Summer School we’re going to be looking back twelve months and creating a snapshot of where we were a year ago. What were we doing? What were we feeling? Were we looking after ourselves and what were we dreaming about? We’re then going to bring ourselves right up to the present and create another snapshot of where we are today. Have we made progress on our dreams and ambitions over the last twelve months? Have we looked after ourselves along the way? Let’s find out.
We often need a trigger to help us remember the past. If you can’t picture yourself a year ago try to remember a specific day–perhaps your birthday or a friends birthday, a holiday you took, or an outing you went on. Once you’ve located yourself somewhere in the past, expand out from that point backward or forwards to this time last year. Of course, you may also have a journal or diary you can refer to! Now, answer the following five questions.
One year ago today: 1. How did you feel?
2. What were you working on?.
3.What were you doing for fun?
4. What were you doing to look after yourself?.
5. What were you dreaming about?
Noticing what you’re done It’s all too easy to not notice what we’re achieved. Spend some time thinking about what you’re proud of yourself for doing over the last twelve months. Hint: Think laterally, it’s not just about work (though that’s important), think also about the things you’ve done to look after yourself, the ways you’re interacted with the people in your life, commitments you’re made (and kept), ideas you’ve explored, chances you’ve taken...
List five things from the last 12 months that you’re proud of: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Going forward For the next twelve months, start to make keep a record your achievements. Stick the record somewhere you can see it.
Think of five more!
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Hopefully, by now you have a good picture of where you were a year ago. Now it’s time to create that snapshot of yourself. Over the next three pages describe yourself one year ago today. Include what you’ve learnt about yourself from the previous exercises and anything else that occurs to you. End by describing any hopes and ambitions you had a year ago. Include any specific plans and goals, creative or otherwise.
It’s time to bring ourselves back to the present, right into today. Using the next four pages write about yourself today. How are you feeling? What are you working on? Have you anything fun planned for today? How will you look after yourself today? How do the things that you did yesterday, that you plan to do today and over the next week measure up against your hopes, dreams and ambitions from a year ago? Do you feel as though there is a direct line connecting you today and you from a year ago? Do you like each other? Have fun writing this. There is no right (or wrong!) response.