So, here’s a question: What is that one word that pops up in your mind when you think of 2020?
COVID-19?
Movement Control Order or MCO?
WFH?
Whichever it is for you, now is a good time to pause and reflect as the year winds down. Reflecting back on the past year and the challenges it brought will help you to refine a better you, make positive changes, and prepare yourself for the new year.
Having this in mind, you might not know where to start and how to do it. Worry not, read on to find out more about our 4 simple year-end activities to wrap up the year on a high note and to support yourself and your family as you set goals for the new year.
4 Purposeful Year-End Activities
#1: Conduct A Gratitude Assessment
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Despite the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it is important now more than ever to ask yourself:
“What am I grateful for this year?”
You might be wondering whether conducting this gratitude assessment is important or not. So, let us tell you why it IS necessary. Asking yourself this simple question will certainly lead you to reflect on everything that is going on in your life. You will learn to reflect on your career, family, relationships, physical health, financial situations, and emotional well-being.
As you go through each aspect of your life, you will then discover things to be thankful for in life: Loving family members, a comfortable workspace, a stable income, a healthy body and mind, and many more. Having this in mind, we will also be able to look forward to the following year positively. We will be more aware of what we have, and choose to do our best with what we have.
So, here are some guiding questions on how to conduct the gratitude assessment personally and with your family members as well. Make sure to block out a certain amount of time during the assessment and remove all distractions, such as your smartphone & Netflix, too. It is best if you can write out the details of what you are grateful for.
So, let’s start by asking yourself:
- Who are the 3 amazing people in my life?
- What are the 3 things that I like about my body?
- What are the 3 things I like about my home?
- What are the 3 great things about where I work and what I do for a living?
- What are the 3 talents and skills that I have?
- When have I experienced ‘luck’ in my life this year?
Don’t miss out on the 5 effective ways you can teach your children on how to be grateful in their lives.
#2: Discover the Victories and Defeats of the Year
Besides looking into what we have along the year, we should also look into what we have achieved and failed to achieve. And, we should then celebrate both our victories and defeats. It is common to celebrate our victories, but most of us do not give equal credits to our defeats. Bear in mind that it is during our defeats is when we learn and grow the most.
Therefore, it is equally important to educate our children that temporary defeats are not failures. This will in-turn move them to have the courage to take on and persist through any new challenges. And, it is also important for us as parents to encourage them along the way and make sure we do not overreact whenever failure occurs.
Use these guiding questions to list down your victories and defeats throughout the year. Get your spouse and your children to participate in this activity as well! Then, celebrate your victories and defeats together as a family.
- What are my greatest victories of the year?
- What are my greatest defeats of the year?
- What are the 3 personal improvements that I have made this year?
- What are the 3 things that I would do differently if I could go back and do it again?
#3: Have an Appreciation Ceremony
We often hear of annual appreciation ceremonies for schools and companies, but we rarely hear of families organising these ceremonies themselves for their family members! In fact, this is one of the most effective ways to show your support and appreciation to your children.
As we put together an appreciation ceremony in a family setting, we will learn to acknowledge and recognise each effort made by every family member. Especially for children, they will feel appreciated for their hard work at school – even when they do not obtain any huge achievement. They will eventually understand that they are enough. And, they will learn to do everything because of their passion; not because they wish to please others.
No fancy balloons and confetti are needed to kick start the appreciation ceremony. What you really need is hand-written letters, genuine compliments, and a lot of tight hugs. Trust us, your children will be much happier to receive these sincere gifts from you than just merely materialistic presents.
Besides having an annual appreciation ceremony, do not miss out on how you can appreciate everyday moments with a personal ritual!
#4: Look into What to Do More or Less Next Year
You are now just a step away from a perfect start for a brand new year. So, what is the last activity that you can do to wrap up a perfect year with your family? The answer lies in looking deeper into what you can do more or less to be a better you.
In terms of what to do more, you can first look into 3 habits that have worked well for you along the year. Then, jot down 3 greatest contributions that you have made for others, too. By doing this, you can decide on ways to advance and expand your ability.
On the other hand, you need to reflect on the 3 habits that have not worked well for you this year to determine what to do less next year. Destructive habits, such as scrolling through social media for hours and eating junk food frequently are what you need to cut down on. If you are determined enough to lead a much better life, you can even list down things that you need to stop doing at all next year.
Make These Meaningful End-Of-The-Year Activities a Must in Your Household
Just like we tidy up and reorganise our household, we need to cultivate the meaningful rituals of concluding each year with our family. The ultimate reason behind doing these activities at home is to help our children discover whether what they do is aligned with what they want to achieve in life.
So, what are you waiting for, parents? Let’s try out these meaningful, family-friendly activities and wrap up your family’s year with joyfulness, gratitude, and great hope for the following year!
Year-end holidays are great in so many ways, especially when you have fun family activities to fill up your time. For more fun-filled holiday ideas right within your home, visit our Cuti-Cuti Family articles here!