100 Moments in A Year – Reflecting is an important part of life

Reflecting is an important part of life.  I have an annual ritual at the end of every year, usually on December 31st or January 1st, where I sit down in a comfortable chair with a favorite beverage, pen and paper and write down the 100 most significant moments of that year.  I gather my calendar, my photo stream of pictures taken during the year, and anything else that helps me remember the previous weeks and months. And then I start listing the 100 most significant moments of the year.

It’s really a powerful experience. You realize as you look at these hundred moments, that sometimes the moment is just a simple sunset that you shared with someone. It might be a big sporting event you went to and were so excited about. It may be a hole in one in golf. It might be some milestone event that happened in your life or someone else’s life, or a major goal that was accomplished. It might be something simple like a smile from your new grandson. It might be a conversation you had, a promotion you got at work, or an insight that you shared with somebody.

When I tell people that I do this, many people say that they could never come up with 100. I find that surprising.  With 52 weeks in a year, if you have, on average, two significant moments a week, then you can come up with 100. If you can’t come up with 100 significant moments in a year, then you’re not paying attention to the significant moments in your life.

As a leader, it’s important to pay attention to when you are making a difference or when something is making a difference for you and role model acknowledgment of and share your impression of those moments.

Because I’ve done this for the past 15 years, I easily identify significant moments in the moments when they occur. Because of my experience, I stop and take notice and really appreciate those moments.

By keeping track of your 100 most significant moments of the year, you pay specific attention to what’s going on around you, what’s important to you, and you develop a deep gratitude for the significant moments in your life.

I’ve become so good at noticing significant moments, it’s now  to the point where having only 100 is limiting to me. I probably pay attention to 20 or 30 significant moments in a week. Now, a big part of my 100 significant moments project is to cull down to the most significant.

 

Capture your 100 moments at the end of the year, but more significantly, when you have a significant moment, really pay attention to it and appreciate it. 

5 thoughts on “100 Moments in A Year – Reflecting is an important part of life”

  1. Hi Peter,
    Thank you for including me in this group. I am not a reflective person by nature. I do see the significance and importance of this kind of exercise. Thank you for the challenge.

    I hope your spring is going well. We are doing pretty good here. Nancy had knee replacement May 7 and is in the middle of a lot of PT (pain and torture). It would be nice to get together over a cup of coffee and catch up sometime.

    By the way, Nancy and I are hosting a backyard concert, Saturday, June 30, to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Gate opens at 6:30, music starts at 7:00 (sorry, no children) $10 donation per person appreciated. Staci Frenez is an excellent musician from San Francisco bay area, Nancy has been following for several years. We’d love to have you join us.

    Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

    Blessings, Mark

    1. Thanks Mark, great to hear from you. It is sometime even more important for people who are not reflective by nature to be reflective about significant moments. Can’t make the backyard concert but thanks for the invite.

      May your reflection become insight and your insight become action.

      Blessings,

      Peter

  2. I love the idea of writing about the most significant moments of the year. As stated, reflecting is an important part of life. Writing down important moments each year is a great discipline to really appreciate the importance of those moments. I am going to give it a try.

    1. Kirk, give it a try. I know you will find that your life has many significant moments. You don’t want to miss them. Hopefully we can discuss out on the the golf course this summer.

      Peter

  3. Greetings Peter! this is such an excellent idea. I am a reflective person by nature, and I *think* I recognize those significant moments. We’ll see, as I am going to take some time to recall and record some significant moments. It seems to me that this type of reflection is the other side of the goal setting “coin.” In goal setting you envision and plan, and reflecting you ask “so, how’s it going?”

    Bless you my friend!

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