Reflecting on the past three years

Our world has changed a lot over the past three years. We have all been impacted in many ways. I recently read this great article, "The Three-Year Life Audit" in Psychology Today Magazine. It got me thinking about how much our lives have changed since the start of the pandemic three years ago. The fact that it has been three years already still blows my mind. These have been the fastest and yet slowest three years of my life.
 
In this blog post, I will share my personal audit of the last three years and invite you to make time for your own audit. There are a lot of great lessons that we learn from reflecting.
 
Valuing our Social Connections
Reflection Questions: How have your social ties evolved? Which connections do you miss—and what can you do about it?
 
MC's Story 
Over the past three years, some of my social connections have become stronger, and others have unfortunately dissolved. At the start of the pandemic, we were all doing so much to keep in touch with everyone virtually since we could not meet in person. It became more rewarding to invest in deeper relationships, which led to me neglecting some others.
 
What am I committing to doing over the next months? 

• Take a moment to say hello to people that I miss connecting with

 
Celebrating our greatness
Reflection Questions: What unsung heroic feats have you endured? The things that brought you to your knees—perhaps without anyone else knowing?
 
MC's Story 
Becoming a mother at the height of the pandemic was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I did. In March 2020, when the world was shutting down, I found out I was expecting our son. During my pregnancy, I lacked the support community I would typically have had because we were all confined to our homes.
 
What am I committing to doing over the next months? 

• Commit to celebrating my journey as a mother by doing something special for myself

 
Embracing the new 
Reflection Questions: What new elements have you welcomed into your life? Projects, geographies, habits, creative outlets
 
MC's Story 
Our son has driven us to explore our area more. Since moving to California, I have visited many more beautiful places in the last three years than in the previous five years. Also, seeing our son enjoy the little things around us has helped me appreciate what we have even more.
 
What am I committing to doing next? 

• Visit more beautiful places with my family

 
Releasing things that no longer serve me
Reflection Questions: What have you let go of? That thing you thought you'd never escape but suddenly found a way to discard?
 
MC's Story
When I think about the biggest change in my mindset, I no longer believe I can control the outcomes of my life through great planning. The past years have shown me that I have no control over many things. The skill that I have learned is to set goals, have plans, and be prepared to adapt to the new things that arise as life happens.
 
What am I committing to doing next? 

• Accept that life is dynamic, and we will be fine

 
Investing in the future
Reflection Questions: What new seeds have you planted? Those once-impossible imaginings that are now starting to take root?
 
MC's Story
In the last three years, I have experienced much professional growth. My career has grown in ways that I never imagined. I have taken on new responsibilities, gotten promotions, developed great programs, and led a team. Although my bold moves have paid off, I am still holding back on ideas I m scared of implementing.
 
What am I committing to doing next? 

• Explore professional opportunities that I have been avoiding

 
Final Thoughts
The past three years have been my life's most unexpected and positively surprising times. If you had asked me in early 2020 where I think I would be in three years, I would never have imagined the life that I have now. I am very proud of myself for staying focused on my goals and grateful for the community that stood beside me throughout. My life has changed for the best!