Setting goals at the beginning of every year is always great, but things can become too hectic and overwhelming halfway through. Yes, falling off the horse happens, and sometimes when it does, people lose sight of their plans– and even lose motivation to continue. Project Bold Life publisher Ed Kopko wrote an entire book at making plans and getting back on track when you fall off your horse, and you can check it out via the link at the bottom of the page, but this article is all about the “life review.” Are you ready to take a long, hard look at what you’ve done and what you want to do?
(Don’t let work burn you out–read this Project Bold Life story to find out how to reverse it!)
What Is a Life Review?
A life review is an overview one makes of their life. Itâs an exercise or therapy that involves revisiting and evaluating life experiences. Sometimes, people also use it to keep track of their long-term goals and understand how to achieve them. In addition, writing a life review also helps in reigniting oneâs passion and motivation.
Life reviews are a great way to establish everything a person experiences throughout the year. Many things happen, overwhelming or sometimes putting someone off-course of their goals. Putting all the lessons, hardships, changes, and other significant events on paper clarifies the person about where they are in life.
In psychology, life reviews help in counseling people with mental health disorders or those having problems in coping with distress, self-discovery, and growth. Notable psychologists like Sigmund Freud also highlighted the need to do life reviews, as people have more difficulty healing when suppressing their memories rather than recognizing them.
In a 2018 medical study, researchers also noted how life review therapy increases the quality of life of the elderly. The study revealed that writing life reviews helps old people resolve their past conflicts and accept their present.
âIn life therapy, an individualâs forgotten, but influential, experiences are revealed; their negative experiences are analyzed logically; and their positive experiences are discussed in order to make them feel useful and important again. Life review addresses the subjects which, due to unresolved conflicts, are hard for a person to analyze alone without feeling upset, disgusted, or guilty.â – Farkhondeh Sharif, PhD, Professor of Mental Health Nursing, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
The Benefits of a Life Review
Doing a life review can make profound improvements and meaningful changes to oneâs life. It helps people get back on track with their long-term goals, find motivation, and reflect on their current situations. Although writing gets you to focus on the things that matter, many benefits of life review exercises revolve around oneâs mental and psychological well-being. Here are some of them.
Improved Mental and Psychological Well-Being
Several studies show that life review exercises improve oneâs psychological well-being over time. People engaged in structured life review sessions have increased life satisfaction and a greater sense of purpose.
In addition, life review exercise triggers the release of endorphins and dopamine whenever one recounts positive life events. Due to this, more people have a better outlook on life and focus on what they can enjoy rather than stressing about stuff.
Better Interpersonal Relationships
Life review can have a significant impact on the writerâs interpersonal relationships. Revisiting past experiences and events also means remembering past relationships. The exercise allows people a deeper understanding of their relationships and connections with others. This allows increased empathy, forgiveness, and more successful reconciliation.
Taking the time to express gratitude, make apologies, and share feelings during a life review fosters emotional closeness and healing. In addition, it provides meaningful conversations with loved ones, strengthening their bonds.
Better Way of Coping and Enhanced Self-Identity
Life changes and problems can bring physical, emotional, and existential challenges. To some people, dealing and coping with these issues can be difficult, affecting their way of life. In some cases, it also diminishes oneâs motivation and passion, stalling them from achieving their long-term goals.
In a life review, people get a better view and understanding of all life happenings. The exercise allows them to see all their highs and lows, showing them all the positive aspects of their life story and focusing on them. It also identifies their strengths and highlights how they could cope with suffering and loss. It becomes a source of emotional strength and resilience.
In addition, life reviews allow individuals to reflect on their lifeâs purpose and what they want other people to remember them by. This creates a better understanding of oneself, including their values, motivations, passions, goals, strengths, and weaknesses.
How To Do a Life Review
There are numerous ways of doing a life review. But how you want to go about it depends on your reasons for doing a life review. Life reviews used in therapy for the elderly vary in life review exercises for coping and keeping track of goals and plans. But the most common way of doing life reviews includes your challenges, successes, and goals.
List Your Challenges
One of the first things people write in their life reviews is their problems or challenges. Some people call it their pain points. List all the issues that prevented you from reaching goals or doing your best. These could be temporary or long-term problems and challenges.
Be honest in listing these problems and acknowledge how they affected you. In life reviews, being open and truthful to everything is essential for the exercise to work. Writing issues, concerns, and challenges can be tough, but the more truthful you are, the more effective your life review becomes.
In challenges, you also need to review its effects on you. Always ask why and be more detailed about how the problem affected you. Once you listed all these and their effects, write about how you solved them. It could be something minor, or it could be an unsuccessful solution. Listing them allows you to reflect on what you should change and improve.
List Your Successes
Listing your downs is the hardest, but listing all the great things in life can help you remember that not everything is bad. Writing your successes and the positive emotions that come with them can trigger focus and reignite your motivation and passion.
Build a clear and definite success story. Be mindful about your goals and purposes and describe how you achieved them. In addition, success stories must be doable, meaning you can replicate them in the future.
List Your Goals
Changes happen, and sometimes old goals need updating. Review your goals and update them accordingly with your new-found problems and solutions.
Setting new goals after doing a life review helps you get back on track and focus on things you need to prioritize. These updates help you avoid making the same errors from the past and achieve them successfully this time around.
Don’t forget the book that lays out the principles of goal-achievement and attaining a Bold Life!
