I took a few days out for a study retreat with a lovely mixture of people I had never met before who were all working on specific parts of their doctorates. Enjoying the quiet and solace of a retreat house, just for us, away from the rush of daily lives where distraction is inevitable. Here we were looked after wonderfully with wholesome food and space to think, work, decompress.

I was fortunate as I had attended a very different type of retreat earlier in the year so this was an opportunity to really take stock of what I had been working on over the months since then.

There was an agenda, which meant there were regular breaks after intense bursts of work. A useful ebb and flow with the thinking and working. Whilst most of us shared the same room for our work there was no conversation during these bursts of study, everyone focusing and engrossed on what they were working on. A valuable time - a time when we could either close our minds from other things to focus; or, as I did on a number of occasions, relax into a state where all manner of thoughts surfaced, that I could capture without judgement, then add into my ‘cauldron of learning’. It certainly became a complex brew and through the shifting mists, or ‘steam’ above this cauldron, an occasional idea came into sight…to be scooped up and worked on.

So where does this lead?

An exercise that I often share with clients, and people who may be interested, is to periodically stop and take stock. (Exactly what I was doing with my ‘cauldron’.)

As another year is about to close, a new one commence, it is all too easy in rush into planning the year ahead, dismissing the old as i) not good so let’s move on, ii) that was okay, iii) that was a great year.

The exercise requires a little time, so choose a suitable relaxed space over a coffee. It can often be done with someone you know as they undertake the exercise for themselves at the same time – here’s what I suggest:

1. Take your diary (paper diary, the one on your computer, appointments calendar on the wall) from the year that is now ending. Slowly go through this in some detail to remind yourself what you have done, where you have been, who you have seen and more. Include all areas of your life, so family, work, vacation, sad times, happy times.
2. Most of us take pictures, often with our phones, so look back across the year and remind yourself of the pictures you have taken and what you have captured.
3. Now reflect on the things you have not done during the year, things you still wish to do – by the way, don’t be hard on yourself. This is meant to be an enjoyable exercise.
4. Make notes on thoughts that surface during the exercise. Something you forgot to do; something you wish to follow-up; a place to revisit or visit; someone to get in touch with; something you want to stop; something you want more / less of; something you celebrated; an achievement. In fact, anything that comes to mind.
5. With a new year about to start ‘decant’ your thoughts of what you want or need to do, adding anything else that you will be targeting in the year ahead.
6. Now place the items in order of priority. Then, as the year unfolds, make time and have the focus to work down the list, rather than hop all over the place. Not easy but a great way to make sure when you do this exercise in 12 months, whilst not all will have a big tick, the important ones will.

So why the picture you see?

It is a picture I took of the Seven Sisters, on the south coast of England, whilst away on the study retreat, I mentioned at the start. A reminder of the valuable time shared, our conversations, the influence those conversations with the ‘nine sisters’ I was on the retreat with had (I was the only man), on what is on my list of priorities.

All creating 'Insightful Discoveries' with the power of Jung's work really helping the emerging themes that are in the brew of the 'cauldron' I refered to above.

My best wishes,

Peter