By Kimine Mayuzumi
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the whirlwind of weekly tasks or found yourself losing sight of your long-term goals?
I have. This constant rush led me to a practice that has now become the cornerstone of my planning to embrace mindfulness and prioritize with ease: monthly reflection and intention-setting.
Weekly vs. monthly
For years, I engaged in weekly reflection and planning with a dedicated group. This practice grounded me and provided a sense of community. Yet, something was missing. The chaos of daily life often overshadowed my broader goals. That’s when I discovered the power of a monthly check-in. Adding this layer brought sanity, clarity, and an enhanced sense of organization to my life.
With the “Passion Planner,” I found a perfect tool that includes pages for monthly reflection, seamlessly integrating into my routine. Weekly and monthly reflections have different functions and magic; they complement each other, and doing both is enormously powerful. It makes me feel complete.
I’ve written a post about weekly reflection and planning and offer sessions for the practice regularly. Recently, I’ve received inquiries about my Monthly Reflection and Intention-Setting (MRIS) sessions. To respond to the inquiries and also to solidify my commitment to the practice, I’d like to center the following question – why MRIS?
Why monthly reflection and intention-setting?
The magic of the monthly cycle
As a woman, I’ve always been attuned to the monthly rhythms of my body. This natural cycle might also have inspired me to adopt a similar approach in my self-reflection and planning.
The monthly practice offers a unique span of 4-5 weeks, bridging the gap between urgent weekly tasks and distant semester-long goals. In other words, MRIS helps ensure that my short-term activities align with my long-term vision. This practice allows me to regularly check in with my objectives, ensuring that my day-to-day tasks are moving me in the right direction. This harmonization keeps me consistent and intentional, allowing my weekly plans to reflect my broader aspirations.
For example, during my weekly planning, I often revisit the pages for my monthly intention-setting, which reflects my semester-long goals. Out of the goals, for the month of July, I aimed to write an essay for publication. Each week, I designated time and tasks for the goal, taking small steps each week and almost every day writing it. By the end of the month, it’s ready!
Benefits of monthly reflection
Reflecting on the past month is a deeply satisfying and enlightening process. I look back at my weekly notes, vividly recalling experiences that might otherwise fade. This practice helps me capture the nuances of my journey, ensuring I don’t overlook significant moments and lessons. Celebrating achievements, acknowledging challenges, and expressing gratitude become a monthly ritual. This pause allows me to reset and renew, moving forward with a positive attitude.
Setting aside just 25 minutes for this practice, with a timer on, creates a focused and intimate dialogue with my inner self. Throughout the designated time, my favorite Pilot pen flows at a consistent pace. Two full pages of the Passion Planner get filled with the black ink of my thoughts, capturing the essence of my month.
The span of a month provides a manageable yet impactful timeframe to see progress and identify areas for improvement, preventing overwhelm and encouraging enthusiasm for the month ahead. The satisfaction that comes with the completion of the pages is indescribable.
Learning from patterns and experimenting with new focuses
Over time, my monthly reflections reveal patterns in my schedule, events, and even my mental states. Looking back at previous Julys, I notice both similarities and differences. For years, July meant flying to Japan to visit family, enduring the hot and humid summer. I had learned that during my visit in Japan, it is difficult for me to serve my clients the way I normally do in the U.S. My reflection note was telling me to lower my standard in how much I could do for my work while with family there.
This year, we decided to stay in Michigan, enjoying the comfort of our home and central air conditioning. I also decided to keep running my group sessions in July, unlike other years. I wanted to see how it goes without a month-long break from my services. This was an experiment.
As a result, this summer, we enjoyed our newly remodeled kitchen, hosted more guests, and took road trips. Despite the changes, some patterns remained: family visits, social events, and more unstructured time.
These reflections highlight the transitions and adaptations in my life, teaching me valuable lessons about my preferences and rhythms. I can’t wait to reflect back on the month and find out some thoughts and lessons from the patterns and experiments.
Connecting with others
Sharing this practice with others amplifies its power. Monthly reflection and intention-setting in a group setting provides structure, support, and accountability. Simple check-in questions, like “What was the most memorable moment of the past month?” foster celebration and connection, creating a shared sense of positive energy. This collective practice, reminiscent of goal-setting in schools and workplaces, proves equally or even more valuable for individuals.
Even when done virtually, having others involved makes a significant difference. The level of motivation, engagement, and appreciation is much higher with like-minded, trusted people than when doing it alone. I also get to know how my peers have been doing and send them encouraging vibes. The benefits are mutual, which is why I gladly organize MRIS sessions with others.
Join us for Monthly Reflection & Intention-Setting (MRIS)?
Now I offer Monthly Reflection & Intention-Setting (MRIS) sessions for my clients who enroll in my Weekly Reflection & Planning program. If you’re interested in joining us, by clicking here you can learn more and/or register when it’s ready.
This practice, though easier said than done, can profoundly impact your monthly cycles with greater ease, purpose, and focus, making your daily and weekly practices more effective.
Happy reflecting and intention-setting! Embrace the present moment of a new beginning, trust the process along the way for the new month, and let go of the outcomes that might cringe you otherwise.
Image by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash