Looking back and looking forward

“Why do beginnings – whether we get off to a fast start or a false start – matter so much? Why do endings energise use to kick harder to reach the finish line yes also inspire us to slow down to seek meaning?”

In his book, “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing”, Daniel Pink explains the concept of “temporal landmarks” – certain dates that “stand out from the ceaseless and forgettable march of other days.” The last day of the year and the first day of the year are both temporal landmarks. (Others include Mondays, the first day of the month, your birthday, your wedding anniversary and national holidays.)

We owe it to ourselves not to let these key dates go unnoticed because, according to Pink, such landmarks trigger unique emotional states that are created for that brief moment in time. If we harness the moods that naturally arise at both the year end and the year’s beginning we can line ourselves up to have a more productive, more creative and more content 2020.

The year end

“One common effect of endings seems to be that they trigger a search for meaning”.

"If we’re conscious of the power of closing moments and our ability to shape them, we can craft more memorable and meaningful endings."

We will be predisposed to look beneath the surface at this time of year. We want to reflect on what we’ve done and see what really matters. Don’t be afraid to look back and both enjoy your successes and think about your disappointments. Don’t be judgmental – just take the opportunity to review your year honestly.

How can you close 2019 consciously? How can you craft a memorable and meaningful ending? Don't let this chance for reflection pass you by in the whirlwhind that can be the end of December.

Some suggestions:

- Journal your ideas. Write down your highs and lows. Did you start 2019 with a plan for your photography or creative life? Go back and review it. What did you achieve? What was left by the wayside?

- Map your year, in retrospect. Which months or seasons saw you most motivated? When did photography and creativity come easily to you? Did you have any times when you couldn't bear to pick up your camera, or couldn't be bothered, or didn't have any ideas? Did you have periods when you had so many ideas you didn't know which to do first? Was it easier to learn technical skills at some times rather than others?

- Have you changed this year, photographically? Are your goals different? Why?

- Print your photos. Do a yearbook, or a highlights book. Or at the very least, find 12 photos you enjoyed taking and get them off your computer and out into the world. But do it - don't just say you'll do it.

I will be reviewing my personal work this year. I’ve given a lot to A Year With My Camera over the last four years and that has been at the expense of my own photography. I will enjoy reflecting on what I have achieved and where I could have been more focussed. I hope this will set me up for my New Year’s Day landmark.

A new year

Pink suggests that beginnings allow you to open a new account, to make a new start, to relegate the past you to the past. At the dawn of a new year we are both “fortified with confidence” and given the opportunity to take a step back from the day-to-day so we can take a big-picture view of where we are and what we want to do.

Don’t squander this optimism. Embrace it. Make lists, think big, plan to shoot for the stars. We rarely achieve everything we set out to but that shouldn’t stop you marking this turning point. Give the new year the attention it deserves and then ride your confidence for as long as you can. Because what’s the alternative? We pretend New Year’s Day is just another ordinary Wednesday. We stoically keep doing what we did yesterday. And we lose the chance to get out of ourselves however briefly and imagine what might happen.

I love the new year. I love the beginning of September as well, with it’s new school year vibe. I know it’s just another day but it really does feel like turning a page and having a clean slate laid out ready to do anything at all with. I will be doing the, “What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail?” exercise. It’s not rocket science. You just give yourself permission to imagine what you might do if the fear of failure was removed.

Join my free beginner’s photo workshop

If getting off auto is on your list of things to achieve, why not do it in most painless way possible with the weekly A Year With My Camera lessons? The email version of the workshop is free for a year. Join here and get started today:

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