A Reverb of My Own: Cultivating 2012

Last night on Twitter I asked if anyone had heard anything about Reverb, if there was going to be one this year. If you’re not familiar with Reverb it was a daily writing practice that focused on examining the previous year and sending out reverberations for a positive year ahead. It was originally founded by Gwen Bell and last year she was joined by Cali and Kaileen in hosting it. Shortly after sending out my tweet an email popped up in my inbox. Because I’d participated in Reverb last year I was on the mailing list. In short, the email said that there would be no Reverb this year as the hosts are in a very different place in their lives right now. It also gave tips for hosting your own Reverb.

At first I was wildly disappointed and had no intention of hosting my own. What’s the point of writing my own writing prompts, I thought. But then I slept on it and I woke up today wondering why I wouldn’t write my own prompts. No one knows me better than me, except maybe The Man. But even I ask myself questions and sometimes get answers I was never prepared for in my writing, so… that’s what I’m working on this morning. Compiling writing prompts and I thought I’d invite you to join me. Whether you’re an old Reverb’er or a new one, grab a prompt here — or at the blog of any one of the many reverbers who I’m sure will have lists of their own — throughout the month of December or make up your own list and write along. I’m calling mine Cultivating 2012 and I’m not promising to write every day or even about every one of these. I may skip around. I may just find one uninspiring when the time comes to use it. I didn’t do Reverb in an everyday, chronological kind-of-way last year and that worked for me; so I’ll probably stick with flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants this year, too.

So, without further ado, the prompts:

1} What word describes the theme of your life in 2011?

2} Who are you? Describe yourself.

3} What have you accomplished over the past year that you’re most proud of?

4} In what areas have you struggled in 2011?

5} Did you learn something new about yourself in 2011? What was it?

6} Did you learn something new about the world in 2011? What was it?

7} What’s the best decision you made in 2011? Why was it the best?

8} What’s the worst decision you made in 2011? Why was it the worst?

9} How did you fill your time in 2011? Are you happy with it? Would you change it?

10} Where did you notice inefficiencies in your life in 2011? How can you change that in 2012?

11} What did you let go of in 2011? Did letting go improve your life?

12} If you were creating a soundtrack for the past year what songs would it include?

13} If you were creating a reflection board for the past year what images, quotes and words would it include?

14} Make a list of 12 things that help you thrive. Can you incorporate those things into your life more?

15} Make a list of 12 things that weigh you down and hold you back. How can you eliminate those things?

16} Make a list of 12 things that scare you. If you embraced some of them could you broaden your horizons?

17} Make a list of 12 things that you’d like to try in 2012. Can you make them happen?

18} How do you hope to fill your time in 2012? In what ways do you think it will improve your life?

19} Are there any difficult decisions coming up in 2012 or that will affect 2012? How will you make them?

20} What things do you hope to include more of in your life in 2012? Why? How?

21} Make a 1 year plan for 2012. Break it down into monthly, weekly, daily baby steps.

22} Do you have a 5 year plan? A 20 year plan? Does the 1 year plan you made fit into them?

23} Do you feel clarity when you look towards your future goals? Or are they clouded?

24} Are you steeped in tradition this holiday season? Does it help or hurt you?

25} Does giving feed your soul? Do you have certain ways of giving that you enjoy most?

26} What else feeds your soul? Can you incorporate those things in your life more in 2012?

27} What are your priorities? Do your actions align with them? How can they better align in 2012?

28} Who do you want to be? Describe that person. How is it the same and how does it differ from the way you described yourself at the beginning of the month?

29} If you could choose the word that will describe the theme of your life in 2012 what would it be? Why?

30} Do you feel like there are barriers to achieving your goals in 2012? Can you remove them?

31} As you look back on the writing exercises from this month do you see a theme arising in your thoughts, reflections and wishes? What is it?

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Oh, and YAY! for finishing NaBloPoMo successfully. I can’t believe it’s been thirty days already.

Tagged as: Cultivating 2012, NaBloPoMo