Since I was a kid, I've always been one to document things in my life.

I remember using my dads old camcorder to film random life stuff before the word 'vlog' even existed.

And I've been journaling almost daily for years. Every once in a while, I go back through and read my journals from months and years past.

It’s crazy how many little funny stories about my kids or great conversations I had over lunch with a friend that I’ve forgotten just months later.

Reading these entries also helps me notice trends around what energizes me and what drains me.

If journaling isn't really your thing but you'd like to add some more reflection and intention in your life, here are 3 simple questions that'll help you assess what's working, what's not, and what you'd like your life to look like moving forward.

These are particularly great for annual or quarterly reflections but can be valuable at any time.

1. What do I want to start doing?

It's best if these aren't BIG things like 'I want to start spending 1 hour a day learning Mandarin.'

The simpler they are, the more likely they are to actually happen.

I want to start doing weekly allowance with my 4 year old.

I want to start taking 15 minutes every morning to plan my day.

I want to start going on walks during 1 work meeting per week.​

For me, my desire to start tracking how many calories I ate came from reflecting on this question over a year ago, and I've been tracking them fairly consistently since.

2. What do I want to stop doing?

Stopping doesn't just mean quitting bad habits like smoking, though that’s great too.

It can also mean reevaluating good habits that no longer align with your priorities.

During the covid years, I had a goal to run 100 miles a month. And I kept it for 2 years.

But as the world was opening back up, I found I was declining invitations to have lunch with friends or passing on opportunities to do stuff with the kids because 'I had to get my miles in.'

So I decided to drop it to 50 miles a month.

Still keeps me accountable to run, but not at the cost of relationships.

3. What do I want to keep doing?

Don't neglect the things that you're doing well that would continue to serve you!

If you've got a exercise routine that's working, keep doing it.

If your system for keeping track of your weekly tasks has been working, don't mess with it.

If you and your partner have a good rhythm of going on a monthly date night, keep that up.

Not everything needs to be leveled up.

For me, I spend at least 3 mornings a week reading the Bible and praying. I'll continue to do that as it's a continual reminder not to put my identity in my work, but in God.

Areas of life to consider

These are the different areas of life I like to reflect on.

• Family
• Marriage
• Faith & church
• Health
• Friends & networking
• Work
• Side-hustle / personal brand
• Self development

You don't need to come up with a 'start, stop, keep' for each of these areas. Maybe there's one marriage-related thing you want to start, one health thing you want to stop, and one work thing you want to keep doing.

The simpler you keep these reflections and goals, the more likely they'll come to fruition.

How to make these goals / habits happen

Theres a few things you can do.

1. For each thing you wrote, write down where, when, and how it will happen. The more specific you can be, the more likely it'll happen.
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2. Add recurring items to your calendar and / or task manager.
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3. Talk to your partner or a close friend about these to create further accountability.

Take 30 minutes sometime this week to reflect on these questions and map out your next steps.

Recommendation of the week

​This guy rejecting the dad bod​

This Reel makes me want to go out and grab some kettlebells and just GET AFTER IT! Super inspiring story of a dad who decided he wanted to stop giving up on himself and get in shape when his first daughter was born. Now the father of 3 girls, he's still going.

Play time and exercise have become synonymous in their home.

They exercise with him because it's just what has become normal in their home. And they want to hang out with dad.

What about you?

If you do the 3-questions activity above, I’d love to hear your reflections.

Sharing your answers (even with a random internet stranger like me) can be a great way to build accountability.

Just email me at thom@wfhdads.com and tell me one of the answers you came up with. I read and respond to every reply.

Thom Gibson Founder of WFH Dads ​​​

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600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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