The poet and journalist Carl Sandburg said, ”It is necessary for a man to go away by himself, to sit on a rock and ask, 'Who am I, where have I been, and where am I going?” Great questions as we near the end of the year and usher in a new one, right?

Here are a few more questions that can help both of us close the year well and start on the right foundation for the coming one. Ready?

Q1: WHAT AM I GRATEFUL FOR?

Too often, we take the most important things for granted: food, shelter, family, education. No matter how bad a day might seem, there's always something we can be grateful for. Remind yourself of your luck and the beauty we already possess. Eckhart Tolle said, “acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

Q2: AM I A LITTLE BETTER THAN YESTERDAY?

Self help isn't here to make you feel burnt out and frustrated. You're not working on yourself if you're constantly comparing your results to someone else’s. Being better can mean taking five more minutes to sip your morning coffee in calmness instead of rushing to work. It can also mean practicing a 10-minute stretching or meditation routine. There's no definition of being better. It's up to you to define it and live accordingly.

Q3: WHAT WILL I DO ABOUT THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST?

Too often, we waste our time on urgent things instead of focusing on what's important. Learning to separate the important from the urgent will drastically improve the quality of your life. Together. let’s ask ourself how we can reduce the junk and take more time for the things that matter to each one of us.

That’s it! Three simple questions that will mean a lot when answered. I hope you did good this year and gearing up for the next. Congratulations and Happy New Year!