My guess is because you’re reading this blog you’re at least somewhat interested in personal development. Because personal development is different for everyone, your reason for being here is probably unlike that of the other thousands of readers of the site.
Perhaps you’re interested in personal development to be more productive. Or maybe you’re hoping to better your relationships so that they empower you rather than tear you down. You may simply be looking for motivation to get you through a a rough patch of your life. Whatever the reason, it’s safe to say we all have areas we can work on.
Taking Time To Reflect
One of my favorite things to do is take a bit of time to look back at where I was in my life a year ago. Often times, we get so caught up in growth that we forget how far we’ve really come. It’s important to celebrate our success.
Because blogging involves a great deal of writing, I often go back and read my thoughts and feelings of the past, hoping to get a glimpse of my mindset on a particular day.
I recently took the time to do so, and was astounded by how much I’ve changed within the last year. Over the year, I’ve gained a tremendous amount of confidence, and would like to think I’m a more kind and gentle human being. It’s a great feeling to look back and see the progress I’ve made.
Within in the last year I’ve:
Moved back from Shanghai to Missouri to attend University.
Released an Reality Switch with Glen Allsop
Became the main writer of PluginID
Successfully completed my first year at college (OK so it depends on who you ask 
Attended a Conscious Growth Workshop in Las Vegas.
I’m not saying all this not to brag, but to simply show what’s possible in a year. If you were to make a list, I’m certain it would be just as impressive.
All too often, in order to sabotage ourselves, we pretend that the past doesn’t matter, that our good deeds mean nothing. But in reality the past does play a role in who we are. Your success and failures brought you here today.
Obviously, it’s important to not let your failures prevent you from painting a masterpiece today, but you can always learn from your mistakes. Perspective is a powerful tool.
Where Were You A Year Ago?
Today’s post may be a bit unusual, as the message of this post won’t come from the words I write, but instead from your own reflection. I shared with you some of the experiences I’ve had within the past year to show you briefly how my world has changed. But this post isn’t about how much progress I’ve made. It’s about how much progress you have made.
I would like you to take the next 30 minutes and reflect on where you were a year ago today.
What were you doing? How did you feel about life? Were you healthier than you were now? Did you enjoy your work as much as you do now? Were you excited about the future? Where did you see yourself a year ago, and how close are you to that vision now?
Take note of your strengths of the past. Are you still as compassionate with your kids? Do you still give your spouse the attention they need and deserve?
Become aware of the areas you still need to work on. Are your eating habits still as destructive as they were before? Do you still not get as much rest as you need? Are you still going to work for a job you dislike?
The past is your greatest teacher.
Moving Foward
Personal growth is about moving forward, but sometimes moving forward requires taking a few steps back. A year from now you will have the opportunity to look back at this very moment and smile at how much you’ve progressed.
A year is a long time. Have you taken a step forward? Stood still? Taken a few steps back?
I’d love to hear about your progress and setbacks you’ve had over the last year. What have you learned? What can you now do differently? More importantly, where will you be a year from today?
Nice one bud
its always nice to see how others have progressed and your definitely right by saying its important to celebrate our successes 
Hey Usman. Thanks for your comment. Would love to hear your accomplishments for the year!
A year ago, I was so focused on my job I couldn’t see anything else. I had some serious blinders on. I knew I wanted to move into internet marketing and blogging to build my personal brand, but just didn’t make it happen,
One day, about three months ago, I just went for it. I am sure I made some crazy mistakes, but I am learning a lot, and I am having a great time!
You are absolutely right, sometimes, you just need to look at where you have been to help you keep moving to where you are going.
Glad to hear that Joshua. How’s the internet marketing going?
Isn’t there a mistake in the picture? It says “Where Were You A Year Ago Today?” So, a year ago or today?
Sorry if I’m wrong. English isn’t my native language. 
Hey Pawel. Sorry about that. Yes would have been right for me to not have the “today” but still makes sense. Thanks for the heads up!
“A year ago today” is a grammatically correct phrase, and is used ubiquitiously:)
‘A year ago’ can be rather general and somewhat vague, when we add ‘today’ it becomes exact and focussed, which I am guessing is what Bud intended.
Thanks Bud, keep up the good work.
Shamus
no ‘ a year ago today ‘ is not very correct. It should be A YEAR AGO THIS DAY
1,770,000 of us disagree!
‘a year ago this day’ in google search yields
About 9,430 results (0.18 seconds)
‘a year ago today’ in google search yields
About 1,780,000 results (0.25 seconds)
well, sweetie, americans have corrupted the language. In hip hop lingo anything goes these days. Well the majority doesnt have to be right , you know. I have been teaching english for ten years.
well toots, i’m british, with and english degree, and a family full of english teachers.
coincidentally i also used to be a hip hop dj, and can assure that the phrase ‘a year ago today’ predates rap and americana in general.
split the phrase searches between .co.uk and .com, and you get a smiliar disparity – it’s not just americans with the bias.
in this particular phrase the words are interchangeable, mean the same thing, neither is wrong, and the use of ‘today’ is more common.
after most respectfully agreeing to differ, perhaps a return to personal development this day would be the best way forward:)
well british english is spoilt , too, these day. Lol. We, indians, are the only true flag bearers of the queen’s english presently. Well,why to argue over trifles now, i am a sucker for the english accent, so i wl let go of this one
Does it really matter? =/
nothing matters really. I mean i am here this moment but i may be gone tomorrow. We do so many things say so many things but once we are dead wl we be in control? Was watching this episode of scrubs where the old black man is on his death bed and those two young docs keep him company. Had me teared up. Man, how can americans be so deep? Even Desperate housewives had me senti every time. Cool
sometimes in the day to day grind of doing the PD blog rounds a bit of bickering, rampant-ego-driven, petty, point-scoring and immature debate beats blanket backslapping – for me at least.
like the odd double cheeseburger from those fascists mcdonalds, or an occasional paranoia inducing spliff, a jaunt thru naughtyland makes the good seems so much better afterwards.
but it’s no way to live your life in general, and i acquiesce to master bud’s simple comment here. Whatsmore (to my chagrin) I can find no grammatical faults in it to extend this debate:)
x
Hey Bud,
Great Topic! Congrats on all the accomplishments you’ve done thus far, your age has no meaning behind the work you produce.
For me, a year ago I was traveling to different cities week after week, I was partying, working, more partying than working tho’.
But now it’s different, I know for a fact that I have my head on straight, more focued on working, but still a bit of partying…
Anyway,
Good write-up!
–Parker
Kuddos to the focus man. It’s a must!
Thanks!
I finally launched a blog, a ghostwriting business, sold a site, and built 4 more for some friends. Actually all that was in the last month.
Congrats Mike! That’s great to hear! Imagine if you had 12 of those kind of months
My year wasn’t as impressive as yours, but to me, it’s been “the year in which I started to walk”, after a long, long time thinking there was nothing I could do to change my landscape. (I think this answers, btw, the beginning of your post, for that’s the reason of my interest for personal development). I’ve become a blogger and, above all, discovered a wicked model in my life: I thought that I did not pay attention to my core passions because things had become tough, but it worked the other way: things had become tough because I wasn’t paying enough attention to my core passions. Seems so stupid when you see it…
So I hope this will be the year of reaping. Paradoxically, I feel much younger than in 2009…
Hey Nacho.. No need to compare whose year was better.
Congrats on your accomplishments.
Thanks for the reminder! I often forget to reflect on the past year or six months to see how far I’ve come and what I’m ready for. I finished two short films and a teleplay (still tweaking). I’ve grown spiritually and emotionally. I let go of toxic thoughts (continue to do this) and have set my boundaries with people. I also made a pact with myself to honor myself and do what’s best for me no matter what.
Do everything in your power to keep that pact daily.
I used to spend so much time focusing on what I still had to do that I didn´t stop to think of how much I´ve achieved. I think it meant I didn´t appreciate anything. I once wrote a list of everything I´d achieved since coming to Spain. It shocked me to see how much I´d achieved when I felt like I´d achieved nothing.
It´s been good to reflect where I was last year – stuck in a job that wasn´t fulfilling and stressful with bad health habits and poor health. Since then I´ve changed jobs for one with less stress that´s allowed me to start two further study courses and work on launching my own business. I also changed cities to gain a better perspective and started writing again. I have more time to reflect and relax, my relationship with my partner has improved, I read more books and am generally a lot happier. Thanks Bud, it´s been great to see everything I´ve achieved. Now I´m off to celebrate!
This is a great post, because it has finally opened my eyes to the type of internal changes I’ve made in the past year…
I have made things happen that I couldn’t imagine in the past year. Started 3 blogs, quit one, rewired my brain, learned a ton about lifestyle design/entrepreneurship, and, above all, glimpsed just what is possible in life.
That’s just a small sample.
I can say that, without doubt, that the past year has been the most epic and wonderful one of my entire life. So much change has happened – for the better. And yet… there still are mountains to be climbed; battles to be won.
To them, I say… Bring ‘em on.
Epic man. Excited to see where this year takes you for sure.
Very nice article Bud. We all need to reflect back, so we can assess our progress.
Thanks for sharing
This time last year i was working 56 hours a week at below minimum wage, today i work from home and make my living online.
You cannot believe how grateful i am.
Well you are a young chap brimming with life but what abt middle aged ppl? If we started feeling good abt whatever little we may have achieved would that not make us complacent? I am a classic case. I am so used to ppl praising me for my english teaching that somehow i got stuck in a rut when i could have achieved so many better things in life.
Good point. There is a difference between remaining complacent and continuing to grow. But I always think it’s important to remember your success.
great to see you growing my friend
…I wrote the same exact post a few weeks ago 
http://ivancampuzano.com/living-your-best-life-now/
Total coincidence man. That’s crazy
Hey there!
Love this post.A reminder of from whence we come… the past 12 months has been a wonderful journey into the makeup and conditions of my Life.
From a very early age I saw things through knowing eyes. I would watch the behaviour of others and intuitively understand what they did not.
I was soon to learn that this insight was best kept tucked away.
And in tucking this gift away I nearly lost my family, I lost my possessions, I succumbed to a destructive addiction that was to eventually cost me everything.
I pushed the boundaries way too far and sunk too the lowest of lows.
The past year and a half is a tale of an ordinary man who has risen from the ashes of addiction – stronger, wiser and more in touch with his purpose and passion.
I have learned to use many and varied humorous insights, practical guidance and personal sharing.
I have weathered change and transition.
This year has given me the opportunity to come terms with how I had lost control of my life and do what many people have the courage to do…face down my own demons – squarely in the eyes.
And now I get to draw upon the world’s greatest spiritual and psychological traditions to support others in the blossoming of who they are meant to be.
There you go… a full turn around in career(from the inside out),health – likewise, emotions – likewise,finances,accountability and full responsibility for EVERYTHING that goes on.
Attended a Retreat in New Mexico.(Flew all the way from Australia!)
Changing businesses.
Clearing big debt.
Repairing relationships.
Daily contact with the power and the presence that governs our beautiful existence.
Good. Better. Best. I won’t rest until the good is better and the better is best.
Ciao for now
Badass man. That’s some year!
An amazing one….. time to step out and pass on the message…
A year ago from today, I was designing one of my games. It’s amazing to me how I went from being a game designer to an avid wordpress blogger, about to earn money up the ying-yang, even more amazing because I’m only 13. A year ago from today, I viewed the internet as a huge box with no profits… Now, I view the internet as a revenue hog. big changes for me since last year.
Don’t let age stop you man. Let me know if I can help.
Awareness is much needed as it can allow us to know our own progress. A lot of things can happen in a year time and we need to know how we are faring by doing regular reviews.
Cheers,
Vincent
For sure man. How was this last year for you?
it was a challenging but exciting year for me , i was 100 percent focused on growing my blog bigger and i believe i did a good job
I didn’t know you lived in Shanghai. I just got back from visiting World Expo there. Coca-Cola took me on an all expenses paid trip because they liked my blog and the positive tone of my writing. Amazing isn’t it?!
Things are moving forward and as you say it’s important to reflect on what you’ve achieved. Often I feel as if I’m not getting anywhere but I when I take stock I realise I have made progress.
Looks as if you’ve had a tipping year, thanks for sharing this, do keep up the great writing.
Annabel! Haven’t heard from you in a while! Yeah I lived in Shanghai for two years (finished high school over there.) My family is still there! How did you like Shanghai?
Thanks for the comment.
Hey guys and gals, sorry I’ve been missing in action lately. I just moved into my Grandpa’s house for the summer and it has taken some time to adjust. I should be back on track this next week.
Hey there!Love this post.A reminder of from whence we come… the past 12 months has been a wonderful journey into the makeup and conditions of my Life.From a very early age I saw things through knowing eyes. I would watch the behaviour of others and intuitively understand what they did not.I was soon to learn that this insight was best kept tucked away.And in tucking this gift away I nearly lost my family, I lost my possessions, I succumbed to a destructive addiction that was to eventually cost me everything.I pushed the boundaries way too far and sunk too the lowest of lows.The past year and a half is a tale of an ordinary man who has risen from the ashes of addiction – stronger, wiser and more in touch with his purpose and passion.I have learned to use many and varied humorous insights, practical guidance and personal sharing.I have weathered change and transition.This year has given me the opportunity to come terms with how I had lost control of my life and do what many people have the courage to do…face down my own demons – squarely in the eyes.And now I get to draw upon the world’s greatest spiritual and psychological traditions to support others in the blossoming of who they are meant to be.There you go… a full turn around in career(from the inside out),health – likewise, emotions – likewise,finances,accountability and full responsibility for EVERYTHING that goes on.Attended a Retreat in New Mexico.(Flew all the way from Australia!)Changing businesses.Clearing big debt.Repairing relationships.Daily contact with the power and the presence that governs our beautiful existence.Good. Better. Best. I won’t rest until the good is better and the better is best.Ciao for now
+1
Thanks for the post! As always, you made me stop for a second and think about my place in the world. I can see now that I’ve definitely progressed during this year, and I’m happy to realise it. I can’t even remember if I had anything better than I have now!
Glad to hear mate.
Been thinking a lot like this lately. Perfect timing man.
By the way, the blog looks awesome.
Good job, and miss ya buddy!
A year ago, I just graduated from high school (like you!!). However, I wasn’t going onto college- I took a gap year (cuz I had to). At first I thought a gap year would have put me behind and this would have been a waste of my time. But recently, I have concluded that it is probably the best decision I have ever made. Even though I had nothing to do from February to May, I still had the opportunity to do two internships this year, and gain a tremendous amount of experience (and some money). Now, I do feel out of touch with the whole studying thing, and I’m afraid that it might take me awhile until I can get my groove back (since I took IB and it was hardcore), but I think I can manage. I’ve already planned out what I wanted to do for the next four summers, and that is because of what I did this past year. I got closer to my parents, which is all anyone could ever ask for.
Great post.. must do this every year so we can share!!
Reflection is at the heart of personal growth. Over the 25 years I’ve worked with thousands of people, most of them in business settings, and often it is remarkably difficult to get them to slow down enough to reflect, to ponder, to think deeply, because they are so action-oriented. They want to “get something done” instead. Of course, reflecting is getting something done, and something pretty important at that. Thanks for the post!
Hi,
I am really happy where I am now, i got this because i had determination to archive.now is the to stretch it more
Niluka
Geez, I actually don’t remember where I was a year ago.
Thanks for sharing the message!