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Copyright Karie Ward 2011-2013




Sunday, November 24, 2019


This 10 year FB challenge got me thinking...I love seeing all of the pictures of all of  my friends 10 years ago, they are all as beautiful then as they are now (haircuts more on point now)! But what is this really about? Not really about looks! I think it's really about the stories the pictures tell about who we all were 10 years ago compared to now...the lessons we've learned, who we thought we maybe wanted to be compared to who we have become. When I see those pictures I have all sorts of questions!

Dear Friends: Who were you 10 years ago? What was your life like? What did you believe in? Do you believe in the same things now?

And of course, then I start thinking about myself in 2009/10. Who the hell was I? I was 36 years old and a stay at home mom. And I have all the same questions for myself!

Then I started thinking about the whole new years resolution thing. By my count (as of today 11/24/19) we have 38 more days until not only the end of the year, but the end of this DECADE. The first of the year comes around and we go crazy trying to become "better" (thinner, smarter, healthier, etc). But how do we INTENTIONALLY go about doing this? I feel like I make the same resolutions year after year. I identify things I want to change or stick with, but I'm not sure I ever look back and base those goals on past experiences and lessons and the way that life has changed me. So often we have an idea of how things "should" turn out, but thank heaven it didn't right? I wouldn't be who I am today if everything had worked out according to my grand plan in 2009.

So, I've come up with 31 questions for the last 31 days of the decade that I'll be using to reflect on the last 10 years of my life. My hope is that by thinking these questions through, I'll be able to come up with some very intentional goals for the next decade, and be able to love myself a bit more for the progress I've made in the last. I'll be sharing the prompts with you, one per day. I invite you to join me in this journey by using them as journal prompts, to talk over with your bestie, or even to think about whilst your are doing dishes. Feel free to post about them (in serious and funny ways too, bet your ass I will be!). No pressure either way. I'll be posting on my blog about what I've learned about myself, and sharing any gems you are willing to share (anonymously, of course).  I just started thinking about the last 10 years in a meaningful way, and want to make sure I'm leaving behind what I need to, and taking with me what is best.

Below are the prompts I've come up with. I'm calling them prompts specifically because there are no right or wrong answers! Feel free to skip around or ignore them all together! Some may be trauma triggers, so feel free to adjust them as necessary. I'll try to come up with some alternative questions prior to 12/1/19. The Type A person in me wants to organize these by theme, but not doing that. If you miss a day or a week, it's okay! Be kind to yourself! Maybe you aren't ready to tackle that one yet. Be kind to yourself above all else.

10 Year Challenge
2009-2019: A Decade of Lessons and Growth

  1. Who were you 10 years ago? What was your life like? 
  2. What are the most dramatic changes that have occurred in your life since then? Are you happy with these changes? 
  3. What did you believe in then that you don’t now?
  4. What truths do you still hold close to your heart?
  5. What has challenged you most in the last 10 years?
  6. What successes have you had? 
  7. What have you chosen to let go of since 2009? (Friends, habits, ways of thinking)
  8. What have you taken up since then? (Friends, habits, ways of thinking, etc)
  9. In what areas of life have you grown the most? 
  10. What are you most proud of? 
  11. What’s one thing that you’ve done that you never believed you could have accomplished? 
  12. What’s one thing that has happened that changed who you are, or how you saw the world?
  13. Thinking of the things you wanted 10 years ago, does your life look like you wanted it to? Why or why not? 
  14. In what ways has life surprised you in the last 10 years? 
  15. What did you value the most 10 years ago? Do these values still hold true today? What values do you want to take with you into 2020? 
  16. What things did you enjoy doing in 2009? Are they the same things you enjoy now? Is there something you used to love to do that you no longer make time for?
  17. How did you describe yourself to others in 2009? How do you describe yourself today? How do you want to describe who you are in 10 years? 
  18. What mistakes have you made in the last 10 years that you need to forgive yourself for? That you need to ask for forgiveness, or make amends? 
  19. Thinking of forgiveness, is there anyone or anything that you need to forgive, so that you don’t take that pain into 2020 with you? 
  20. What were you most grateful for in 2009? 
  21. What are you most grateful for today? 
  22. Thinking of the people who have come into your life in the last 10 years, who are your greatest champions?  Why? What have they brought into your life that you did not have before? 
  23. Who are the people who were in your life in 2009, and are they still present today? Do they bring positivity or negativity to your life? Are there relationships you need to end? Are there relationships you need to rekindle? 
  24. What were your greatest fears 10 years ago? Are you still afraid of those same things? How have your fears held you back? 
  25. What fears have you conquered in the last 10 years? What fears do you hope to conquer in the next 10? 
  26. What do you most want to learn in the next decade? (skills, life lessons)
  27. What do you most want to let go of moving in to 2020? (people, habits, things)
  28. What do you most want to hang on to moving in to 2020? (people, habits, things)
  29. Who do you want to be by the year 2030? What goals are you focused on? How do you want to be able to describe yourself?
  30. Look at a photo of yourself in 2009. What would you tell that person about the lessons you’ve learned over the last 10 years? 
  31. Write a letter to yourself to open in the year 2030. Don’t seal it and tuck it away someplace safe so that you can access it whenever you feel off track. Remember that the lessons you’ve learned and the opportunities you’ve had over the last 10 years you maybe never saw coming! Chances are the same thing will happen between now and 2030. 



This is me circa 2009! I was a happy at home mom! 

2019: Happy again! MSW, Boss Lady, and Divorcee (and still a good momma!)

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