A fascinating thing I’ve always found about growth and progress is that not everything can be measured in numbers. Not everything can be measured in a higher grade, an influx of money in a bank account, a faster time doing whatever or a larger quantity of friends. What I feel is the hardest to grapple with is recognizing a shift in mentality and perspective. How do we discern when we feel like we have a better head on our shoulders? How do we differentiate the old us from the new us, especially when we don’t remember what it’s like to be the old version of ourselves? How do we decipher between who we once were, who we are now and who we are becoming? 

With these questions in mind, I present to you some questions to ask yourself, loved ones and anyone you want. 

In relation to other people:

1. Looking at the people you associate with now and what you did at the beginning of the year, are there any changes? If so, why do you think that is? If not, why? 
2. What is something you’ve learned to value in your friendships and relationships? 
3. Who is someone you’ve come to admire and why?
4. How do you show your appreciation for other people? 
5. Has your way of showing love changed?
6. How do you resolve conflict? Has the way you resolve conflict shifted? Why or why not? 
7. Who do you intend to keep in touch with and why? Who do you not intend to keep in touch with and why not? 
8. What is one thing you’ve learned about the pattern of people in your life? Is there a pattern in who you choose to surround yourself with?
9. How do you think you present yourself when you’re around other people? 
10. How do you think the people in your close circle impact your life? 

In relation to yourself:

1. What is something you’ve learned to value in yourself?
2. What were your past aspirations and life goals, and what are they now? Has anything changed? If so or if not, why do you think that is?
3. What are new hobbies you’ve picked up this year? 
4. What are old hobbies you’ve lost? Do you wish to return to them? Why or why not? 
5. What are some new habits you’ve developed this year?
6. What are some habits you’re trying to let go of? 
7. How would you describe your perspective on the world? 
8. How have your coping mechanisms changed? If they haven’t changed, why do you think this is the case? 
9. How do you think you present yourself when nobody else is watching? 
10. What’s something you believe that you’re capable of achieving now that you couldn’t have done nine months prior? 

While we can’t ever have concrete and solidified evidence such as numbers to measure how much we’ve changed in the past year, we can always start a conversation with ourselves and the ones that we’ve found to have our back. We may not always realize it, but maybe we are growing far more than we ever expected.