Reverb10

Created by Gwen Bell at the end of 2009, the Reverb project is a series of 31 prompts, delivered one per day throughout the month of December. Writing each of the prompts, sharing their words on their blogs, and linking up on Twitter has helped thousands of people “reflect on their year and manifest what’s next”, as well as connect with other thoughtful bloggers.

In reverse order, here’s a list of the 2010 Reverb10 prompts. Click on the date for a link to my response post. Or hit up my Reverb10 archive to read them all!

December 31 – What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world?

December 30 – This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

December 29 – Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

December 28 – What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.

December 27 – Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

December 26 – What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

December 25 – Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

December 24 – What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

December 23 – Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

December 22 – How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year?

December 21 – Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?)

December 20 – What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing?

December 19 – What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?

December 18 – What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?

December 17 – What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?

December 16 – How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?

December 15 – Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010.

December 14 – What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?

December 13 – When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?

December 12 – This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

December 11 – What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

December 10 – What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

December 9 – What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

December 8 – Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

December 7 – Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

December 6 – What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

December 5 – What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

December 4 – How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?

December 3 – Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

December 2 – What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

December 1 – Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?