Pause, Reflect, and Embrace the Fresh Start Effect

Every new beginning comes from another beginning’s end.

That line isn’t from our favourite end-of-night anthem. It’s attributed to Seneca, the most flamboyant and controversial father of Stoicism. Credited with influencing the foundations of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), he and his mates also shaped the philosophy behind Powrsuit. 

Like us, Stoics believed in self-leadership: dealing with the world as it is, controlling the controllable, and embracing connection as a superpower. Yup, Powrsuit’s roots stretch all the way back to 4BC, when an emperor could make a philosopher the richest man in the empire before ordering him to end his own life. 

It was during this crazy era that Stoics nailed a simple truth: every new beginning – even arbitrary ones like a day, week, or year – requires another one to end. What they didn’t spell out though, is if we want to make the most of a new phase, we need to start by reflecting on the one that’s just ended.

A new beginning

Any new time period can trigger what behavioural scientists call the fresh start effect. By dividing time into chapters, we can reset: Leave the past behind and start again with renewed motivation. 

Usually, that motivation fades fast.

Why? Because it’s tempting to believe the past disappears with a flip of the calendar. It doesn’t. Without reflection, we wind up repeating mistakes while overlooking lessons that lead to a more rewarding life. Goodbye fresh start, hello more of the same.

Instead of letting the past come back to bite us, we can use it to shape a better future. By pausing to examine the wins, missteps, and patterns that defined the last chapter, we can identify what to leave behind and what to carry into the next.

Reflection, made easy

Got 8 minutes? Of course you do, you’re already here.

Below are four simple questions to help you reflect on the week/month/year that’s been. Set a timer for two minutes a question, and jot down whatever comes to mind. No polishing, no overthinking. We’ve even created a simple form so you can be emailed a copy to refer back to.

Trust the process: the act of writing sparks your subconscious, which will keep delivering insights long after you’ve completed the exercise:

• One high (2 mins)
• One low (2 mins)
• One thing to take forward (2 mins)
• One thing to let go (2 mins)

This isn’t a one-off exercise. Bookmark this article, build a habit of regular reflection, and this time next year, your life might just look very different.