Sankofa is an Akan Twi word from Ghana that means “to go back and fetch it.” It’s a concept that encourages people to learn from their past to create a better future.
The world is abuzz with hope and fear about the coming years. There is something about collectively marking time, using years as a means of measuring and assessing ourselves. Sometimes, we do so in comparison to the selves we imagined we would be by now. Likely, the accusing voice in our heads tells us that we should be more like so-and-so in the chorus of life. For me—and I don’t think I’m exceptional here—it’s the voice that has been with me the longest. I’ve learned to hear it, acknowledge it, and give it instruction. As children, we experience the world and others and create narratives from that beautifully innocent but incomplete perspective. That incomplete perspective persists and travels through time, remaining until it is re-instructed.
I often write in my journal about how quickly the days, weeks, and months pass. With their passing, it’s easy to forget the decisions that led to the larger events in life. Sometimes, I struggle to recall the crossroads—who decided which road to take, and why. Often, my uninformed child’s narrative—shielded from the light of awareness and information—was in control. I had to learn to purposefully bring awareness and compassion to that narrative, though not before confirming it through long swaths of my life. This process requires more than just looking back; it demands opening a door that allows the light of the present to illuminate the past. When this happens, the present becomes so much clearer.
I reflect with deep gratitude on the realities of the years I’ve lived, thankful that I am here to continue the journey.
Learning and Growth
Every experience includes opportunities for learning, growth, and evolution. It can be difficult to realize this in the moment, but reflecting back helps capture the lessons and brings them into the present. The goal is not to let the past confine you, but to learn from it. I know that may sound trite, but truly—learn from it. Look for the patterns, the circles, the lines, the dips, and the peaks. Examine the how’s and why’s. Use these insights to propel yourself forward with gratitude for how far you’ve come. I have learned to interrogate myself without condemnation or judgment.
What actions and activities did I repeat, and why? Which actions worked for my good and which did not? Did I continue repeating certain patterns, mistaking stuck-ness for progress simply because I’m using the same factors without addressing cause and effect? Sometimes, part of that pattern involves blaming others.
What was good, and why? This is an exercise in gratitude. Have I been a good steward of the good in my life? Has it stayed with me, or have I forgotten it, allowing other things to drown it out? We are prone to hold on to the negative and must be intentional about holding on to the good, the positive, and the beautiful.
What were the consequences of my actions and inactions? What did I give my focus to, and how has that focus evolved over time? What influences have shaped those changes? Reclaim forgotten lessons. So much of the wisdom we learned early in life has been forgotten.
Assess, Ask, Act
Assess
Assess your thinking. What occupies most of your mental space, and why? Where is your focus? As the scripture says, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
Have you disqualified yourself with your thinking? Wounded yourself with unforgiveness? What about your relationship with your environment and others? Assess your connections and surroundings. Who is on your boat? Who is paddling with you, or against you, perhaps even causing your boat to leak? Your network determines your future. Consistently assess who and what you surround yourself with and how those influences shape your journey.
Ask
Ask and inquire of God. Seek guidance and direction as scripture reminds us: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Prayer, meditation, and seeking wise counsel are essential in your planning and process.
Act
Every present action contributes to shaping your future—its possibilities and the story of your past.
Work out your future by applying lessons from the past in the present. Don’t keep it all in your head. Take meaningful action toward your vision. Record your plan. This includes the strategy, vision, and steps toward where you see yourself and what you aim to achieve. I find that a combination of writing on paper and adding visuals—through vision boards or notebooks—helps bring the vision from my mind into the material world. This process clarifies and expresses the vision. It allows for regular review and updates as it expands. I bring the plan into awareness because, for me, nothing beats writing it out. Vision boards serve as powerful visual reminders.
Intention and Control
While many things are beyond our control, much of what happens is in our hands. There is always something to be learned if we are focused and intentional about how we will arrive at our future. One day, we will look back on what has become our past. Creating your future requires intention. We have more control over what it looks like than we often exercise.
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