December has a way of making us take stock, doesn’t it? Some people love a big year-end review with spreadsheets and goals. Others feel their stomach drop at the thought of measuring a whole year.
If you’re in that second group, come sit with me. Pour something warm, find a cozy spot, and let’s look back gently, in just five questions.
1. What am I proud of this year?
Start here, always. Big or small. Finishing something. Leaving something. Surviving something. Write it all down, even the things that seem too small to count. They count.
2. What was harder than I expected?
Be honest. This isn’t about beating yourself up. It’s about acknowledging what you carried. Sometimes just naming the weight helps you set it down.
3. What did I learn about myself?
Maybe you learned you need more rest than you thought. That you’re braver than you knew. That a certain relationship doesn’t feel good anymore. That you love mornings. Every lesson is useful.
4. What do I want to leave in this year?
A habit, a worry, a belief about yourself, a way of saying yes when you mean no. Write it down and give yourself permission not to bring it with you.
5. What do I want to carry into next year?
The people, practices and feelings you want more of. Not a list of goals, just a sense of direction.
Close With Kindness
When you’re done, read it all back and write one last line to yourself, the way you’d write to a friend who just had the year you had. Something like: You did so much more than you give yourself credit for.
Because you probably did.
Whatever this year held for you, I’m so glad you made it here. Rest well, friend. A new chapter is coming.
Want a little more support along the way? My two journals, Nurturing Your Soul: A Guide to Practicing Self-Care and The Mindful Journey Journal, are available on Amazon.
