As we wrap up 2025, I encourage you to take some time to reflect on the year. Many times, we want to jump to resolutions for the new year; we want to start fresh. But I find there’s power and purpose when we first look back.
Here’s the practice I like to do at the end of each year.
In my journal I write out each month, then I fill each month with memories from the following:
- I look through the pictures on my phone, starting with January
- Then I review my calendar to think of memories, events, and meetings
Sometimes the memories I find are fun outings, while other times it’s simple moments at home.
- I also like to reflect on the new people I met in the year. I think about how someone brightened my day; or how I brightened someone else’s day. Again, these can be small interactions, sometimes just in passing, when I didn’t even learn the person’s name.
- I like to think about how a simple choice I made one day, maybe led to something bigger months later.
After the process above, I then think about:
- Who brought joy to my life
- What I loved about the year
- What I’d choose to do differently
- When I was proud of how I chose to show up
- Where I was intentional
- Where I could have been more intentional
- How I may have neglected areas of my life
- Why I may have avoided areas of my life
I also create a collage of about 13 pictures for the year. I’ve been doing this for the past 10 years. It’s really cool to look back at all the collages at the end of each year to reflect on all the experiences and memories.
This practice helps me begin the new year with a fresh start.
As I reflect on 2025, I want to thank each one of you for being part of my community. I love hearing from you when I post and share. Reflecting, creating, and sharing pieces of my life in hopes of helping others brings me joy and daily beauty. I'd like to share a poem (at the end of this blog) from my book, "Life is Hard Life is Beautiful".
I’d love to hear from you!
Did you try this practice? What did you learn or see?
Do you have a different way that you like to close out the year?
May you find glimmers of Beauty, even through your Hard times.
~Janell
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