At the end of the year, around Winter Solstice, I like to answer some year-end reflection questions to capture the progress, gratitudes, and insights. Taking the year view has been a restorative confidence-boosting process for me.

I do this because I know it’s too easy to miss the progress because the brain can be so focused on what’s still to do. I get motivated by seeing the actual progress that’s missed in a day-to-day view, and I’m more able to plan the coming year based on what I’ve learned.

While the daylight is shorter in winter, it lends well to inward time to reflect. I’ve learned to embrace the seasonal suggestion to turn inward and I can kinda enjoy winter now.

Tips for your own year-end reflections

I’ll share a window into my 2024 review as an example, and because it’s fun to share.

You’re welcome to try the same year-end reflection questions or create your own. I encourage including things that you think aren’t “big enough.”

I welcome hearing any of your answers in the comments below.

My 2024 Year-end Reflections

3 accomplishments that feel so good:

1. Increased visibility: I enjoyed publishing 19 new blog posts and being part of 4 live events with kindred spirit collaborators. My presence in Google Search keeps growing too (despite AI).
2. Launched a free mini-course, Career Roadmap for Sensitive Souls, and 255 people have checked it out so far. So nice to see all that activity and new connections. It feels good to offer more for free.
3. I lived into my word of the year, Community, personally and professionally, by letting in more support overall, growing my team, and collaborating more. I overcame my initial resistance that tried to stop me.

3 gratitudes:

1. My Work: I got to know many new clients, course participants, and colleagues, and it fills my heart! Thank you for being with me. 🥰
2. My Health: My body is showing signs of healing after many months of stubborn back pain this year.
3. My Community: I’m deeply grateful for loving support and community with neighbor-friends.

Where did I shine this year?

Holding calming space for people in my groups and gatherings. I consistently hear people tell me they feel calmer around me or my videos. Calm seems like a very needed thing these days so this means a lot to me.

What have I learned about myself this year?

I noticed I was holding back a little bit about saying what I really believe. I’ve been more vocal online, and I updated my About page in a way that captures more of what I believe (thanks to letting in help). A continual growth process.

What has changed for the better since a year ago?

I simplified various systems in my business and I am experiencing the rewards in more flow for me and my clients. This feels amazing because it is helping me achieve that magical goal of more impact with less fuss. So happy to notice and experience this.

A year ago I hadn’t even seen the need for this, because I was just doing things the way that seemed needed, but with the help of my business coach, my blinders came off in more places.

3 things I did not accomplish:

1. 17 blog posts I started this year but haven’t yet gotten over the finish line.  🙃
2. All the improvements I want to make on my website, my courses, my systems…. The perfectionist in me keeps pointing these out.
3. This list. (I’m not going to think of a 3rd item for this list, so I can defy the perfectionist voice of not-enough-ness. Bam, I won that battle at least.)

I now claim that all incomplete items are OK as is. That’s life. Letting go. I can move the important things to next year, and let go of some too.

My favorite blog posts I wrote in 2024

• Right Effort: How much effort is enough to achieve the success you want?
• Aging as a Woman in Business: Inner Critic > Reclaiming Wisdom
• How to Know What Your Heart Wants
• That big bout of low confidence about work (We’ve all been there.)

Plus more favorites I wrote especially for Solopreneurs

• Vulnerability, Shame, and Imposter Attacks When Self-employed
• Feeling Stuck about Choosing a Niche (or whether to at all)?

What about visioning for the new year?

The first step in my visioning and planning is a year-end reflection, including the above questions.

After that, I do some visioning about one year from now, and that helps me choose my new word of the year. Visioning is for another post another day. Today is the reflection time.

In the meantime, here is a simple way to find your own word of the year. I’m a big believer in a word of the year instead of resolutions.

Some Musical Inspiration for Celebrating

Excerpts:

I know it’s been hard, but I found my way again…
I found the power, the brand-new day.