As the year comes to a close, it offers a natural invitation to slow down and reflect. Before you rush into planning, goal-setting, or choosing a word for the year ahead, it’s worth pausing to remember and review. 

It’s important to make meaning of your experiences, acknowledge your growth, and honor the journey that brought you here.

When you give yourself space to reflect with intention, you create clarity, which allows you to step into the new year with confidence and purpose. Journaling through thoughtful questions can help you close this year with gratitude and step into the next one feeling grounded, aligned, and ready.

We’ve put together a set of our favorite reflection questions so that you’re not staring at a blank page. If today isn’t the right time, that’s okay, go ahead and block time on your calendar so you can return to them when you’re ready.

Reflect on the Year Behind You

Before you look forward, take time to acknowledge where you’ve been. These questions are designed to help you recognize your progress and the lessons that shaped you.

1. What were my most meaningful accomplishments this year, and why do they matter to me? Go beyond surface-level wins. Consider what these accomplishments represent about your values, resilience, or growth as a leader and as a person.

2. What challenges stretched me, and how did I grow because of them? Growth often comes disguised as difficulty. Reflect on the moments that tested you and what they taught you about your strength, adaptability, or boundaries.

3. Which habits or choices had the greatest positive impact on my life this year? Think about the routines, decisions, or mindset shifts that supported your well-being, relationships, or business. These are clues to what’s worth carrying forward.

4. What moments brought me the most joy, and what do they reveal about what I value most? Joy is a powerful compass. Notice the experiences that energized you and what they say about what truly matters in your life.

5. What am I most grateful for as I reflect on this year? Gratitude has a way of softening perspective and deepening meaning. As you name what you’re thankful for, notice how it reframes your experience of the year as a whole.

Visualize the Year You’re Stepping Into

Once you’ve reflected on the past, turn your attention gently toward what’s ahead. These questions invite you to imagine your next chapter with intention. 

6. What is one area of my life I’m ready to transform in 2026? Choose one area, such as personal growth, relationships, health, career, or leadership, and allow yourself to envision what meaningful change could look like there.

7. What does my ideal year ahead look and feel like? Rather than focusing only on outcomes, tune into how you want to feel. Let those feelings guide your vision.

8. Who do I need to become to step into the life I want next year? Growth often requires becoming someone new. Consider the habits, beliefs, or qualities you’ll need to embody to align with the future you’re imagining.

9. Which relationships will I invest in to support my growth and goals? Success is rarely a solo journey. Reflect on the people who encourage, challenge, and support you. And most importantly, how you want to nurture those connections in the year ahead.

10. What is one intentional step I can take early in the new year to build momentum? Clarity becomes powerful when paired with action. Identify one thoughtful step you can take to begin the year with focus and purpose.

Remember To Be Intentional

Reflection is a powerful tool for self-awareness, but it’s what you do with those insights that shapes your future. Pay attention to recurring themes and patterns. Let them guide your decisions, priorities, and vision for the year ahead.

You are not starting from scratch; you’re building from experience. Every lesson, every choice, and every moment of reflection becomes part of the foundation you carry forward.

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