With only five Mondays left in 2024, it’s time to wrap up the year. In other words, it’s time to reflect on the past year and prepare for the new one. With so much pressure around establishing a New Year’s resolution, it’s important to recognize and celebrate all milestones–no matter how grand or small. If you’re looking for guidance on reflecting on the year you’ve had while staying positive for the year ahead, we’ve created a short guide featuring wellness exercises to help you close out the year intentionally.
5 Small Steps to Close Out the Year
Be intentional as the year comes to a close and finish strong. Think about–or write down–five things (one per week) that you can do from now until the end of the year to help set your intentions for 2025. Move with gratitude and purpose, appreciating the work you’ve already done that has paved the way for your next steps.
Reflect on Your Accomplishments and Realign Your Goals
Take time to reflect on your accomplishments this year. Recognize and celebrate all milestones, big or small. Check in with the goals you set earlier in the year and assess whether they still align with your vision and values. If they don’t, it’s okay to adjust or let them go–personal growth is about evolving and adapting.
Ditch the New Year’s Resolutions
There’s often so much pressure to set a New Year’s resolution, but maybe it’s time to leave that mindset behind. Instead of focusing on one big, overwhelming goal, try alternative approaches. Build habits gradually and focus on small wins that you can maintain. This approach reduces stress and helps you make sustainable progress.
Journaling Prompts
Here are three journaling prompts to help you reflect and reset for the New Year:
- What is one challenge you faced this year, and what lesson did you learn from it? How did you grow?
- What is one habit, goal, or value that you want to carry into the new year, and what’s a small first step you can take to make it happen and keep the momentum going?
- What are three accomplishments or moments from this year that made you proud, and why?
Focus on Growth
Shift your focus to gratitude, self-compassion, and celebrating the small victories from this past year. Use the reflections as a tool for growth–emphasize the lessons you’ve learned from both successes and setbacks and turn them into actionable plans for the future.
End 2024 on a positive note, with a mindset centered on gratitude. Be thankful for your achievements, for the lessons learned, and for the people and things in life that truly matter. Remember, it’s always a good time to start something new–you don’t need to wait for the calendar to flip to January 1st.
