Winding up your year in a beautiful way

Plus make sure you put Weds 8th January in your diary for our goal-setting workshop.

Image by edi.01 on Depositphotos

Hi and welcome to ‘Something More’. Thanks for reading. If you’re new here, I’m Caroline Ferguson, mindset trainer and therapist. I provide stories, tips and tools to help you build a growth mindset, boost your self-awareness (#1 life skill) and explore a life that matters. Make sure you check out the details of my free January goal-setting workshop below.

It’s time to start one of my annual rituals

Each year at this time, I take off for a couple of hours by myself, with only a notebook and pencil for company. My current lifestyle gives me plenty of quiet space but during more hectic times in the past, I’ve escaped to a cafe or taken refuge in an armchair in a bookshop in the fading days of the year.

In this intentional seeking of space, I give myself permission to let go of busy-ness and concerns. I loosen my mind in preparation for what I’m about to do, which is…

Consciously reflect on the year I’m letting go of, and the one that’s approaching.

Using a series of prompts, I reflect on what’s happened, what went right and wrong, what I’d like to change and what my desires and intentions are moving forward.

Doing this leaves me full of gratitude. It’s also a wonderful springboard for the goal-setting adventure I embark on at the start of each new year – one I’m going to invite you to do with me in a couple of weeks. More on that later.

For now, I’d like to share my reflection exercise with you.

How to use the end-of-year reflection

If you’d like to try this for yourself, I urge you to make notes by hand, if you can, rather than typing on a phone or laptop.

Writing by hand involves more physical, cognitive and neurological effort than typing. It engages and stimulates the brain in a deeper way, strengthening neural connections and opening up your creative channels. If you have to type, try a different typeface and colour than you habitually use.

1. Start by addressing yourself intentionally. Invite your unconscious mind to play and ask it to make your memories, desires, ideas and feelings freely available. Ask your mind to reflect on your personal and professional life.

2. Read the prompts, one by one. Leave space to respond to each before moving on.

3. Keep the point of your pen or pencil on the page and start writing whatever comes to your mind. Don’t overthink – just scribble a couple of lines for each question. If you get stuck, move on to the next one and come back to it later.

4. Mark an asterisk in the margin when you feel triggered, or when emotions (positive or uncomfortable) come up.

5. Try to answer all the questions in one sitting. It looks like a lot but it really doesn’t take long and it’s well worth an hour or two of your time.

Reading through these prompts now and carving out time later to note down your reflections can be useful as it allows your unconscious mind to start working on the answers in the background.

Ready? Dive in and have fun.

Reflection on the Outgoing Year

Some of the questions might appear to overlap with others, but the different language might prompt a different response. I recommend you answer them all.

• What one word best sums up my year that’s ending?

• What dominant theme(s) emerged for me during the year?

• What were my main goals at the start of the year?

• How far did I get with them?

• What are my three greatest accomplishments from this year?

• What single achievement am I most proud of?

• What was the main reason for my success?

• What have I learned from this success?

• What didn’t go so well?

• What was the main reason for this?

• What have I learned from it?

• How satisfied am I with the way I have (or haven’t) taken action this year?

• What has been my biggest source of procrastination?

• What has brought me the most joy?

• What new skills or knowledge have I gained?

• What have I created that brought me pleasure?

• What obstacles and challenges have I overcome?

• What opportunities did I grasp or create?

• What opportunities did I miss or throw away?

• What has sucked up my time and energy this year?

• What energised me in a positive way?

• What (or who) has had a positive impact on me?

• What beneficial impact have I had on others?

• Which relationships(s) shifted during the year

• How and why did they shift?

• What or who has held me back or lowered my energy?

• What or who have I left behind that no longer serves me?

• What do I wish I’d done differently?

• How did I play and relax?

• When and how did I have the most fun?

• What took me out of my comfort zone?

• How have I sabotaged myself or got in my own way?

• What was the highlight of my year?

• What was my biggest disappointment?

• How, if at all, did my priorities shift?

• Why did my priorities shift?

• In what ways (if any) am I playing smaller now?

• In what ways (if any) am I playing bigger now?

• How have I contributed or given back to others or the world this year?

• What three things am I most grateful for?

• What do I still need to work on?

• What have I learned about myself this year?

Reflection on the Year Ahead

This section is deliberately shorter as we’ll be working on goals in a couple of weeks:

• What is my theme or word for the year ahead?

• What three things do I want to achieve?

• What could get in the way?

• What needs to change for me to succeed?

• What new skills or habits do I want to develop?

• What will I build on from last year’s achievements?

• What (if anything) will I do about last year’s missed opportunities?

• What do I want more of in my life?

• What do I want less of in my life?

• What will I let go of?

• How do I intend to give back/contribute?

• How, and to whom, will I make myself accountable?

• What is my next step?

• When am I going to take that next step?

When you’ve finished your reflection, circle or highlight any questions and responses that landed deep, either triggering or inspiring you.

I recommend you keep journalling around those areas, exploring them further. Doing this will help you get to know yourself better and build the crucial skill of self-awareness.

Join me for a free goal-setting workshop on Weds 8th January

Each year I run a dynamic goal-setting session for my clients via Zoom. We use my unique GoalStar tool to help us identify and set the goals that will make the biggest difference to each of us, personally.

I’m inviting all ‘Something More’ subscribers, both free and paid, to join me at the workshop as my gift. I promise it has real value – people have paid £150 to attend this 90-minute session in the past.

It’s happening on Wednesday 8th January at 8pm UK time (3pm EST, 12pm PST).

Are you ready to take charge of your life with fresh purpose?

This workshop is your roadmap to:

✅ Gain clarity: identify what’s working well and uncover the areas holding you back.
✅ Set strategic priorities: pinpoint the changes that will create the greatest impact.
✅ Master the art of setting the right goals: create compelling, actionable goals and discover proven strategies to turn them into reality.

Why I hope you won’t miss this

It isn’t just another workshop – it’s your chance to fix what isn’t working and start designing a future you’re excited to wake up to every day.

Whether you’re aiming for personal growth, professional success or a life of balance and joy, this session will equip you with the tools, knowledge and motivation to spell it out and decide how it happens.

Please note, I’ll be recording the workshop but the replay will only be available to paying members. If you’re a free subscriber and you’d like to benefit from the session, please be sure to attend live on the day.

Put the date in your diary and look out for the Zoom link coming soon.

Do you know someone who could use a little extra support in setting meaningful goals? Share this with them and encourage them to subscribe (free or paid) to Something More. It’s a simple way to help them take a positive step towards fixing what’s wrong and making meaningful changes.

Quick note: I’m the first person to advise that we don’t have to wait until Monday, or next month, or the new year to set goals. Every minute offers a fresh opportunity to make changes in our lives. There’s no doubt, though, that the clean page offered by a brand new year does provide a buzz of energy that makes it a compelling time to commit to change.

Thank you for taking time to read this article. I’d love to hear how you get on with the end-of-year reflection, what it brings up for you and what you’re feeling called to change as a result. Let me know in the comments and I’ll see if I can find resources to help you.

If you’ve found this post useful, please help others find it by liking and restacking it. The workshop is too valuable not to share.

Until next time, I wish you joy, good health and prosperity as we bring the year to a close.

Take care and sending love,

PS - Don’t forget to put Wednesday 8th January in your calendar and keep your eyes peeled for the Zoom link arriving in your inbox soon.