Year End Check In
It’s that time of year again. The holidays are winding down, and the only thing left to do is ring in the new year. New Year’s Eve has always been one of my favorite holidays. As a self-help junkie, getting a hard reset button every year fills me with excitement. This is the perfect time of year to set aside a few minutes for self-reflection and analyze what worked and didn’t work. I always want to step into the new year with the confidence that I know at least some of the changes I want to make, and New Year’s Day is literally the ideal time to take the first steps. Over the years, I have used many methods to complete my end-of-year analysis, so I wanted to share some of my favorites with you.
1. The Letter
If you aren’t big on resolutions or starting new habits, an option you might like is writing a letter to your future self. I must credit the Youtuber Kalyn Nicholson who introduced me to this. I used to do it every year. On New Year’s Eve, I would sit down when I had some quiet time to myself and write a letter for me to open the following year on New Year’s Eve. I’d write about what the year was like for me and what I hoped the new year would be like for future me. What is so lovely about this self-analysis is seeing how far I've come. By the next New Year’s Eve, I had always forgotten what I wrote and was able to re-experience it from my new life and perspective. Then, having just read what I wrote the year prior, I would write my letter for next year. This self-analysis cycle is wonderful and very insightful, but I fell out of the habit during some dark times I didn’t want to write to myself about and never picked it back up again. Regardless, I highly encourage those who have never tried this to give it a shot.
2. The Whiteboard
If you are more of a visual person, this might be the best method for you. I have used a literal whiteboard for this, but it isn't necessary. You can do this with a piece of paper, a poster board, or any other relatively large surface you can write on. The idea is to write down all your priorities spaced out around the board. For example, some of mine are health and wellness, family and friends, career, and passions and hobbies. Then, draw lines out from these priorities and fill in the blanks with things you want to do in the new year to improve on these areas. These can be goals like run a 6-minute mile, or they can be more abstract like spend more time calling and checking in with friends and family. This allows you to nail down your top priorities moving into the new year and specify what steps you plan to take to focus on those priorities. I haven’t done this yet for 2024, but I plan to.
3. The Journal Entry
My personal favorite. I don’t journal much, and I’d like to spend more time journaling than I currently do, but I don’t think there is a better way to uncover how you truly feel about something. I can be so confused about something in my head, but it unravels to reveal my true feelings as soon as I write about it. Journaling about how the year went, and possibly more importantly, what I plan to do differently to improve my life in the new year, is a game-changer for self-analysis. I get down to the nitty-gritty of all the worst moments, the beauty of all the best moments, and I take a hard, honest look at my life when considering what to do differently in the new year. I can’t say this method will work for everyone, but if you already write to express yourself in any way, shape, or form, I highly recommend you give this method a try. I think you’ll be surprised at what comes out when your pen hits the paper.
Happy New Year! I hope you have a wonderful New Year's Eve and hit the ground running on New Year’s Day. See you there!