We’re approaching the end of the year, so you know what that means? You’re probably already being bombarded with lots of, ‘MAKE NEXT YEAR YOUR BEST YEAR EVERRRRR’ content. But before you dive headfirst into planning for next year, it’s really important to reflect back on this past year…so that you can move forward into a brand new year with intention.
Conducting a personal year-end review is important, whether you had a phenomenal year or if you feel like you’d rather toss the entire 12 months away in the trash. It helps us to take stock of what is actually working for us and what isn’t, as well as helping us to slow down during a time when we might be jumping from one day to the next. Most importantly, it sets us up to be intentional and mindful about how we embark on the upcoming year.
My first step for conducting a personal year-end review is to get outdoors. Getting outside helps get us into a tranquil, meditative state. It also allows the taskmaster part of our brain to settle down, while allowing the parts of our brains responsible for innovation, creativity, and empathy to fire up. You can either head outside before sitting down in a comfortable place to reflect on the past year, or you can do the entire review while outdoors.
Next, reflect on the year month by month and think through several questions. You can ask yourself:
What’s the best thing that happened this year? The most difficult? What did you learn from experiencing both?
What are you proud of from this year?
What did you let go of?
How did you best take care of yourself?
What did you discover about yourself?
I love ending the year in a place of gratitude, so you can also make a quick list of all the things that you’re most grateful for from the past year.
Lastly, ask yourself what you’re ready to leave behind and what you’re ready to step into next.
As you’re reflecting on the past year, remember to give yourself grace. Maybe you had a year filled with incredible highs and wins or maybe you felt like you were constantly swimming upstream. However the year played out for you, remind yourself that what you accomplished was enough and that you are still enough.
Meet The team
NAILAH BLADES
Eddie Bauer One Outside Guide
A marketing consultant and leadership coach, Nailah never thought of herself as an outdoorsy person. But when she found herself dealing with the stresses of building a new business, being a new mother, and living in a new state away from all her family and friends, she and her husband started exploring local trails. It was an epiphany. The outdoors helped her slow down, listen to her heart, and reconnect with her passion.
