Year in Review
I’ve kept my journals from the last 45 years. I’ve met people who have burned their journals and never look back at them. Journaling and what we do with those entries are completely up to each of us.
I’ve found that looking back in my journal gives me an idea of my growth, my stuckness, and the paths I’m following. By looking back and reflecting on what I’ve written, I understand what matters to me. How I’m spending my time and whether those activities lift me up or add to the stuckness are important to know.
Year in Review is a compilation of smaller reviews like Weekly Setup where I look at the previous week to see how it supported my Monthly Intentions, what I crossed off my list, and what’s coming with me into the next week. At the end of the month, I do another review and reflect on my journaling, mood, goals, intentions, and calendar load. I note my Highlights and Reflect on what moved me, resonated, learned, need to bring forward into the next month or let go. More details are in my Month in Review post.
Doing the Month in Review makes the Year in Review easier. I admit that sometimes I’m reviewing a few months at a time. Perhaps I need to reflect on that!
Now if you’re new to journaling, no worries. You can look back at photos, social media, texts, or your calendar to review your year.
Year in Review
Start in January and review
How did you feel?
What goals/intentions were worked on, completed or forgotten?
What journaling, tracking, project worked or didn’t work?
Any other reflections?
What were the highlights of the month?
Do this for each month. I list the months on one page of my journal and note the Highlights on the other.
Options to design a page, add art or just list. I note each month with a different color.
Reflect on the year as a whole. I realized I was in a caregiver role for the entire year, attempted tracking pages for habits that didn’t work for me, focused on creating a more intentional business, and didn’t physically take care of my body like I usually do.
There were a great deal of highs and lows to the point of what I feel were unhealthy extremes. Yet I think the highs carried me through the lows.
Moving Forward into the new year
Looking back at 2023, I desire more boundaries, balance, and ease in 2024.
In addition, I felt very serious and loaded with this heavy energy. So for 2024, I desire a more LIGHTHEARTED approach to the year.
LIGHTHEARTED is my Word of the Year
This will be my gauge for my intentions and actions.
Does this lighten my heart, bring me joy, lift my spirits, or connect to my path and purpose?
Can I intentionally set my day, week, month, and year based on my values, hopes, desires, and dreams?
This assumes that I know what those are. Journaling, self-awareness, continued healing, and knowing what fuels me all support my 2024 path. Looking back cleared my path forward and also brought back some beautiful memories, which softened the harder ones.
Journaling is a practice that’s meant to serve you in whatever way you need at this moment. That need will probably change as you do. I hope this process supports your growth and path leading toward your greatest chapter this year.