Reflecting Back & Looking Forward

In my 10th year of using this template, I have pared down the questions to just 12 - 6 looking back and 6 looking forward. You can still do the extended version if you prefer, but I think this neatly captures a lot of memories.

These questions are a great way to reflect on the previous year and also include some hopes and thoughts about the upcoming year. I appreciate the sentimental focus as well separating it from my goal-setting nature that I tackle above. Re-reading these questions year after year is a fabulous way to see a snapshot of your life and what you were feeling. And it’s just for you.

A word of advice: if you try to sit down and just answer the questions in order, with the first thing that comes to mind, you’ll probably find those are the real answers you wanted to write anyway. Doing the list in pieces is fine, too, but don’t feel like it has to be perfect. There are no wrong answers.

Your Year in Review

1. What one event or moment, big or small, do you most want to remember from this year?
2. If you had to describe your year in only 3 words, what would they be?
3. Which relationships or connections mattered most to you this year?
4. What or who had the biggest positive impact on your life this year?
5. What was the most important lesson you learned, problem you solved, or mental block you overcame this year?
6. What did you learn this year, including new skills, topics you explored, and habits you began to build?

The Upcoming Year

1. What do you want the overarching theme of your next year to be?
2. What do you want to see, discover, or explore?
3. What skills do you want to learn, improve, or master?
4. What do you want your everyday life to feel like?
5. Which habits do you want to change, cultivate or get rid of?
6. What is your number one goal for next year?

The Year Ahead

Focus Word