The Ultimate Year in Review: Your Step-by-Step Guide | 320
Before we dive into planning the year ahead, it's so importgant to pause and reflect. In this episode, I guide you through a powerful step-by-step year in review process that’s helped me (and so many others) celebrate wins, learn from challenges, and reset with intention.
Whether 2025 was filled with growth or felt more like a slog, this reflective practice is a gift to yourself and your business. We’ll explore what worked, what didn’t, how things felt, and the impact you made—all so you can make smart, aligned decisions in 2026.
Your Year in Review Process:
Step 1: Set the Scene
Schedule 60–90 minutes for your year in review
Find a quiet, uninterrupted space
Grab a notebook or open a fresh doc
Make it cozy (tea, coffee, candle, comfy spot)
Approach this as a gift to yourself, not another task
Step 2: Create Your Year Timeline
Make a quick list of what actually happened this year
Look through:
Your calendar (month by month)
Your phone photos
Social media posts
Any other tools that jog your memory
Include both:
Business moments (launches, revenue, clients, projects)
Personal moments (travel, health, family, life changes)
Include highs and hard moments
Keep it simple — just bullet points
Step 3: Reflect on Growth & Learning
Ask yourself:
What went really well this year?
What didn’t go as planned?
Where did you show up consistently?
Where did you struggle with consistency?
What did you learn about yourself as a business owner?
Treat challenges as feedback, not failures
Focus on patterns, not perfection
Step 4: Reflect on Feelings & Experience
Ask yourself:
How did this year feel overall?
What moments brought you the most joy?
When did you feel most in flow or aligned?
What tasks or situations drained your energy?
What parts of your business energized you most?
Notice emotional patterns, not just outcomes
Pay attention to what supported (or hindered) your well-being
Step 5: Reflect on Impact & Purpose
Ask yourself:
What impact did your business have this year?
Who did you help, and how are they better off?
What ripple effects did your business create?
What changed in the world (even in small ways) because your business exists?
What are you most proud of from this year?
Think beyond numbers
Consider customers, community, values, and representation
Step 6: Look Forward (Without Planning Yet)
Use everything you learned to gently guide the next year
Ask yourself:
What do you want more of next year?
What do you want less of?
What impact do you want to make?
How do you want your business to feel?
Focus on direction and intention, not execution
Don’t worry about the “how” yet
Final Notes
You don’t need to answer every question — pick what resonates
Honesty makes this process more valuable
Reflection helps you move forward with clarity and intention
Keep your insights handy as you move into planning for the next year
Resources mentioned:
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