My Year in Review: A Process Worth Stealing📝.
my step-by-step guide to reflecting, resetting, and planning ahead.
Happy Holidays, 🎊.
As the year winds down, there’s something deeply satisfying about pausing to look back at everything—every win, every lesson, and even the challenges that shaped us. I am learning to cherish this ritual because it’s about closure and clarity. Reflecting on the past helps me enter the new year with intention, excitement, and a clear sense of purpose.
I’m sharing my personal “year in review” process in this edition. It is simple and rewarding.
👩🏾💻Before we get into it, I want you to:
get comfortable and relaxed, have some wine if you can, and play music in the background—anything to get you in the right headspace.
get your preferred tool: a physical notepad, biro, Notion, or the good old-fashioned note app. I use Notion.
Ready? Let’s begin.
If you picked “yes” for the above poll, why do we then review our year (food for further thought)?
To me, a year in review is valuable for multiple reasons:
- it offers me the opportunity to reflect on my achievements, the obstacles I’ve faced, and how I have grown personally over the past twelve months.
- by looking inward, I can identify what went well, recognise areas for improvement, and gain clarity for setting goals in the coming year.
- ultimately, it fosters greater self-awareness, encourages learning from my experiences, and supports more informed decision-making for both my personal and professional life.
Steal my process 📝:
📝Firstly, reflect on your 2024 goals. If you planned 2024, you should read through what you planned. If you see some goals you haven’t achieved, remember to extend grace to yourself and remind yourself there will be opportunities to achieve them in 2025.
📝Secondly, on your preferred tool of reviewing, answer these journaling prompts:
1. When did I feel most proud this year, and what was I doing then?
2. If I could teach one lesson from this year that would improve another
person's quality of life, what would it be?
3. What excited me so much in 2024 that it kept me awake at night?
4. In what new ways did I find enjoyment or have fun this year?
5. Which 3–5 people am I most grateful for in 2024?
N.B: there are more journaling prompts towards the end of this article.
📝Thirdly, write down your 2024 “Drop-Outs”: Consider habits, behaviours, relationships, or patterns from 2024 that no longer serve you and you don’t wish to carry into 2025. For example:
1. procrastination on essential tasks,
2. inconsistency in exercising or learning new skills,
3. engaging in relationships that drain your energy rather than uplift you (LEAVE THE SITUATIONSHIP!!!),
4. negative self-talk that undermines your confidence.
📝Next, write down your 2024 “Champagne Toasts”: Celebrate every win—big or small—that you experienced in 2024. This is your highlight reel of accomplishments, events, personal growth, or moments that brought you pride or joy. For example:
1. completed an online course and gained a new certification,
2. learnt how to take feedback,
3. started a regular workout routine, even if not perfectly consistent,
3. wrote my CFA Level I,
4. successfully managed your budget for several months.
5. strengthened a friendship or built a new supportive relationship.
📝Finally, set a theme for 2025: Choose a word or concept that represents the energy, mindset, or direction you want to cultivate in the new year. This theme will guide your decisions, plans, and attitudes. For example:
1. “Consistency” – to approach every goal steadily,
2. “Peace”– to prioritize mental and emotional well-being,
3. “Growth” – to continually challenge yourself and learn,
4. “Abundance” – to welcome positivity and opportunities into your life.
End the year intentionally and step into 2025 with clarity.
📝More journaling prompts to review your 2024:
1. When did I feel most proud this year, and what was I doing then?
2. If I could teach one lesson from this year that would improve another person’s quality of life, what would it be?
3. What excited me so much in 2024 that it kept me awake at night?
4. In what new ways did I find enjoyment or have fun this year?
5. In what different ways did I encounter hardship or struggle in 2024?
6. Which people or types of people did I spend less time with this year?
7. Which people or types of people did I spend more time with this year?
8. Which three individuals am I most grateful for in 2024?
9. What did I learn about how I handle uncertainty this year?
10. What new habits did I develop during 2024?
11. Did I spend enough time with my family or significant others this year?
12. What things did I stop caring about in 2024?
13. What new expenses did I invest heavily in this year?
14. What new activity or pursuit did I devote much time to in 2024?
15. What skill or area do I feel I have significantly improved in during 2024?
16. What did I rediscover pleasure in this year?
17. When I felt truly at peace in 2024, what was I doing?
18. Which of my previous year’s goals did I not achieve, and what prevented me from doing so?
19. How close am I now to reaching the milestones in my five-year plan?
20. If, by the end of next year, I am surpassing my expectations, what will I be doing differently?
🌱As the year ends, I hope my process encourages you to reflect on your journey—your wins, lessons, and meaningful moments. Reflection creates clarity and intention for the future.
Thank you for joining me in this space. Here’s to another year of growth, discovery, and embracing life’s chaos. I’d love to hear about your year-in-review—reply to this email if you do not mind sharing!
Wishing you a reflective year-end and an inspiring start to the next. Let’s keep aspiring together.
👩🏾💻Anoma’s Interesting Things:
A range of things I am currently interested in or I find interesting.
📽️Currently obsessed with this YouTuber who studies for really long hours. Focus is often something I struggle with, so watching them study for such long hours is inspiring. I have a major brain crush on their brain. They have three accounts: one, two and three.
🫰🏾 I got featured on Money Africa:
📚I am currently reading:
I have yet to form an opinion on the book. But I am surprisingly enjoying it. I am adding it to my “guilty pleasures” read list.
I started writing this article at 5 a.m. on Christmas day. It is so quiet and beautiful outside. My thoughts are clouded with a handful of serendipitous desires, and I hope you get all the happiness you need and want this season.
Happy Holidays 🎊. Thank you for reading.
Stolen a part of the process
This was very helpful! Thank you for sharing, Anoma.