The Art of Looking Back (Journal prompts to close out the year)
As 2025 comes to a close I am relishing time to go slow and reflect.
Winter asks us to take what's important into our cave, leave the rest and hibernate.
I recently recorded a podcast episode about the calendar new year and how the “new year, new you” rush energy seems asynchronous with nature’s call (If you’d like to listen to episode 47 “The threshold of the year” visit patreon here).
In any case, I always have liked taking time at the end of each year for reflection. I will go back through my calendar or journals or both and identify themes, lessons, medicine, muses and overall takeaways from the calendar year.
I also love it when I find astrological overlays explaining the larger cycles throughout time (for example the fact that 2025-2027 is said to be a potent time for transformation on planet earth).
Below are some journal prompts to guide you in your own personal reflection process (if you need some support with that or some new energy in your process).
Take what resonates and leave the rest. Journal prompts provided here are ALWAYS meant to be sparks of inspiration, but never homework.
Ok here goes…
When I look back on 2025, what themes show up again and again?
What relationships felt nourishing this year — and which ones quietly taught me about boundaries?
Where did I outgrow old identities, roles, or expectations?
What moments felt like thresholds — clear before-and-after points?
What rhythms, rituals, or practices actually supported me (not just the ones I thought should)?
What creative urges surfaced, even if I didn’t fully follow them yet?
What felt alive, true, and aligned this year?
What felt heavy, forced, or out of sync — and why might that have been?
What moments felt quietly sacred, even if no one else witnessed them?
What am I still metabolizing from this year — unfinished, unresolved, or in process?
What medicine did this year offer me that I want to carry forward?
What do I want to gently compost — beliefs, habits, stories — before stepping into the next cycle?
I hope some of these resonated with you like they did me and they support your journey into knowing yourself on a deeper level. Again, don’t feel like you need to answer them all, just let one or two choose you.
Every year we get to have a body is another year of perspective, unique-to-us wisdom and experience woven into our Life’s tapestry.
I hope you are looking back with fondness and celebration and also allowing yourself to compost those more challenging lessons for your future growth.
Check back tomorrow for journal prompts to look ahead and “goal set” for 2026.
