My Annual Review

An Annual Review: Looking Back to Move Forward

This time of year, I like to pause and do an annual review.

Not to judge the year or turn it into a performance review, but to remember. I have a tendency—like many of us—to forget the good things that happened once life moves on. I forget the challenges I navigated, the lessons I learned, and the ways those experiences quietly shaped me.

An annual review helps me capture all of that:

what happened, what mattered, what changed me, and how I want to carry those lessons forward.

If you’ve never done an annual review, this is a wonderful time to try one. Not as another “should,” but as a moment of orientation—before the next year pulls you along.

The Process I Use

1. What happened this year?

I start with a narrative reflection.

I write about the highlights, the challenges, the moments that stand out—not as bullet points, but as a story. What unfolded? What surprised me? What felt hard, meaningful, joyful, or unfinished?

This step alone often reveals patterns I hadn’t noticed while living through the year.

2. A gentle review across key areas of life

Next, I zoom out and look across a few core areas—not to score them, but to notice.

Rather than going into great detail, I simply ask: What supported me here? What drained me? What shifted?

The areas I reflect on include:

• Physical Activity – how I moved my body and how it made me feel
• Nutrition – how I nourished myself and related to food
• BodyMind – stress, emotions, inner dialogue, moments of pause
• Personal Wellbeing – rest, creativity, boundaries, personal growth
• Relationships & Love – connection, support, honesty, belonging
• Environment – home, workspace, community, surroundings
• Finances – clarity, stress, confidence, sense of security
• Career – alignment, meaning, energy, growth

This is not about optimization. It’s about awareness.

3. What did I learn this year?

Here I reflect on lessons—not just intellectual ones, but embodied ones.

What did this year teach me about myself, my needs, my limits, my values?

4. Who am I becoming as a result?

This question shifts the focus from outcomes to identity.

How did this year shape the person I am becoming?

5. What didn’t work—and what will I leave behind?

Not everything deserves to come with us into the new year.

This is where I name habits, expectations, patterns, or beliefs that no longer serve me—and consciously choose to let them go.

6. What will I bring along?

Here I identify what does deserve a place moving forward: practices, insights, relationships, routines, or perspectives that supported me.

7. Revisiting my wellness vision

I then revisit my long-term wellness vision and ask:

• How aligned was I with it this year?
• Where did I drift—and why?
• What still feels true?

(If you’ve never created a wellness vision, this is a powerful place to start. I’ve written more about this process here.)

Looking Ahead: A Light Preview of the Year to Come

Once the review feels complete, I take a brief look forward.

Again, this is not a detailed action plan. It’s a direction-setting exercise.

For each life area, I ask:

• What do I want or need to focus on?
• Why does this matter now?
• How does it align with my values?
• What ripple effects might this have on other areas of my life?

Finally, I sketch a rough overview of the coming quarters. Not to lock anything in, but to see the year as a whole.

I want my annual preview to be flexible, yet motivating enough that it gently guides my choices as the year unfolds.

Because life will change. Priorities will shift. And that’s okay.

This is the same foundation I work from in my coaching. Sustainable change doesn’t start with willpower or rigid plans. It starts with awareness, clarity, and alignment, with understanding your life, your body, and your values before deciding what comes next.

If you’re feeling called to reflect more deeply on your wellbeing, your direction, or the changes you want to make this coming year and would like support navigating that process, I’d love to walk alongside you.

Get in touch with me and we’ll schedule a Discovery Call to chat more about how we can work together.