Reflecting is powerful, but many of us avoid it because it can bring up painful memories of the past. How you reflect is just as important as the action of reflecting itself. There is never a better time for reflection than at the end of the year. As you begin your end-of-year reflection, go into it with a positive mindset and the goal that you will use this time to better yourself and experience growth for the year ahead.

To help you reflect in a positive way, we encourage you to ask yourself these questions. You may even want to write the answers down in your journal.

1. What is the best piece of advice you were given this year?
2. What is your favorite memory from this year?
3. What is the most surprising thing to come out of this year?
4. Is there one word you’d use to describe this year?
5. What is your proudest accomplishment this year?
6. What do you wish you’d done this year but couldn’t do?
7. Who was your biggest cheerleader this year?
8. What is one way you positively impacted someone else’s life this year?
9. What is the best compliment you received this year?
10. Who or what made you laugh the most this year?
11. What’s the biggest obstacle you overcame this year?
12. In what area of your life did you see the most growth?
13. On a scale of 1-10, how well did you take care of yourself this year?
14. What top 3 emotions did you experience this year?
15. What was your mindset like at the beginning of the year versus now?
16. What was your favorite way to relax this year?
17. What is one negative habit you eliminated this year?
18. Who or what inspired you the most this year?
19. If this year were a song, what would it be?
20. What is your intention for the new year?

Remember when you’re answering these reflection questions, don’t get caught up in the details. Write down whatever comes to your mind first. That will give you the most accurate “highlight reel” of your year.

This is a great activity if you have some downtime between holiday celebrations this month. Give yourself the time and space to really process the past year. That will give you the best results from this time of reflection. Happy thoughts for the new year!

Looking for more help shifting to a positive mindset? Check out these other resources:

• Feeling Stuck After Your Divorce? Here’s Why
• Are You Experiencing Divorce Stress and Divorce Anxiety?
• Did You Know That You Can Gaslight Yourself?