As the year turns, I return to a simple practice that helps me pause, take stock, and choose my direction. If you have a quiet hour in the days before or after New Year, you might try it too.
Before you begin: find a calm space, switch off distractions, put on music that helps you think, and take pen and paper (or use voice notes if you prefer).
The practice
1. 2025 Victory List: write what went well: big, small, ordinary, hard-won. Be generous with yourself.
2. Release “tolerations”: list what you are putting up with that drains you: clutter, habits, half-finished tasks, stale obligations, unhelpful beliefs, relationships that repeatedly cost more than they give.
3. Name your dreams: what do you want to invite in: experiences, skills, relationships, creative work, qualities of character? If stuck, ask: If life felt truly right tomorrow, what would be different?
4. Set 2026 goals: choose a short list that gives your dreams a shape. Be specific: what will you complete, learn, build, or explore?
5. Change one thing: make a small shift in your environment or routine. Small disruptions can restore energy and imagination.
6. Forgive someone: forgiveness is not approval; it is release.
7. Forgive yourself: let go of perfection. Speak one true sentence of self-respect.
8. Nourish your people: one concrete act that strengthens a key relationship.
9. Practise gratitude: list 20 things; keep going if you want.
Every small step counts. Small choices compound.
I am sharing the full version (with prompts) here