The close of a year always invites us to pause and reflect. Before rushing into new goals or resolutions, it can be helpful to look back with intention. Asking thoughtful questions helps us notice where we’ve grown, what we’ve learned, and what matters most as we step into the next season. Here are some guiding questions for personal reflection at the end of the year.
Questions to ask yourself: gratitude and joy
- What moments brought me the most joy this year?
- Who or what am I most grateful for?
- What surprised me in a good way?
Growth and learning
- What did I learn about myself?
- What skills or habits did I grow in?
- Did I face challenges that helped me become stronger or wiser?
Questions to ask yourself: relationships and community
- How did I invest in my relationships?
- Who encouraged me most, and how did I encourage others?
- Did I spend time in ways that reflect my values?
Faith and spiritual life
- Where did I notice God’s presence this year?
- What spiritual practices or rhythms helped me feel grounded?
- Did I live more fully into the person God is shaping me to be?
Questions to ask yourself: work and creativity
- What projects or work gave me life?
- What did I create or accomplish that I’m proud of?
- Did I leave space for rest as well as productivity?
Looking ahead
- What do I want to carry with me into the next year?
- What is one thing I’d like to let go of?
- What small step can I take to move toward the life I hope to cultivate?
End-of-the-year journal prompts
If you enjoy journaling, here are some prompts to guide your reflections as you look back on the year and look forward to what’s ahead:
- Describe three moments from this year that you never want to forget.
- Write a letter of gratitude to someone who impacted you this year.
- Capture a challenge you faced and how it shaped you.
- Reflect on a time when you felt God’s presence in an unexpected way.
- Describe a relationship that grew stronger and why.
- List some small victories you’re proud of. Shoot for five.
- Write about something you let go of this year that created more freedom.
- Imagine yourself one year from now: what do you hope you can say?
- Capture a word, phrase, or theme that sums up this past year.
- Choose a word or theme you’d like to carry into the new year and reflect on why it matters.
These prompts can be used for quiet reflection, prayer journaling, or even as conversation starters with a friend or group.
Any other ideas?
Reflection isn’t about creating a perfect record of success. It’s about noticing God’s goodness, honoring the lessons, and carrying forward what matters most. Take some time to sit with these questions, journal your thoughts, or talk them through with a trusted friend. The practice of reflection can be a gift that helps us enter the new year with clarity, gratitude, and hope.
Does this practice of reflecting on the past year encourage you? Have you found some areas you’d like to expand or change? Do you have any regrets, and how can you use them as a springboard for growth? I guess I’m asking a LOT of questions in this post! These are just some things I’ve been sitting with recently. Let me know in the comments if there are reflection questions you’ve been pondering.
Other seasonal posts:
- lessons from A Christmas Carol
- Advent study: light in the margins
- homemade holiday gift ideas: simple treats and crafts to share this season
- cozy calendar: fun fall checklist
- the best holiday romance books for comfy and cozy reading
- gratitude practices
- holiday traditions from around the world
Other posts you may like:
- 4 best devotional books: grounded and growing
- Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict: five stars!
- Proverbs 31: shared flourishing
- ninja creami sorbet excellence
- mug cheesecake: a sweet treat you don’t have to share
- wells of wisdom: exploring the metaphor of water in the Bible
- book review: She Likes It, Hey Micah
- visiting Mammoth Cave National Park
- Human Library: creating positive change one “book” at a time
Fondly,
Crysti
Thank you for this thought-provoking list of questions to ask yourself at the end of the year. I appreciate the journal prompts as well. So many opportunities for positive introspection!
You’re so welcome, Lisa! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
I really appreciate these thoughtful questions to ask yourself at the end of the year. I love the idea to look at the year in review before moving forward into a new year. The journal prompts are perfect to truly reflect on a deeper level.
Fantastic, Debbie, thank you!
Thanks for preparing these questions to ask ourselves at the end of the year! I find them very helpful for reflection, as well as the journal prompts. I definitely plan to spend some time reflecting on this year and will use some of these questions.
I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks, Hadassah!