Yearly Life Review

A Gentle End-of-Year Reflection for Alignment and Wisdom

Many spiritual traditions, as well as people who have had near-death experiences, speak of a life review that occurs when we leave the physical body — a moment where we see clearly how we lived, loved, chose, and showed up.

A yearly review is not the same thing, of course, but it offers a grounded reflection while we are still here. It allows us to check our alignment now, so we can consciously shape a way of being that leads to peace rather than regret at the end of life.

There is no shortage of templates online for doing a year-in-review. This year, I invite you to follow your own rhythm. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and create a process that feels true to you.

Doing a Yearly Life Review Reflection

Grab a journal, or even the back of a napkin. Yes, these 4 steps are meant to be written by hand. Choose a pen you love, or a freshly, satisfying, sharp pencil. Add colour if that brings you joy.

If you need inspiration, open your phone, your photos, your calendar, your messages. Let the year reveal itself to you.

Tune into....

– feeling and being rather than doing and productivity

– how open or closed your heart was

– your level of presence and mindfulness

– your capacity to hold paradox

– how safe or settled your belly felt

– whether anything brings up cringe or shame

– how connected you felt to yourself, others, the world, or something greater

– where you were flexible and where you were rigid

Realizations and Fulfillments

Moments you feel proud of. Experiences that flowed. Goals you reached. Challenges you met. Situations that brought growth, clarity, or a sense of completion.

Learning Moments

Experiences that did not meet your hopes or intentions. Setbacks, disappointments, unfinished efforts, or moments that revealed something uncomfortable yet valuable.

Notice if the inner critic is throwing “shoulds” at you, or if another part of you feels helpless or alone.

Ask yourself gently:

How might I be making myself or the situation wrong?

What was I resisting?

If the truth is that you did the best you could with what you knew at the time, and that Life unfolds as it does, what would it feel like to offer yourself compassion? Place a hand on your heart. Breathe. When we accept what is, space opens. From that space, something new can enter.

Shame often loosens when we are willing to name what we usually avoid — especially when we speak it aloud to someone we trust. If that feels right, consider sharing one of these moments with a trusted person, simply to be heard.

Wisdom and Insights

What understanding has emerged this year? What knowledge, perspective, qualities, or lessons have shaped the way you now see yourself, others, or the world? What did the learning moments teach you?

Stepping Into the New Year After a Yearly Life Review

As you step into the new year, you might sit with three simple questions.

What do I choose to release and leave behind? Emotions, habits, relationships, roles, or situations. Let them go with gratitude for what they taught you.

Who do I choose to be in the new year? Ask not what you will do, but who you are becoming. You might begin each sentence with “I am…”

What do I choose to carry forward? Values, skills, practices, wisdom, and capacities you have cultivated this past year — the things that support a life of alignment, balance, and quiet elevation.

Take your time. Let this be a conversation with yourself, not a task to complete.

Consider bookmarking this exercise to revisit monthly or on your birthday. Create your own ritual to live this one precious life with awareness.