The Power of Reflection Part Part Two: How I Pause, Reflect & Savor a Year
If you read Part One about Ann and the big, bulky binder that unexpectedly became a window into her “wonderful life,” you already know the theme of this two-part series: reflection is powerful.
It doesn’t just help us remember the past — it helps us understand it, savor it, and carry its wisdom forward.
Ann’s story reminded me how transformative it can be when we slow down long enough to really see the meaning threaded through our lives. And as this year comes to a close, I wanted to pull back the curtain on my own reflection ritual — how I pause, look back, and gently prime myself for a meaningful year ahead.
There’s no right way to reflect… but there are a few cornerstones that make this process richer, kinder, and far more impactful.
Below, I’m sharing the five cornerstones that anchor my year-end reflection practice.
Cornerstone #1: Return to the Beginning
At the start of 2025, I carved out some time to create a screensaver collage — my “big picture vibes”: images, words, concepts, reminders that captured how I wanted the year to feel.
In the world of goal setting, this is called a prime. And if you’ve ever been in one of my workshops, you know I adore priming. (I mention it… more than occasionally.)
Priming is beautifully simple:
It’s the practice of shaping your environment to gently remind you of who you want to be and what matters most.
No force.
No white-knuckling.
Just cues.
Our brains love cues.
My screensaver is my favorite prime. Every time I open my laptop, it nudges me — quietly — toward the person I’m becoming.
It’s not about perfection.
It’s about direction.
The image above is my 2025 screensaver: a collage anchored in creativity, curiosity, meaningful work, family, connection, and protected inner peace.
Cornerstone #2: Look Back at the Year as a Whole Story
Like Ann sorting through her binder, I take stock of my year not as a list of tasks completed or goals achieved, but as a story. A lived experience. A journey with texture.
When I look back at 2025, I’m drawn first to the people and creations that shaped my days.
Yes, the year had chaos. Projects changed. Life happened. And some things were simply… a lot.
But approaching reflection through the lens of savoring — lingering on what was meaningful — helps balance the hard with the good.
Here’s what I’m savoring from my own year:
Meaningful work.
Creating new programs. Refining curricula. Being trusted with the inner worlds of women seeking to thrive.
Curiosity.
Reading more. Exploring ideas. Keeping my mind awake and my creativity nurtured.
Authentic connection.
The kind that grows slowly and fills the soul — Charleston friends, professional circles, clients, community.
Family transitions.
There were many. Each taught me something new about love, letting go, and reimagining rhythms.
Life rarely feels poetic while we’re living it.
But reflection gathers the meaning.
And savoring deepens it.
Together, they help life feel fuller — not just faster.
Cornerstone #3: Pair Reflection with Savoring
Reflection by itself can easily tilt into analysis or judgment.
Savoring shifts the entire experience.
Savoring invites us to linger on:
what was beautiful
what was meaningful
what connected us
what grew us
what surprised us
Research shows savoring increases positive emotion, which enhances resilience, strengthens relationships, and widens our sense of possibility.
When you pair reflection with savoring:
small wins feel bigger
relationships feel richer
you notice patterns worth keeping
your year becomes a story, not a blur
And after a year that “flew by” for almost everyone I’ve spoken to, that pause matters more than ever.
Cornerstone #4: Use Your Own Life as Data
You don’t need a workshop or a beautifully bound journal (although you know I love a good journal). You just need a few minutes and the willingness to be curious.
Here’s where I always begin:
Your Calendar
Scroll through 2025 month by month.
- Who shows up regularly?
- What energizes you?
- What exhausts you?
Your calendar is a map of where your life actually went.
Your Camera Roll
This is often the most revealing.
Look at the tiny, captured moments: sunrise walks, laughter, your dog, coffee cups, your people, your workouts, your quiet wins.
These images reveal what you valued — sometimes before you even realized you valued it.
As you revisit these spaces, ask:
Before you rush ahead… pause, reflect, and savor.
Cornerstone #5: Let Meaning Guide You Into 2026
Once you’ve reflected, gently ask:
“What will make 2026 meaningful?”
Not perfect.
Not packed.
Not optimized.
Just meaningful.
Meaning is what steadies us.
Meaning is what motivates us.
Meaning is what helps us thrive.
And when we walk into a new year grounded in what matters — and primed for who we’re becoming — we begin from a place of alignment, not pressure.
Want Support Creating Your 2026 Vision?
If you want a safe, supportive place to talk through your goals, your habits, your hopes, and your vision for a meaningful 2026…
Book a complimentary discovery call today.
Let’s explore what you want the next year to feel like — and design a plan that helps you truly thrive.
With warmth,
Julie
