As we arrive at the final few days of 2025, many people notice a subtle heaviness in the air, a quieter, darker, more inward energy. From the perspective of growth and reflections this is not something to resist. It is a natural descent into reflection. As Carl Jung wisely said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
End-of-year energy tends to pull us inward, inviting us to pause, review, and metabolize what we’ve lived through. And that is precisely why this season can become a powerful container for deep healing.
For me, this month has become a kind of sacred ritual. I intentionally enter a reflective state. One that nourishes the heart, steadies the nervous system, and gently integrates the year’s experiences. Rather than allowing the inner critic to dominate the narrative, listing everything I didn’t accomplish or didn’t do “well enough”, I choose a different stance. I call it positive reflection. Not because it ignores difficulty, but because it is rooted in compassion, truth and healing.
By default, the mind often scans for failure. From a therapeutic lens, we know this negativity bias is not healing. It’s protective at best, but outdated.
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” ~ Kristin Neff
Reflection becomes transformative when it is kind.
There is something profoundly sacred about the energy of a year closing. Yet I often can miss it…caught in productivity, distraction, or mental fatigue (and yes, I gently blame my peri-menopausal brain😉). When I consciously slow down, when I settle into stillness, I can feel the depth beneath the noise. That sacredness becomes accessible again. Presence returns.
And because stillness speaks best when given space, journaling becomes my doorway. Through carefully chosen questions, I allow buried insights to surface…truths that were once hidden beneath old wounds or quietly tucked away for survival. Writing, in this sense, becomes both witness and healer.
In my positive reflection ritual, I gently explore:
- What I experienced, endured, and accomplished this year
- What remained unfinished and what wisdom those pauses offered
- How I want to heal, grow, and orient myself in the coming year
- How to create plans that are realistic, embodied, and compassionate
Some deeper journaling reflections you may wish to explore:
- Moments of beauty that touched you this year
- A mindful moment that helped you return to yourself
- A kindness you offered someone else
- Hard things you faced, large or small. Honoring all of them
- A moment of self-compassion
- A time you felt strong and embodied in your body
- Something new you learned, no matter how small
- A risk you took or a way you stretched beyond your comfort zone
- A moment when you noticed an emotion and allowed it space without shutting it down or reacting
These moments matter. They are evidence of growth. As Viktor Frankl said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Reflection is how that change begins.
Positive Reflective Ritual(free printable worksheets)
I warmly invite you to join me in this reflective ritual. I’ve created a worksheet filled with gentle prompts designed to guide you into this healing space. Find a quiet corner, light a candle, take a few grounding breaths, and allow yourself to meet your year with honesty and grace.
You can print the worksheets or use them digitally, whatever feels most supportive.
This offering is free. Please download it, use it, and share it with anyone you love.
Growth is not a destination; it is an ongoing relationship with ourselves. Taking time to reflect is not a luxury—it is a necessity for integration and healing.
This is a small gift from my heart to yours ❤
My deepest hope is that the closing of this year, and the opening of the next, feels meaningful, intentional, and gentle for you. There is a beautiful positive energy available in this threshold moment. May these reflections help you tune into it with clarity, kindness, and healing.
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