Winter Reflections: Re-Claiming Your Power

Winter is usually a time to slow down, reflect, and check in with yourself. Some parts are hard and some parts are magical. This is a chance to take some time to really sit with the past year and to make time to celebrate yourself. Reflecting is a great way to help us lean into things and help us set intentions for the months ahead. Sometimes we get so caught up in the busyness of our lives that we forget to pause.

Depending on what month you’re doing this, you can either add some extra months to your reflection or start one year ago from today, whichever feels best.

Here we go.

Grab a pen and paper. Open your calendar and photos. Get ready to celebrate!

This activity helps us a) keep a record of the good things that happened, b) pause and celebrate those things — big and small, and c) tune into those special moments.

Start with January of last year and look at your calendar from that month. What were some things that you did? Write them down on your paper. Aim for at least two things that you feel good about. Maybe it was “made time to see my best friend for coffee,” maybe it was “submitted to a competition I wanted to” — it could be anything. Maybe you can’t remember all the things you did one month and your win was just getting through the month. Writing “I made it through November” is still a win! Don’t judge yourself. The point is to pick at least a couple small things. If you have some big ones too, that’s great. Write them all down.

Now go to your photos for January. What do you see? Any special, funny, or cute moments? Add them to the list! Maybe it’s “made time to cuddle with my pet,” “celebrated my daughter’s birthday by making crafts together,” “started walking more.”

Then, do the same for February. Go month by month until you’ve made it through all 12 months.

At the end, notice how it feels. Maybe it feels amazing or maybe you’re having a mix of emotions. Whatever it is, that’s okay. Allow yourself to feel it. Write down any powerful themes or words or images that come to mind. Maybe the word for last year was peace, or stillness, or laughter, or grief, or courage. Whatever it is, allow it to flow through you.

Give yourself permission to celebrate all the things on your list. And to celebrate that you took time to reflect on the past year and how far you’ve come. What do you want the theme to be for this year? Tuning into our lives helps us bring it back to the present. It helps us celebrate who we are, build confidence, and reflect on the magic that already exists within us. Reflecting on the past year can help us intentionally set the tone for the months ahead.