The beginning of a new year means it’s the perfect time to reset and reflect. One great way to do this is to ask yourself end-of-year reflection questions to really dig deep. You can do this in a journal, on your phone, or anywhere you prefer.
However, sometimes this task can be overwhelming. As fast as time seems to fly by, a year is a long time and a lot can happen! Where do you start? How do you even know what to ask yourself?
Well, first things first: compartmentalize your life. By this I mean think of all the different areas of your life that are important to you. These are some popular ones:
- Health/Wellness
- School/Career
- Social Life/Relationships
- Personal Growth
- Finances
With specific areas in mind, it’s easier to reflect on each of these areas separately. Of course, make more specific categories and questions depending on your lifestyle and interests! Maybe you are an athlete or really enjoy traveling – make separate categories for those. The point is that you will feel more organized when reflecting, and you’re less likely to forget about a certain aspect of your life when you ask questions within each area.
While you’re asking yourself these reflection questions, go through your planner, journal, camera roll, music playlists, calendar, social media, or anything else that will help you see your year in review.
With these tips in mind, I’m sharing 65+ end-of-year reflection questions in categories from health & wellness to personal interests. Use these questions as journal prompts, discussion starters, or inspiration for your own questions.
RELATED: 13 Creative Ways to Document Your Life: Prepping for the New Year
30 END OF YEAR REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- General
- Health/Wellness
- School/Career
- Social Life/Relationships
- Personal Interests/Growth
- Home + Food/Drink
- Personal Finances
GENERAL
- What are my top 5 memories from the past year? Why?
- What are my proudest moments/accomplishments? Why?
- What are some things I’m not so proud of? Why?
- What am I most grateful for from this past year?
- What were my biggest challenges? How did I overcome them and what did I learn?
- What am I most excited for in the new year?
- In 3 words, how would I describe my past year?
- In general, how do I allocate my time to different aspects of my life? What do I prioritize? Am I happy with that?
- What are some ways I can push myself out of my comfort zone in the new year?
- What is something I learned about myself?
- What motivates me? Has that changed over the years?
- What is my overall outlook on and mindset for living life?
HEALTH/WELLNESS
- What does being in a “healthy state” (both physically and mentally) look like for me?
- How can I update my morning/night routines to better set me up for success/align me with my goals?
- How have I practiced self-care this past year?
- What are some things I do/can do daily that will improve my mental/physical well-being?
- What are some updates I’ve made to my hygienic/beauty routine (i.e. skincare, hair care, new products, etc.)
- What types of physical activity do I enjoy doing?
- What motivates me to workout?
- What is a physical activity I want to try/do more of in the new year?
- What foods make me feel my best?
- What physical health goals do I have for the new year? Why?
SCHOOL/CAREER
- Is there a new subject/area of interest I’ve developed in school/work?
- What is my ideal work-life balance? Do I achieve this? Why or why not?
- How do I define success? Has that changed?
- Have my goals changed in terms of career growth/my dream job?
- What fears do I have regarding my education/career?
- Is my current role beneficial in leading towards my ultimate career goals?
- What is keeping me in my current role/keeping me from finding something new?
- How have I prioritized school/career in comparison to the other areas of my life? Am I happy with that?
- Am I happy at my current company? Is there anything I wish were different?
- What habits make me most productive? Are there new habits I can implement to increase productivity?
SOCIAL LIFE/RELATIONSHIPS
- Who are some new friends I’ve made?
- Who are some people I’ve grown apart from? Am I content with that?
- Who do I pour the most energy into?
- What is a relationship I want to work on/make more time for?
- In what ways am I a good friend/daughter/partner/co-worker/etc.?
- What are qualities I most value in my relationships?
- Is there anything holding me back from making new friends/creating deeper relationships?
- What is my ideal environment for socialization?
- What drains and recharges my social battery? Based on this, how can I update my lifestyle?
PERSONAL INTERESTS/GROWTH
- What are some new habits I’ve developed?
- What are some habits I’ve grown out of?
- What are little things that make me happy?
- What/who inspires me?
- What are some risks I’m glad I took this past year?
- What new hobbies have I picked up?
- Did I cross anything off my bucket list?
- What is a trip/big adventure I want to go on next?
- What are my top shows/movies from this past year?
- What is a passion project/idea I haven’t started on but really want to? What’s holding me back? What’s the first step?
- What are some of my favorite fashion trends from this past year?
- How has my style changed over the year?
- Who are my favorite artists from this past year?
- What 10 songs define my past year?
HOME + FOOD/DRINK
- What are my top restaurants of this past year?
- What are the best foods/dishes I’ve eaten this past year?
- What are some of the best new recipes I tried?
- What have been my favorite gatherings I’ve attended/hosted?
- How can I make my space feel more like me?
- What does my dream place of residence look like?
- What is a new home renovation/appliance/update I am eager to do?
PERSONAL FINANCES
- What are some of my favorite purchases from this past year?
- Is there anything I regret purchasing this past year?
- What is my mindset regarding money/spending?
- What does it mean for me to be financially “comfortable” or stable?
- In what area of my life did I spend the most (excluding rent)?
- What is the most impulsive purchase I made? Do I stand by it?
- How can I update my financial tracking/health?
- What are my financial goals for the new year? In the next 5 years?
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Whether you had a somewhat mediocre year or the best year of your life, it’s beneficial to reflect and ask yourself, why, how, and what’s next? SO much can happen in a year – there’s probably a lot of small things you won’t recall unless you take the time to really think about them.
From big events like vacations or promotions, to small things like having dinner with friends or commuting to work, these are the memories that will help you understand how you live, how you’ve changed, and how you want to proceed from here.
So, take the time to ask yourself reflection questions in all areas of your life; this may allow you to feel more mindful and prepared for a more intentional new year. And remember, be honest with yourself, give yourself grace, and find gratitude in all aspects of your life 🙂
