As 2024 draws to a close and 2025 approaches, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and plan ahead. Whether we’re considering our accomplishments, setting new goals, or simply evaluating our overall mindset, taking stock of where we are can be a powerful exercise.
The concept of New Year’s resolutions has undergone much research, such as how individuals approach resolutions and how goal-setting strategies influence success rates.
Approach-oriented goals such as aiming to ‘be more active in daily life’ instead of ‘lose weight’ tend to yield better results. Additionally, those who seek guidance from a third party (such as a counsellor or life-coach) on effective goal-setting are more likely to succeed.
Support from others can make a crucial difference in goal outcome and success, having someone to check in with about goals, access to resources for overcoming challenges, and exercises tailored to goal objectives.
Although working with a counsellor or other professional could significantly help in goal setting, we can also take independent efforts on our own to clarify and achieve our goals – the start of a new year brings us the opportunity to look inward and assess our personal journey.
Personal reflection with focus on our ambitions, our emotional well-being, relationships or any other aspect of life can be both revealing and beneficial. Dedicating time to self-exploration can facilitate us better understanding what’s working for us, what might need adjustment, and how to move forward with purpose.
Below are some questions that will help you to kickstart personal reflection on the last year and start planning for the new year ahead. Uncover meaningful insights, set clear intentions, and create a roadmap for a fulfilling 2025.
- What things are different from last year?
- What things have remained the same?
- How would you describe your overall wellbeing right now?
- What moments from the past year excited you?
- If you could return to this time last year, what would you do differently?
- What would you do the same?
- List three achievements from the past year that you’re proud of.
- What were some of the personal challenges that you faced this year?
- What was the best thing you learned this year?
- How do you feel about your physical health?
- How do you feel about your mental health?
- What can you do now that you couldn’t do this time last year?
- What were some of the happiest moments from the past year?
- How do you feel about your relationships?
- What were some of the hardest moments?
- Did you make any new habits?
- Is there anything you wished you did more of?
- How do you feel about your relationship with technology?
- Did anything surprising happen to you this year?
- Did your relationship with yourself change?
- What did you overcome?
- Did you feel stressed often?
- What new experiences did you have?
- Did you receive the support that you needed?
- How do you feel about your work-life balance?
- What is the main thing you would like to achieve this coming year?
- What small steps will you take to make it happen?
- Who in your life offers you the best support?
- What three things are you passionate about?
- If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
- What makes you feel excited?
- How do you best learn new things?
- What is a dream that you have always had?
- What do you want to keep the same?
- What makes you feel drained?
- How would you like to make an impact on the world around you?
- What are your best qualities?
- Are there any habits you would like to break?
- Who inspires you?
- Do you have any childhood dreams you’d like to come true?
- How will you take care of yourself in the coming year?
- What are the signs that you need to take a break?
- What things make you feel motivated?
- How do you work best?
- What does success look like to you?
- How do you overcome hurdles?
- What new experiences are you looking forward to?
- What makes you feel fulfilled?
- How are you going to prioritise joy?
- Where do you want to be in a year’s time?
BE WELL COUNSELLING – Mark at Be Well Counselling is a qualified humanistic Gestalt counsellor based in Romsey near Southampton, a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS), providing counselling to adults 18+ and young people (14-18)
Email : bewellcns@gmail.com Tel / WhatsApp : 07359 759203 Web : www.be-wellcounselling.co.uk
