25 Reflection Questions To Wrap Up 2021

And just like that… another crazy year is coming to an end. We thought 2020 would be the weirdest year ever, but 2021 contained its fair share of weirdness.

Given how much has changed in the world around us in the last two years, I think it is more important than ever before to take some time to do some true personal reflection.

Why? Personal reflection is important for personal growth.

According to The Shine App, “Studies show that people who reflect actively strengthen their emotional intelligence, making it easier to cope with new challenges that may come their way.”

And, as Laurel Halloran, Ph.D., explains for The Shine App: “It is not an opportunity to get an exact ‘do-over,’ but by critically examining our experiences it gives us a chance to have a ‘do-better’ in the future.”

Even if 2021 hasn’t been your best year, I’m sure there were some positives. You might just need to dig deep to find them.

Take some time to reflect on the good and not-so-good parts of 2021.

Tips for Reflecting on the Year

As a mom, I get it. The idea of answering 25 questions about your year is daunting.

But, think of it as self-care.

Set aside time and space.

(Suggestion – aim for after Christmas when the kids are distracted and playing with their new toys.)

Get a notebook and jot down your answers.

Don’t overthink it.

Skip the ones you don’t have answers for immediately.

Come back to them later after you’ve had more time to ponder them.

Be honest and truthful.

Remember, these questions and their answers are just for you. You don’t have to perform.

25 Reflection Questions to Put a Pretty Little Bow on 2021

1.       What were the highlights of 2021 (big and small)?

2.       What goals did you accomplish?

3.       What did you do that worked?

4.       What did you try that didn’t work?

5.       What are you grateful for?

6.       What will you remember the most?

7.       What changes do you want to make in 2022?

8.       Where did you need more space?

9.       What valuable lessons did you learn?

10.   In what areas did you thrive?

11.   What were your challenges?

12.   What mistakes did you make?

13.   How are you different now than you were at the start of the year?

14.   What would you have done differently?

15.   What is something selfless and kind you did?

16.   What was the best compliment you received this year?

17.   What surprised you?

18.   What advice did you receive this year that proved helpful?

19.   How did you take care of your family this year?

20.   How did you take care of yourself this year?

21.   What can you let go of as you move into the new year?

22.   What brought you joy in 2021?

23.   How present were you in your relationships?

24.   What one word would you use to describe 2021?

25.   What are your intentions for 2022?

Do you have any other reflection questions you’d add to the list?

Resolutions All Moms Can Actually Achieve

And just like that, we have reached the end of the year (and the end of the decade!). This means it is that time of year when moms make all sorts of crazy resolutions they are bound to fail at come February. We’ve all been there. But, the process of trying to improve ourselves is a good thing! That’s why I am offering a list of resolutions all moms can actually achieve. The point is to modify each resolution for what is appropriate and achievable for yourself at this particular season in your life.

Find Some Peace & Quiet

We all need a little time to ourselves each day, but sometimes that feels impossible. In 2020, look for opportunities to enjoy peace and quiet. I have one mom friend who achieves this by getting up before the rest of her family to enjoy her coffee in silence. Now, I can’t do that, but I can turn off the noise for a few minutes each night. For some of you, it may be simply locking the door when you go to the restroom.

Go on Dates

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – date nights are important! Do your best to carve out time with your partner this new year. If you are like me, it helps to go ahead and put a date on the calendar instead of waiting for it to happen.

Put Down the Phone

Our phones are our lifelines! I totally get it! But, there does come a time when we are using our phones a little too much. So rather than telling yourself you will never use your phone around your kids (so unrealistic), set some phone boundaries for yourself, such as no phones at dinner or no phones once your usage app tells you that you’ve hit your daily max.

Embrace Imperfection

Imagine how less stressed you’d be if you didn’t expect things to be perfect all the time. Now that you’ve imagined it, do it! Laugh when things don’t go according to plan or forgive yourself when you can’t meet the perfect standard you (or society) has set.

Take Care of Your Needs

I’m all about self-care, but I’m not talking about spa days here. In 2020 and throughout this new decade, take care of your needs. When you schedule your children’s annual physical, go ahead and schedule yours. The same goes for dentist’s appointments and taking your vitamins.

Plan One Healthy Meal a Week

I’m leaving this one wide open because every woman has a different situation. Instead of telling yourself you are going to cook healthy meals every night of the week that your kids will actually eat and enjoy, set the bar (way) lower and aim for one healthy meal a week. And guess what? I don’t even think you have to be the one to cook it! Order it, pick it up, whatever works for your family’s situation.

Love Your People Well

Finally, the best resolution you can make for the new year is to love your people well. Even if you fail at every other thing you resolve to do, this is the one you should focus on the most. If your people feel loved, you are doing what you are meant to do.

Why You Need to Reduce Your Closet in 2020

You may be surprised that as a personal shopper and a fashion lover and shoe addict, I am telling you that you need to reduce your closet in 2020. But I have very good reasons. And, they are reasons that do not go against my love of having beautiful clothing, purses, and shoes in my closet. If you want to go into the next decade feeling lighter and freer, then you need to reduce your closet in 2020. This is why.

Less is More

It is easy to get caught up in wanting to have it all – that’s what society teaches us. But, instead of embracing a “more more more” lifestyle, try to remember less is more. Let’s think about this idea and our closets. What is more attractive? A closet that seems to explode when you open the door because there is too much stuff or a clean and organized closet where you can easily find everything you are looking for? See? Less is more when it comes to closets, too.

A Capsule Wardrobe is Easier

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of essential clothing items that can be worn in multiple ways by mixing, matching, and accessorizing. When you simplify your closet to a smaller number of essential items, you will find it is easier to get dressed and ready to go in the morning. Plus, it will help you stress less because you will know you look good and feel good since you have chosen the key pieces of clothing in advance for this purpose.

Times are Changing – Don’t Get Stuck in the Wrong Decade

You can still be fashionable if you embrace the idea of a capsule wardrobe for each season. You may even be more fashionable. By reducing your closet to key clothing items that don’t go out of fashion, you won’t find yourself wearing something no longer in style. Think about your closet. Are there clothing items that are “so last decade” or even further back? If so, it’s time to say goodbye. You don’t want to carry decades worth of clothing baggage into the next one.

Quality Over Quantity

Rather than stuffing your closet with a bunch of cheap clothing items, choose to purchase fewer, more expensive items that will last longer. A closet that has a few quality clothing items is much better than one overflowing with stuff that will fall apart after a few washes. Take time to get rid of the clothing items in your closet that look cheap or already show wear.

Because It’ll Bring You Joy

If we learned anything towards the end of the 2010s, it was that we should care about what brings us joy. And, according to Marie Kondo in her book Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up, cleaning your closet will bring you joy. By removing the items in your closet that do not spark joy, your closet will begin to make you happy rather than overwhelmed.

Make the Last 3 Months Better Than the First

Last year, I heard a lot of women talking about the #Last90Days Challenge that popular self-help author and speaker Rachel Hollis, who wrote the bestseller Girl, Wash Your Face, was promoting. On her website, she writes, “What if you committed to living your last 90 days of this year as hard as you are committing to living the first 30 days of the new year? What if instead of a downhill slide into 2019, you are ramping up!”

As intriguing as I found the idea, I was already behind having heard about well after the 90 days had begun. But this year, I am prepared and ready to prepare you, too! That’s because the last 90 days of the year is here – it runs from October 2nd – December 31st meaning you have time to figure out your #last90days goals and put a plan into action.

If you aren’t ready to commit to the challenge, here are a few of the reasons I think you should.

Because You’ve Already Dropped Your New Year’s Resolutions

I am not shaming you – I dropped some of my new year’s resolutions before January was over! The truth is keeping New Year’s resolutions is hard work, and we can beat ourselves up when we believe we have failed. This is the perfect time to pick it back up or reevaluate and go about achieving your goals in a more effective way. The last 90 days is the perfect time to start back!

Because 3 Month Goals are Better

While I am all about New Year’s resolutions, they are hard to keep, and many people have found that setting shorter goals is more achievable. For one thing, it feels like much less pressure to commit to something for 3 months instead of 12. Plus, setting 3-month goals is way more productive than setting 6 months goals or yearly goals.

Because You Want the Holiday Season to Be Less Stressful

The last 90 days of the year include the crazy holiday season, which we all know is one of the most stressful times of the year. It is the time of year when we tend to overindulge and feel overwhelmed. Imagine how different the season would be if we were more mindful about our goals and behaviors! As Rachel Hollis says, “The last three months of the year are typically when we make the worst decisions regarding our health. We eat more, drink more and move less. If you don't have a plan, you'll reach for bad coping mechanisms.”

Because You Want to End 2019 and Start 2020 on a High Note

Finally, you want to join the #Last90Days challenge because you want to end the year on a high note rather than dragging yourself over the finish line. Instead of waiting for January 1st to start making self-improvements, go ahead and start now! If you stick to your self-improvement goals the last 90 days of the year, then you will end the year and start the new one feeling positive.

Tips for Choosing Your Goals for The Last 90 Days Challenge

If you are up for the challenge, here are a few simple tips for choosing your goals for the last three months of the year:

• Only choose a few goals. If you choose several, you will fail.

• Choose goals that are realistic and attainable. For instance, if weight loss is a goal, don’t strive for a weight loss that is impossible for that short amount of time.

• Invest in a goal planner or journal to help keep yourself motivated.

My New Year’s Resolution for 2019 – Be More Selfish

The end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019 is the perfect time to reflect and make changes. It is for this obvious reason that many people make new year’s resolutions. But, we all have had a year when we’ve made too many resolutions (or just the wrong ones) and failed miserably.

So, this year I am going in a different direction. Rather than making resolutions to lose X number of pounds, work out X number of times a week, or save X amount of money, I’ve decided to resolve to do something for me. This is the year I am going to be more selfish. I am making resolutions to help me be my best self. And, to be my best self might mean I need to make some selfish choices - choices that prioritize my own needs.

Hear me out – I do not think we should aim to be selfish people. That isn’t exactly a good quality. However, there will be years when you are simply tired after juggling so much. And, this year I am ready to let go of some of the busyness that comes from doing so much for so many. This is the year of me.

I’m going to quit my full-time job.

My major goal for this year is to quit my full-time job. I love to work, but I am at a point in my life where I would like to work a bit less. I want more space in my schedule to do things. Even better – I believe this is a goal I will achieve.

I’m going to a take a long vacation.

This will be the year I take a true, long vacation. On my longer vacations in the past, I tend to end up having to do some work — not this year. I will find time to take a true vacation that will leave me feeling completely rejuvenated.

I’m going to practice radical self-care.

This year I am going to prioritize my own health. That means if I have to let someone down because it is more important for me to go to yoga, so be it. If I feel overwhelmed, I will say no easily and readily. I am stocking up on self-care supplies – everything from healthy options to wine and chocolate – and using these things whenever I am feeling depleted.

I’m going to do more of what makes me happy.

In 2019, I want to spend more time doing things that make me happy. I am going to invest in experiences that make me smile and laugh. I am going to go places that leave me awestruck. I am going to enjoy the hobbies I love.

I’m going to prioritize spending time with my family.

I am going to prioritize spending time with my family – even when that means saying no to a work requirement or an added event on the calendar. I plan to spend time with my loved ones doing the things that remind of us of the best things about family life.

I’m going to let go of guilt.

Finally, I will not feel guilty for being selfish. I will not feel guilty for politely saying no when something asks me for something that I cannot give. I will not feel guilty for loving my “me time” or my time alone with my family.

What is your 2019 resolution? Let me know in the comments1