👋 Welcome, Life Architects!

🎉 Introduction: It’s time to wave goodbye to 2024, and look to the future

Life Design Special 3-Part Series

🔍 Reflect | Embrace the Year: Conduct a yearly audit of your biggest wins, challenges, and opportunities for growth

🤯 Reset | Let Go of What No Longer Serves You: Ditch what’s dragging you down and define what truly matters to you

🖌️ Redesign | Visualize Your Ideal Future: Take a hands-on approach to designing the life of your dreams with the December vision-boarding challenge

💭 Outro: A few helpful words to help you navigate your life in the new year

A Year-End Guide to Clarity and Purpose

Heyyy! It’s great to see you again! 👋 

Can you believe we’re already at the end of 2024? It feels like just yesterday we were setting goals for this year, and now it’s time to pause, look back, and start gearing up for 2025. So, let me ask you—how did this year feel for you? Did you celebrate milestones you’ve been working toward, or did life throw a few curveballs that reshaped your plans? Whatever your journey looked like, this is the perfect moment to honor your progress and recognize just how far you’ve come (and to create the life you want moving forward). That’s why I’ve created the mantra for the December edition: Reflect, Reset, and Redesign. This month we’ll focus on being self-aware - analyzing our past, present, and being intentional about building the future we want to see.

Before we step into 2025, now is the time to be introspective. What do you really want out of the new year? Is it a career move, a new skill, or rediscovering a passion you’ve set aside? Whatever it is, dream big—and know that I’m here cheering you on.

Reflect upon your present blessings – of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

Charles Dickens

Reflect: Embrace the Past Year

As the year draws to a close, reflection offers us a powerful opportunity to pause and reconnect with our journey. In the whirlwind of life, it’s easy to move from one task to the next without truly acknowledging the progress we’ve made or the lessons we’ve learned. Reflecting at year’s end creates space to celebrate your accomplishments, learn from your challenges, and gain clarity about what matters most to you. It’s not just about looking back; it’s about laying a thoughtful foundation for the year ahead.

By taking the time to examine where you’ve been, you empower yourself to set more meaningful and intentional goals for the future. Reflection helps you identify patterns, clarify your values, and ensure your next steps align with the life you want to create. It’s a chance to honor your journey, let go of what no longer serves you, and welcome the new year with purpose and confidence. Remember, growth isn’t just about forward momentum; it’s about understanding the path you’ve walked and using those insights to guide your next adventure.

With that said, I want you to try this exercise. I want you to set aside at least an hour (or more if you can) and answer the questions below. Try and use a journal (one you really like) to jot down your answers instead of typing them out on a computer. Why? Studies show you’ll be more apt to remembering what you wrote down when it’s handwritten - and hey, it might be a good time to start a bullet journal too!

10 Self-Reflection Questions to Close the Year

1. What are my proudest accomplishments of 2024?

2. What challenges did I face, and what lessons did they teach me?

3. How have my values or priorities shifted this year?

4. What habits or routines helped me grow?

5. Are there areas where I feel stuck or unfulfilled?

6. What relationships have had the most positive impact on my life?

7. What moments brought me the most joy and fulfillment?

8. What commitments or habits do I want to leave behind in 2024?

9. How did I step out of my comfort zone this year?

10. What intentions or goals do I want to carry into 2025?

And it’s perfectly okay to revisit your questions and change your answers. No one will see this but you. Be honest. Be direct. We only get one life to live.

Make the best of it.

Reset: Let Go of What No Longer Serves You

It’s time to hit the reset button. As the year comes to a close, take a moment to ask yourself: What am I still holding on to that I no longer need? Maybe it’s a habit that’s been keeping you stuck, a commitment that drains your energy, or a mindset that no longer aligns with who you’re becoming. Letting go is not about giving up; it’s about clearing space for the new opportunities and growth that 2025 is waiting to bring.

This process doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with something simple, like decluttering your workspace or organizing the files on your laptop. You’d be amazed at how freeing it feels to clear out what’s no longer useful. And don’t stop there—take a moment to declutter your mind, too. Try a mindfulness practice, such as deep breathing or journaling, to release lingering worries or doubts. When we create space—physically, mentally, and emotionally—we make room for fresh energy, ideas, and possibilities to flow in.

Here’s an exercise to help you reset: Grab a sheet of paper and draw two columns. On one side, write down the things you’re ready to release—habits, commitments, or even negative thoughts that no longer serve you. On the other side, write down what you’re welcoming in 2025—new goals, positive energy, and opportunities that align with your vision.

Keep this list somewhere visible as a reminder that you have the power to intentionally design your life. Letting go is your first step toward embracing all the greatness that lies ahead.

Redesign: Visualize Your Ideal Future - Vision Board Challenge

So, time to recap. You’ve taken the time to reflect on your journey? Check. Reset your mindset? Check. Now, it’s time to redesign your future.

And there’s no better time.

Whether it’s advancing your career, deepening relationships, or pursuing a passion, clarity is the first step toward making it happen. Start by exploring what truly matters to you—your values, passions, and long-term goals. These are the compass points that guide your decisions and keep you focused on what feels authentic and fulfilling.

To bring your vision to life, I encourage you to try creating a vision board. A vision board can be as simple as gathering images, quotes, and symbols that represent the life you want to build. You can gather a bunch of old magazines, travel guides, brochures, or whatever you like. Cut them out and paste them on a large whiteboard or on a clipboard in public view. If you’d rather take the digital approach, that’s cool too! Pinterest has millions of images of nearly every aspect of daily life including food, hobbies, careers, clothing, etc.

When your vision is clear, your actions naturally align, making it easier to stay focused and motivated as you step into the new year with purpose and confidence.

Check out the questions below and see what you come up with.

10 Questions to Help Redesign Your Life

1. What does success look like to me in 2025?

2. What are my top three priorities for the coming year?

3. What values do I want to guide my decisions?

4. How do I want to grow professionally and personally?

5. What passions or hobbies do I want to make more time for?

6. What kind of relationships do I want to nurture?

7. What habits or skills will help me achieve my goals?

8. How do I define work-life balance for myself?

9. What specific goals will bring me closer to my ideal life?

10. What words or themes best describe the future I want to create?

As you answer these questions, think about what they mean to you visually. What does the end goal look like? What are some possibilities? Are there more than one?

It’s entirely possible and you should embrace all outcomes that resonate with you.

Finding Your Away

There is no manual for how to live the perfect life.

But you can create a playbook to help you live your best life and navigate the road ahead.

Finding your way in life is less about having all the answers upfront and more about discovering them through action, reflection, and staying true to yourself.

It starts with asking honest questions: What brings me joy? What aligns with my values? What challenges excite me? These answers form the foundation of your direction. The journey requires patience, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace both uncertainty and growth. Along the way, it’s essential to seek support from others, and recognize that setbacks are stepping stones, not roadblocks. Remember, finding your way is not a single destination—it’s an ongoing process of aligning your choices with the life you truly want to create. Every small step forward brings you closer to clarity, purpose, and fulfillment. If you’d like to spend some time examining the direction that’s best for you, feel free to book a call with me so we can start exploring the right options for you.

With that said, I wish you much inner peace and prosperity in the new year!

See you in 2025,

Janelle