How to Write a Year-End Review: 5 Simple Questions to Help You Reflect on Your Year

Why write a year-end review?

So much happens in a year: things we finished and things we didn’t, things we thought would be hard that turned out to be easy, things we looked forward to that ended in disappointment. Writing a year-end review is a way to remind yourself: “I’ve been doing my best to live my life, and I’m becoming the person I want to be.”

This article offers 5 simple questions to help you sum up the past, give yourself a round of applause for the present, and leave a light on for the future. As you look back, may you see the courage within the imperfections, the growth beneath the disappointments, and the version of you who has kept moving forward all along.



1. What Were the Major Events in My Life This Year?

This question makes a great starting point. It’s a bit like writing a chronicle of your own life, recording the important things that happened this year. When you look back one year, five years, or even ten years from now, you’ll know exactly: so that’s what that year was like.

These major events might be a goodbye, a turning point in a relationship, a new job, a move, or a moment when you finally made up your mind.

Behind every event are our choices and changes. We may not realize it at the time, but later on, we’ll understand that we were standing at a crossroads in our lives.



2. What New Experiences Did I Have This Year?

There’s a theory that a year seems to fly by because most of our days are pretty much the same. For children, though, every day is full of new experiences, which is why a year feels so long to them.

So when you write your year-end review, you can also ask yourself: “What new experiences did I have this year?”

When life gets busy, it’s easy to lose track of the fun or meaningful moments. This question is a reminder that life can hold a bit more feeling and a bit more trying new things.


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3. What Regrets Do I Have, or What Didn’t I Get Done This Year?

Why didn’t this get done? Did I do my best? If it still matters, should I make room for it next year? Or has it stopped being important?

This question is really about figuring out: “What still matters to you?” You have regrets because you have expectations of yourself. When you answer this question, you might add: “Thank you for still wanting to be better.”



4. What People, Things, and Moments Made Me Happy This Year?

When we look back, the things we didn’t accomplish often come to mind first. But life shouldn’t be only about pressure and challenges. There’s also so much worth enjoying.

If someone made you happy, that means you have connections in your life worth cherishing. If certain little things brought you joy, they’re your chargers, there to heal you when you need it.

This question keeps those good things from being overlooked and helps you hold on to the habits that make you happy. It also helps you see: “What makes my life better?” so your future self can keep protecting these important sources of happiness.



5. What Do I Want to Praise Myself For This Year?

This is actually the most important question in the whole review.

Because we want to be better, we’re always picking at our shortcomings and going over our mistakes, but we rarely stop to take a real look at how well we’ve done. Notice your effort, not just the results. Admit that you’re doing great, instead of never being enough. Give yourself recognition, instead of only listening to what others think.

Even when you were exhausted, you still got up every day and faced life. Where no one could see, you still chose kindness. Even when you were scared, you found the courage to keep going. On difficult, stressful days, you still tried to eat well and get some rest ……

Beyond all this, there must be many more things only you know about that deserve some real praise.



6. Other Simple Questions

Besides the questions above, I also like to ask myself:

  • What movies or TV shows did I love this year?
  • What songs did I listen to most this year?

Sometimes the movies, shows, and music we love reflect the emotions and state of mind we were in at the time. For example, this year I’ve been especially into horror movies. Work has taken up most of my time, and horror movies deliver the most direct, intense jolt, pulling me out of everyday anxiety, worries, and numbness.

See? These seemingly simple questions can bring up plenty of clues that help us understand who we were at the time.



Use the End of the Year to Tidy Up the Little Room in Your Heart!

Once you’ve finished your year-end review, you might be pleasantly surprised to find that this year was fuller than you thought! You’ll understand your own preferences better, find a rhythm of life that suits you, and see where you need to make adjustments. This review will bring a sense of calm strength into the new year.

Say to your past self: “You’ve worked so hard. Thank you for all your effort.” And say to your future self: “You’ve got this. I believe in you!”

Give yourself an evening, make a cup of hot tea, open your journal, and use a few simple questions to write a year-end review that’s all your own!






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