As the year winds down, there’s a simple practice I recommend to every woman I coach — one that helps you see what was truly worth the time and energy you invested this year.
It’s a year-end calendar and memory audit.
Not to judge the year.
Not to critique yourself.
But to actually see the life you lived.
So often, we rush straight into planning what’s next without fully taking in what was.
This practice slows you down just enough to bring clarity, gratitude, and honesty into the picture — and it almost always changes how you think about the year you’re closing and the one you’re about to step into.
How to Do a Year-End Calendar & Memory Audit
Set aside 30–45 uninterrupted minutes.
Open your photo library and your calendar side by side.
Start scrolling — slowly.
As you scroll through the year, write down the key things that stand out:
- Events you attended.
- Trips you took.
- Celebrations, birthdays, and milestones.
- Accomplishments you worked hard for.
- Projects you led.
Next to each item, mark it simply:
1 = Worth it (energizing, meaningful, aligned)
2 = Not worth it (draining, heavy, misaligned)
Don’t overthink it.
Go with your first, honest response.
You’re not grading your life — you’re noticing patterns.
As you go, begin to notice:
- What felt worth it?
- What took more energy than it gave back?
- What would you choose again?
- What do you want to quietly release?
Your calendar shows how your time was structured.
Your photos reveal what actually mattered.
This isn’t about regret — it’s about awareness.
When you’re finished, look at your list and ask:
- Where did my time and energy truly pay off?
- What didn’t deliver what I hoped it would?
- What do I want to continue next year?
- What would I change if I trusted myself a little more?
- What commitments felt aligned?
- What drained me that I need to let go of?
This is where clarity emerges — not from one moment, but from the patterns that repeat.
Let the answers be real — not aspirational.
This exercise doesn’t just clarify your calendar.
It clarifies your values.
Pause for Gratitude
Before you close this reflection, pause and ask:
What am I most grateful for from this year?
Not just the big wins — the real moments:
- Connection.
- Growth.
- Strength you didn’t know you had.
- People who showed up.
- Lessons that shaped you.
Gratitude grounds the entire process and changes how you carry the year with you.
A Personal Note
When I did this exercise for myself, I was lit up with joy.
Scrolling through photos of my boys — watching them grow right before my eyes.
Birthday parties.
Family trips.
Movie nights.
Everyday moments of seeing them play together, laugh, and just be.
It reminded me what a gift this season of life truly is.
And at the same time, this year also held deep loss.
The hardest thing I navigated was losing my best friend Becky. She and her husband were murdered, and the grief has been devastating in ways that are hard to put into words. I’ve had to learn how to hold grief alongside gratitude — to honor sorrow without letting it eclipse everything else that was good.
Both can be true.
This year also marked a milestone I’m incredibly proud of: launching Fulfilled & Limitless and seeing it become an international bestseller. I couldn’t be more proud and excited to put this book out in the world!
I’m also incredibly grateful for the community of women I’ve built through the Powerhouse Women Network and my SOAR peer group. Being surrounded by women of integrity, ambition, and heart — women who lead, support, and walk alongside one another — has been a profound gift. These relationships, rooted in trust and shared growth, have been a steady source of strength and encouragement this year.
Looking back brings clarity — not just about what happened this year, but about what you want to choose differently next.
It shows you where your time and energy were well spent, and where they quietly drifted out of alignment.
It reveals the patterns you want to protect, the moments you want more of, and the commitments you’re ready to release.
And it reminds you that the most powerful shifts don’t come from doing more — they come from choosing more intentionally.
Your Turn to Reflect
Before the year ends, I invite you to try this practice for yourself.
Not to plan.
Not to fix.
Not to rush ahead.
Just to see.
And then ask:
What do I want to carry forward — and what am I ready to leave behind?
That clarity will serve you far better than any resolution ever could.
How I Can Help
If you’re ready to take what you’ve seen in this reflection and make more intentional choices moving forward — here are a few ways we can go deeper:
- Purchase my International Bestselling Book that goes through the framework that has helped 1,000+ coaching and executive clients. You can find more information HERE.
- Join the Powerhouse Women Network! Find more information HERE.
- Build a custom strategy to reach your goals without burning out or compromising your purpose. Find out more information on this FREE complimentary call.
Your turn to reflect a step further:
- What is your biggest takeaway from this calendar and memory audit?
- What are two changes you want to make moving forward — based on what you saw?
- What do you want to protect or choose more intentionally next year?
May 2026 be marked by clarity, intentional choices, and a life that reflects what truly matters most to you.
– Christi Cossette
