Stepping into the New Year, Gently

I love pausing and reflecting at the end of the year. It has a grounding effect on me. It lets me start fresh.

It helps me evaluate different parts of my life. It allows me to look back and see both the good and the hard.

So how do I do it? (In case you want to do the same!) 

I take some me time. Quiet. Alone. In my office.

I take out my journal and I start asking questions—then writing the answers.

As always, responses to big questions don’t come fast. I start writing, and then I keep adding over the next few days.

Once you ask the questions, your brain keeps pondering and slowly comes up with answers—in its own time.

Here are some of the questions I ask myself: (If you prefer to watch the video instead I also posted them at LinkedIn)

• What worked well in 2025? In my personal life? At work? In my business? For my health? In my relationships?

• What do I want more of in the new year?

• What did not work? What can I do about it? Is there anything I can change, reframe, or consciously leave behind as I step into the new year?

• What am I grateful for? (I’ll empty my gratitude jar on January 1st and read the little notes I added every single day. More about what this looks like in this post.)

• What are my wishes and dreams for the new year? And how can I take the smallest steps to make them come true?

• Who do I want to call before the year is over? 

What Worked for Me in 2025 

(Feel free to steal any of these and add some of your own under comments.) 

• Not picking up or checking my phone until after a peaceful breakfast

• Walking twice every day

• Doing my to-do list differently: dumping everything on Sunday nights, categorizing it, and choosing only three items for each day (I have written about this in detail before.)

• Keeping a gratitude jar and adding one thing I’m grateful for every single day

• Watching a 30-minute funny sitcom before bed—nothing else, no phone or social media for the last two hours

• Reading books instead of binge-watching every day

• Writing and sharing my thoughts and beliefs—it’s my therapy

• Planning intentional dates with my husband

• Going away to remove ourselves from responsibilities… and also coming back to San Diego is always amazing

• Doing more weight training to protect my bones

• Having fun days with girlfriends

• Creating more videos on Instagram and YouTube—people definitely love video more than text posts 

What are some things that worked for you in 2025 that you want to carry into 2026?

I’d love to hear yours too. Please share in comments. 

Happy New Year! 🥳

Like many of you, I deeply hope 2026 will be a better year for our world.

And since we mostly explore career and work topics here, I look forward to continuing those conversations together in the new year as well. No matter where you stand in your career right now, my intention is that we explore the best options that truly work for you.

Gratefully,

Ozlem Brooke Erol