Reflecting Without Pressure
The Quiet Journey of Growth
It’s that time of year when you’ll read and hear a lot about reflecting on the past twelve months, and perhaps starting to think about new goals for 2026. I’m all for reflection, but it comes with a gentle caution:
Be kind to yourself.
You are good enough as you are.
When you reflect on your year, try not to measure yourself against only the highest highs or the lowest lows.
I love hearing about big achievements, but more often than not, it’s not the end result that inspires us. It’s the journey, the choices made along the way, the moments of doubt, courage, consistency and resilience.
And that’s what I’d love to encourage you to focus on: the smaller wins that quietly show growth.
Many people say things like:
“I didn’t do enough this year.”
“I’m not making enough progress.”
“I’m running out of time.”
“I’m not where I want to be.”
“I don’t know which step to take next.”
“I’m scared of failing.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
But… what if it does?
What if you try and you fail, but you learn, adapt, and grow as a result?
What if you allowed yourself to acknowledge the small changes you’ve already made towards that goal or desire?
What if you could say: I did the best I could with the time, resources and insight I had at the time, and I’m still curious to keep exploring who I am and how I grow.
Growth isn’t linear. It’s messy and bumpy. Sometimes we have to make mistakes before we can move forward again, stronger, wiser, and more self-aware.
Maybe it’s about trusting your own journey. Trusting that you are invested in becoming the best version of yourself with what you have right now, and that this is enough. Even the steps backwards may be part of what you need to learn along the way too move forward.
And finally, uncertainty leaves room for curiosity. It invites openness, creativity, and more authentic connection, with yourself and with others.
Reflecting on growth (not just achievements)
If you’d like to reflect on your year through the lens of growth rather than outcomes, try journalling on some of these prompts:
What fears did you face this year?
What connections did you nurture?
How did you show patience with others?
How did you show compassion and grace with yourself as you continued to grow and evolve?
What choices took you out of your comfort zone? Did you take any scary risks? What did you learn?
What strengths emerged during tougher moments?
What does resilience mean to you, and how did you embody it this year?
What love and care did you give unconditionally?
You can read about the power of journaling here.
And to help with goal setting for next year….
What do you need to focus on for the next year ahead?
What do you need to do more of?
What do you need to do less of?
What do you need to let go of?
How do you want to show up for yourself and others?
How do you want to feel next year?
You can also read about the power of a WORD focus for the year ahead, to help with who you want to be, rather than what you want to achieve - on a previous blog here.
A gentle reminder…
You are not behind.
You are not failing.
You are learning, evolving, and becoming… in ways that don’t always show up as tick-box achievements.
Growth often happens quietly, in the moments where you choose to keep going, to soften rather than harden, and to stay curious even when things feel uncertain or unknown. You’ve got a beautiful inner strength that keeps you going and inspires others around you, even if you don’t know it (yet).
What next?
If this reflection resonates, I invite you to take some time with these prompts, perhaps during a walk, a ride, or a quiet moment with a notebook. You don’t need to have answers; curiosity is enough.
And if you’d like support exploring confidence, resilience, or navigating your next steps, in a way that feels grounded, human and aligned, you’re welcome to get in touch or explore my coaching options and bundles available to you.
You don’t have to do this alone.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I wish you all a very happy, nourishing and joyful new year ahead!! I hope you can embrace 2026 with whatever you need most!
Sending so much love, Jen x x x
