Each December, I write a blog post as part of my end-of-year reflection. I like to reminisce on the year’s memories, gain comprehension on what I’ve learned, and think about what to differently in the months ahead. I think reflection is a vital part of life and growth, but in a year like 2020 where everything seemed to go wrong, it feels overwhelming to reflect on what happened and where to go from here.
In effort to help us all think critically about who we are, where we’re at, how 2020 treated & what it taught us, and how to move forward in 2021, here are some tips I have about your year-end reflection, with some of my own answers to prompts.
Use a guide
In a typical year, I’ll write out my thoughts on the year, scribe a number of lessons learned, and what I want to do differently. This year, I felt puzzled on where to start (how can we even start to describe 2020?), so I Googled “end of year reflection” and found this very valuable, straightforward post. In it, you’ll find questions like:
- Describe your year in 10 words.
- What do you need to forgive yourself for?
- What actions can you take today to build your dream life?
- List 10 things you’re grateful for.
I would highly recommend starting with this exact list of questions — and answering them all — if you’re not sure where to start. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the parts of our lives that we need to address the most. These questions point to various parts of our lives, and I think it will be meaningful for you to think about each of these prompts.
Because sometimes examples can be helpful, here’s my take on the above prompts:
- It’s hard for me to address things succinctly, so I appreciated the challenge of describing the year in 10 words. Here’s what I came up with: Challenge after challenge, grace upon grace, hope beyond every hardship.
- I need to forgive myself for not living up to my own (high) expectations for being a friend during the pandemic. I feel like I’ve really let some people down who mean a lot to me based on how little I’ve shown up for them this year. A lot of that has to do with a very busy season, some of it has to do with me trying to take care of myself, and some of it has to do with my priorities being out of line. I need to remember that we’re in the middle of a global pandemic, and no one has shown up in ways they’re happy with. It’s hard to take care of yourself and give to others during such a challenging time. So, as I’m typing these words, I’m starting to forgive myself and letting that go 🙂
- I’m learning more and more about managing finances and how to pay off debt (thank you, out-of-state college tuition), so a step I want to take towards building my dream life is becoming more intentional about saving money in small ways – meal prepping (and sticking to a meal plan), putting more to my student loans every month, and finding small expenses to cut out of my life. There’s lots of room to grow in this, but when I think about it as “my dream life,” I’m a lot more motivated to make it happen.
- A sample of what I’m grateful for: Spending time (3.5 months) unexpectedly at home in Maryland at the beginning of the pandemic, our family’s farm making it through 2020, the random video calls that COVID-19 brought with old friends, and Jesus’s supremacy & sufficiency in every situation
Write it out
Many times when I need to clear my head or reflect on something, I will open a journal and give myself time to simply write all of the things I’m thinking and feeling. I don’t give myself a set time or amount of content I need to write, but making the space for me to do this helps me focus, remember that it’s essential, and allows me to revert back to “being” instead of “doing.” This is my preferred way of reflecting in my life.
It’s important that when you reflect, you don’t think of it as something that needs to be “accomplished” or “completed.” When you do that, you’re putting pressure on yourself to have it all figured out at one point in time or to have it done a certain way. Some of the most powerful reflection can come from you solely having the time and space to do it. In addition, when you allow yourself to reflect, that’s the start of your reflection and the continuum of your growth. Odds are, you’ll continue to learn from 2020 for many, many years after this. Your sitting down, writing out your thoughts, and coming back to them every few months or years is just the start of what 2020 is teaching you. Remember that your growth is a process and you won’t ever fully have it all figured out. Your pause to reflect on 2020 is the start of the beautiful things 2020 can teach you.
Discuss with a friend
If you’re not someone who prefers to process or reflect on paper, you could spend time with a friend on FaceTime, on the phone, or in-person discussing the year. You can use the aforementioned guide as a conversation tool, or you can answer questions like:
- Favorite memory of 2020
- Biggest lesson learned in 2020
- One thing that got me through this year
- As soon as the world “opens up,” I’m going to…
- Because of 2020, I will always/never…
If you spend time talking about your year with someone who means a lot to you, not only will you feel much more connected to one another, but you can also serve as “accountability partners” going into the new year as you create goals for 2021.
Use your resources
In the age of information and social media, there are various resources available to you that you can use to help reflect on your year. I’ve seen Instagram posts shared that include thoughtful reflection questions that are easy to use. I’ve also seen emails from companies & organizations come into my inbox that give examples of how to “move on” from 2020 or process the year.
If you’re not seeing social media posts or emails that help you in doing this, don’t be afraid to look to counselors to process the year or coaches to help you prepare for 2021. I attended an online 1-hour workshop that my friend (who is a career coach) hosted that included reflection on 2020 and preparation for 2021. Having someone else lead me through prompts from a different perspective went a long way for me.
There are so many resources out there related to self-awareness and self-reflection. Don’t be afraid to look. It’ll be worth it.
Be creative
I love to think about life through many different perspectives. This year, I’ve been reminded that 2020 was beautiful and joyful because of the simplest and tiniest of things. I’ve taken pictures of small moments that have meant the world to me, from lighting a new favorite candle to watching a summer sunset from my apartment porch.
To take it a step further, I decided to reflect on 2020 through a very small lens – our senses and the experiences of 2020 that made it what it was for me. The five senses we have might seem little, but all five of them together really make our life what it is.
As an example of how to be creative in your reflection and coming up with fun ways to think about your experiences, take a look below.
Getting A “Sense” of 2020
The Recipes [Taste]
One of the most meaningful parts of this year has been the fact that I’ve been able to cook many new things that I haven’t before. One thing in particular stands out – I made my grandmother’s famous cool peach pie at the very end of peach season this summer when my mom was visiting. It was so special to feel at home and connected to her when I couldn’t be with her.
The Activities [Touch]
Throughout the rollercoaster of COVID-19, we’ve had to be creative with our time and resources. This year, I’ve spent more time crafting or creating than I usually would have time for, and it’s been quite fulfilling to integrate this rhythm back into my life. What stands out the most about what I’ve “touched” this year is how I’ve decorated my apartment. It might seem simple, but moving to a new city 18 hours from home can be hard. Having a place that feels great makes that so much easier, and it’s been lovely to feel more at home in this apartment than the last three places I’ve lived.
The other activity that has meant so much to me this year is finding joy in the pause. It’s no secret 2020 forced us to slow down, but what did we do in that time? I went on a camping trip with some of my closest friends, watched many sunsets, took quite a few walks with our family’s dog, and spent time reading. It seems we have to meet life where it’s at these days, thanks to COVID-19, instead of our usual asking life to keep up with us. I’m enjoying some of the slowness in this season and how it’s causing me to be more intentional with what I do and what I touch.
The Tunes [Listen]
I am a BIG music fan. I think music is one of the biggest gifts that impacts my life on a daily basis, and that held true in 2020. I found myself struggling this year and constantly turning to music (of various genres and styles) for comfort, energy, and sometimes answers. I remember spending a clear, warm evening in our renovated barn in June, blaring slow songs by Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, and some of my other favorites before I flew back to Kansas City. On a beautiful clear night when I didn’t have the words to say (or think), this felt like the deepest level of therapy I could’ve had.
In reflecting on the sounds of 2020 that most impacted me, I’ve created a list of 20 songs that helped me survive this wild year. These songs listed will transport me back to this year – for better or for worse – and they will always have a special place in my heart. (Get ready – they cover a lot of ground. And disclaimer: they’re not in any particular order.)
- Do It Again by Elevation Worship
- Song for Everything by Maren Morris
- The Other Side by Lauren Alaina
- Run Away by Kylie Rae Harris
- Never Lost by Elevation Worship
- Forever After All by Luke Combs
- Be a Light by Thomas Rhett (+ more)
- Starting Over by Chris Stapleton
- Wish You Well by George Strait
- Half of My Hometown by Kelsea Ballerini (feat. Kenny Chesney)
- Brother by Tyler Braden
- I Hope by Gabby Barrett (feat. Charlie Puth)
- More Than My Hometown by Morgan Wallen
- Fall by Kolby Cooper
- Young Man’s Blues by Parker McCollum
- Ghost by Ray Fulcher
- 7 Summers by Morgan Wallen
- How They Remember You by Rascal Flatts
- Where the Heart Is by Brett Eldredge
- Getting Good by Lauren Alaina
The Scents [Smell]
There are few things in the world I love more than a quality candle. I’m loyal to Bath & Body Works 3-wick candles, and they have been such a fun part of this year for me. When I couldn’t spend time outside during the fall or when I needed to feel more energized by springtime, a simple candle changed everything and picked up my spirits when few other things could. I also think 2020 taught me how to rest well (because of having no other option), and lighting a candle to relax surely helps with that, too.
The Views [Sight]
Like many folks, the best sight of 2020 was the smile of someone who means a lot to you. Many times this was through FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet-Ups, or some sort of screen. If you were lucky, maybe that was in-person while six feet away from them. The smiles were irreplacecable this year.
A grounding view that meant a lot to me this year (and always does) was a beautiful sunset. It’s easy to forget about how big the world is and how much there is to life. A celebration in the sky in the form of a sunset is a humbling reminder that there’s something bigger out there than what we’re facing. This year, that sentiment was full of healing.
One specific image or sight that will forever stick with me in 2020 was that of my furry, four-legged friend, Baxter. When stuck at home during the spring with my family, I went on a walk along our driveway every morning with our dog. Walking became a vital part of my day because it was some of the only time I had away from screens, and because it was time I’d spend quietly in prayer or listening to worship music. Sometimes I would even walk with Baxter a few times a day, and during those times, he would get tired of walking/running, and go home while I continued. As the sun set and the darkness grew, it became hard to see Baxter from far away. When he headed toward our house, I trusted he got to where he needed to go, but I didn’t spend time looking for him. Because he still wanted to be “with” me but he didn’t want to keep walking, Baxter stood next to a tree in our front yard, watching me from afar making sure I was okay. I could hardly see him, but when I did, I got chills. He stood there, showing me he loved me in the smallest of ways, but letting me do my own thing.
When this happened for the first time, I shed a few tears. It hit me after a hard week that Baxter’s presence – close yet distant – was an example of Jesus. Baxter was literally walking with me, and at a certain point, he would let me do my own thing, but he still stood there watching me and with me, even when I couldn’t see it. I had to look for him to be reminded of his presence, but he was there to help me if I needed it or to let me be on my own. I think Jesus looks a lot like that – a friend who is with us, even when we don’t realize it, and gives us the freedom to live life, hoping we choose to do it with Him. During one of the hardest years ever, Jesus became clearer to me than ever before…all because of walking our dog.
Although it wasn’t an extravagant year, I’m grateful for 2020’s lessons and reset in priorities. I am thankful that Jesus showed up for me in unexpected ways and that 2021 will continue to be a lesson for me in faith, relationships, self-care, and everything in-between.
Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy 2021!
elizabeth galbreath 
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