End of year reflection questions – let’s catch up!

I know what you’re thinking… an end of year reflection questions post. But hear me out. Let’s just catch up as friends. Like the old school days of the internet.

How are you? No. Really. How are you?

The world has felt very heavy and dark recently. Have you been struggling too? And I say that I’ve been “struggling” whilst fully acknowledging my immense privilege of being able to say that while sitting in my house, with my healthy kids, living in a safe country.  

My work has felt somewhat irrelevant recently and I have struggled with the mental battle around that. Should I continue making my silly little yoga classes while people on the other side of the world are being killed?  And then I’ll receive a lovely comment from one of you and remember why I share this work. But still… it’s been hard – you know?

Usually at the end of the year I send out a survey asking for what you’d like to see from me in the next year. But this year I’d like to try something different.  

This year, I’d love if you’d just leave a comment and tell me what’s going on for you. Pretend we’re catching up for an end-of-year drink. There are Christmas lights in the tree beside us and we have an hour or two to catch up before returning to our families. 

End of year reflection questions

What are you celebrating about this year?  

I’m celebrating the fact that life feels like it’s opened up for me again. After 11 years of mothering; having all three in school has been a game changer in so many ways. I’m looking after myself better than ever (because I have the time). I have so many creative ideas for my work. AND travel is back on the table for us (we spent a month overseas this year and for the first time since having kids it feels achievable – and enjoyable again).

What did you struggle with most this year? 

I think I’ve had a bit of an identity crisis this year. Similar to the one I remember facing when I had my first baby and life was completely re-organised around mothering, this one was based on the fact that they don’t need me as much anymore. (oof that actually physically hurts to write down).

My entire life has (gratefully) revolved around babies and toddlers in the last 11 years. Now that they’re all in school I was left facing the question: who am I now I’m not a mother with young children at home? 

Embracing this new season has been a bitter-sweet one for sure. It’s been a letting go of the pace of life with little ones at home, and trying to embrace this busy season of primary-school aged kids. (And don’t even get me started on the fact that I’ll have one in high school next year.) 

I guess it just goes to show it’s always ever-evolving right? And a reminder that all we can do is be here now and embrace what is right in front of us. 

What are you proud of yourself for this year?  It’s funny, when I sat to reflect on this questions I didn’t feel like I “achieved” very much this year. I definitely started out overly optimistic about what I would do in 2023. 

I started the year wanting to:

• Finish the house. – Nope.

• Start and publish a regular podcast. – ha! I started and have recorded about 10 episodes but at this moment, only one has been published. ​

• Write every day –  Nope.

• Up my video game and create more inspiring vlog-style videos – Nope. Not a single one.

It would be easy to look at this unfinished list and see that I somehow failed this year.  But I don’t feel like that at all.  Instead I feel so flipping proud. 

Proud of this home we’ve built on the back of last year’s disaster build.

Proud of the conversations that I’ve had with women this year that will eventually get shared on the podcast, but all in good time. 

Proud that we took three boys overseas for a month and had the best time, despite the gastro that hit 5 hours into the first plane ride. Yep, you read that right. Other than the plane falling from the sky I think that was literally the worst case scenario when flying with young children. 

Proud that I created an online course to support other Mums who want to grow their business online.

Proud of all the women I’ve mentored around their own online business this year. 

Proud of all the women who have showed up for themselves in 1:1 yoga therapy whether virtually or in-person.

Proud of the work I’ve done OFFLINE (and not something that I often share about here), offering counselling and support in a primary school 3 days a week.  

And maybe most importantly:

I’m proud of how much I’ve RESTED this year.  How much I’ve prioritised ME and doing things for no other reason than I want to.  

Okay WOW. I didn’t realise I had so much to say when I sat down to write. Mostly, I wanted to encourage you to reach out. So… how are you going?

​And in case you missed it:

Listen to the first episode of IN CIRCLE here. Or watch on youtube here.

Read: How much money I made in my online business while travelling.

Practise: Yoga for when the world feels too much.

Practise: Yoga for holiday season overwhelm