To sustain a demanding job, plenty of rest and space to pause between all the doing is essential. It allows our bodies and brains a chance to restore and process our experiences and ideas – coming back to what we feel, know and need now and in the days ahead.
That said, when we’ve been in “go mode” for much of the year, pausing can be a pretty tricky thing to do!
Our bodies may long to slow (or lie) down, but we find it hard to stop – feeling fractured and distracted, wired and tired.
With this understandable experience in mind, this reflection exercise offers some structure and support to pause and reflect as the year draws to a close – connecting brain and body.
It’s designed to help you:
- Pause with some structure
- Develop perspective on the year gone by
- Find your bearings and look ahead
You might like to reflect individually or with others – whatever feels most helpful for you.
Getting started
- This reflection exercise shares a series of questions for you to respond to. Before you start, consider, would you prefer to think, write or type your responses?
- While reflecting can feel simple, it can have impact too, so keep checking in as you go – pause or take a detour whenever you need to
You today
- If it feels comfortable to, take a moment to notice your body – where do you feel tension and ease today? Breathe into this feeling for a moment
- What colours sum up how you’re feeling?
- As you notice more, respond to what your body might need now – perhaps warmth, water or some movement – take all the time you want responding to this need
- This might be enough reflecting for today, you can stop here or continue to reflect on the year gone by with the questions below
Looking back on the year
- What’s been a real highlight of 2025?
- What are you most proud of from the year gone by?
- In what ways has 2025 been particularly tough?
- What have you learnt about yourself based on these experiences?
- What or who has supported you through the challenges of the year?
- Take a moment to pause again, what stands out to you from your reflections so far?
Bringing things together
- Looking around the space you are in, choose one object that reflects what this year has been like for you
- In what ways does the object reflect your experience of the year?
- What about its colour represents the year gone by?
- What about its shape represents the year gone by?
- What does the object tell you about how things have been?
- Take a moment to pause here, responding to what your body needs now – whether that’s warmth, water, movement or something else
Looking ahead
- What are you looking forward to next year?
- What does your body and brain definitely need more of next year?
- What are you feeling less sure about as you look ahead?
- Who or what would you like to connect more with next year? What about this appeals to you?
- Finally, create a posture with your body that reflects how you’d like to approach next year
- How does this posture feel? What does it tell you?
To close
- If it feels comfortable, take a moment to notice – where do you feel tension and ease in your body now? Take some time to breathe into this.
- Place your hands on your heart and take a moment to say thank you to your body for all it’s done and felt this year
- What’s the most important thing that emerged from this reflection time?
- What from this reflection would you like to take with you into next year?
- Reflection can bring up useful, moving and interesting things – whatever has come up for you, what do you fancy doing now?
However your year has been, I hope this chance to pause and find your bearings has been helpful for you.
And wishing you really well as we close this year and head into a new one,
Amy
