This time last year, I had just moved into a new place. I worked a typical corporate in-office 9 to 5, and I wasn’t sure when I would ever find another work-from-home position again. However, I didn’t settle. I avoided positions that didn’t fit my goals, values, and expectations and spent the rest of my time building up my stamina in running.

A year later, I settled into my little section of Southern California, found a primarily remote job, and ran a marathon in 5 hours and 55 minutes. I let my mind wander to various goals, and while doing so, I made the tiniest changes to my daily life that favored my preferred overall outcomes and received exactly what I asked for. I had used my year in review to manifest my difficult but very reasonable dreams.

Every year, I try to imagine what my New Year’s celebration will look like next year. I think about who I would want to spend the time with and then focus on how to get there. Last year, I signed up for a marathon and took my time finding a team of people I would like to work with, and I found a solid group. 

The holiday season is a wonderful time filled with fun and family, but it’s also a very important time for looking back on the year and reviewing what you find to plan for the future. It’s beneficial to ask yourself what you have learned, what you're grateful for, what you would do differently next year, what you're working on now, and who you have spent time with. Once you know where you are in the grand overarching plan, you can pivot and make changes to follow the best path.

As the nights grow long and the days become colder, I want to find the time during the winter holidays to reflect on all that I have done, on what I am doing now, and how best to achieve my new goals in the future. It’s a great exercise for those with a long list of future achievements.