Whew… 2025 was something, wasn’t it?

Every year I take time to do a yearly audit — not to judge myself, but to honestly take stock of how things went, what worked, what didn’t, and where I can grow. Looking back, 2025 wasn’t perfect… and that’s okay. Some goals I crushed. Some I barely showed up for. And others I flat-out forgot about.

But here’s the thing: I don’t see that as failure. I see it as truth — the real, messy, amazing parts of life. I learned that intentions without action don’t shift your life, and this year I showed up in some areas beautifully and in others… not so much. The choice now is how I use that information going into 2026. And I intend to use it wisely.

Have you ever done a yearly audit of your life? I first started this practice after listening to podcasts and thought leaders share how breaking down a year helps you design the next one with intention. It’s less about perfection… and more about presence, awareness, and honest reflection.

Here’s how I approach mine — and how you can, too!

Step 1 — Gather Your Tools

Grab:

📌 A journal or blank paper or my guided workbook!

📌 Your phone (to scroll photos/calendar)

📌 Any planner or habit tracker you used in 2025

I use Google Calendar with different color codes for family, self care, work, appointments — you name it. I also use a habit tracking app to see what actually stuck throughout the year.

Step 2 — Habit Comparison

Look back at the habits you tracked in 2025:

Daily water intake, yoga, meditation, strength training. Screen time habits, Social time vs. alone time, Take-out vs. home meals Sleep routines

Ask yourself: Did I improve? Stay the same? Regress? Seeing quantifiable patterns helps shape what to adjust for 2026.

Step 3 — Highs & Lows

Divide a page into Highs and Lows.

Scroll your calendar and camera roll from January through December. Include family moments, work celebrations, trips, challenges, health wins, frustrating setbacks — all of it.

Example from my year:

Highs:

✔️ Family time and laughter

✔️ Achieved health goals

✔️ New job with a team I genuinely enjoy

Lows:

✘ Slipped on blog goals

✘ Did less reading than I wanted

✘ Took shortcuts instead of intentional growth

This isn’t about being hard on yourself — it’s about being honest.

Step 4 — What Did I Learn About Myself?

What do your highs and lows tell you about you? For me, 2025 showed me how much I crave quiet, how I can push through hard seasons, and how important it is to be present — not just physically, but emotionally.

This was the biggest life lesson: Being there matters more than doing it all.

Step 5 — What Do I Want to Start in 2026?

Look forward with clarity.

For me, I want to recommit to healthful habits, prioritize meaningful family time, and plan intentional weekends together rather than always letting life just happen.

Step 6 — What Do I Want to Stop in 2026?

Let go of what no longer serves:

❌ Too much take-out

❌ Filling time with noise instead of rest

❌ Saying “yes” when I really mean “no”

These are the areas where I feel called to draw firmer boundaries.

Step 7 — What Do I Want to Continue?

Celebrate what is working:

✨ Strength training 3x/week

✨ Mindful Eating

✨ Limiting Social Media

Those rhythms are worth keeping — they feed my soul more than I realized.

How Was Your Audit?

Did you have more highs than lows? Or more lessons than celebrations?

Here’s the truth: not every year will be the “best year” ever.

Some years are about resting, surviving, learning, and adjusting. And those years matter just as much as our biggest wins.

If you do this audit with compassion, clarity, and intention — I truly believe it will make your 2026 your most meaningful year yet.

Here’s to showing up — for ourselves, our loved ones, and our dreams — in a way that actually feels good.

❤️ Meagan