The Chinese zodiac Year of the Snake is coming to a close and we will soon usher in the Year of the Horse. As the snake sign ends, I am told there will be lots of shedding of emotions and baggage. As the year wraps up, this is a perfect opportunity to take stock of what in our lives we need to leave in 2025 so we can start 2026 nice and fresh.
Each year, I fill out a reflection worksheet that helps me take stock of the various facets of my life. The worksheet asks me to give myself a grade, justify the grade, and then think of ways to improve on the grade. It may seem like an arduous task, but reflecting on the ways you have triumphed throughout the year (especially this incredibly draining year) is a nice way to remember all you have accomplished, as well as to set some goals for the upcoming year.
Some of the topics addressed include Work Life (everything to do with your primary money-making endeavors); School Life (books and reading and theses and such … if you’re still doing it); Free Time (everything to do with the other two-thirds, or 1/720, of your life); Humble Abode (everything to do with your physical environment at home); Friendships (this one is self-explanatory); Romantic Interactions (everything to do with whom you kiss/date/pine for, etc.); Familial Interactions (everything to do with those people in your life whom you don’t choose); Health and Wellness (everything to do with how you take care of yourself physically); State of Mind (everything to do with your attitude toward life); Impact on Society (everything to do with how you change the world around you); Cultural Experiences (everything to do with the artistic/cultural/literary opportunities you engaged in); and Creativity (everything to do with how you’ve used your creative energy to create things).
Not all of these items may apply to everyone, but it is an interesting exercise for taking stock of the year. The worksheet also asks you to think of highlights from each month of the year. In doing so, you can look back and reflect, as well as visualize what you would like to see for yourself in 2026. Goal-setting can be difficult for some and can feel daunting, so I view this exercise as a loose blueprint for an informal way to turn my action steps into a reality. Putting things on paper often helps me see things more clearly and make course corrections when necessary.
However you choose to plan for 2026, I do hope you take a moment to think of all of the mountains climbed this year, small and large.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.