December 2025
Writing Prompt:
New Year’s Resolutions Reflection
If you know anything about me by now, you know that I’m a huge proponent of revision. My EN101 students could tell you firsthand that I ask them to reflect ad nauseam. But I really believe that in this fast-paced world, we don’t spend enough time slowing down and recognizing how we got here in the first place.
To quote my old friend George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But reflection isn’t all doom and regret; there’s much to celebrate, too. I mean, we got here somehow, right? Even if we crossed the finish line crawling, we still earn the same finisher’s medal as the person who glided across effortlessly a long time ago (and is probably already enjoying a hot shower).
The end of December and beginning of January is when many of us start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Turning over the calendar and writing a new digit at the end of our dates feels like the perfect cue to start fresh. Quit smoking. Start running. Begin journaling. Stop losing my temper. The list of ways we want to “be better” is endless.
Unfortunately, resolutions often look a lot prettier and more hopeful on January 1 than they do a few weeks (or months) later. According to a 2023 Forbes study, fewer than 1 in 10 people (8%) said their resolutions lasted a full month. About 22% made it three months, and only 1% said they kept theirs for an entire year. Source: CBS News
There are plenty of theories about why resolutions fail, but that’s not what I want to focus on today. Instead, I want to offer something more positive, and honestly something that works every single time.
What is this magical thing, you ask?
It’s reflection. An “Old Year’s Reflection” if you will. You see, I don’t think we can truly know where we’re going in 2026 until we understand where we’ve been in 2025, both the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, the wins and the wipeouts.
Thankfully, my good friend Mel Robbins agrees. She takes it even further with something she calls the Year-End Audit. She writes, “You can’t figure out where you’re going until you take a moment to understand where you are.”
I’ll link her website and podcast at the end of this piece, but for those who like a good summary, here are the seven reflection questions she challenges us to ask before stepping into the new year:
- What were the highlights of the past year? (Hint: use your camera roll to jog your memory.)
- What were some of the hardest parts?
- What did you learn about yourself — for real — this year?
- What do you need to stop doing?
- What do you need to start doing?
- What will you continue doing?
- What’s one small step you can take today?
That’s it. You’re done. No resolution required.
You don’t have to promise to become a new person or set a goal that may or may not last until February. Instead, take a few minutes to look back — to honor what you did, how you grew, and who 2025 shaped you to be.
And honestly?
Story Starter:
Footprints in the Snow
The house was quiet except for the soft ticking of the clock, counting down the final hours of the year. Outside, the trees stood bare and silent, like they were holding their breath for something new to begin. Snow began to cover the footprints in the yard, hiding all the evidence of what had just happened there.