What to keep and let go of this year: 10 questions

What to keep, what to leave behind

Before the year ends, it helps to decide what you are taking with you. These ten questions sort it out loud: what you want to keep doing, what you would rather not carry into January, and who you want to see more of.

These ten look forward. To look back on the year first, start with the year end reflection questions.

Each is short enough to say in one breath and answer in about a minute. If you use a voice journal like Dearly, it writes the page for you while you talk.

What should you leave behind this year?

Whatever you would rather not carry into January: a habit, a worry, a plan that stopped fitting. Name it out loud, then name what you are keeping instead.

1. What do I want to keep doing next year?
2. What do I want to stop carrying into January?
3. Who do I want to see more of?
4. What would I like to be different by next December?
5. What did this year teach me that I want to hold on to?
6. What have I been putting off that I’ll start?
7. What do I want an ordinary Tuesday to look like?
8. What do I want to say thank you for before the year ends?
9. What would I like to hear myself say next December?
10. What do I want to remember about who I am right now?

How to use these

• Answer in your own order. Start with the one that is already on your mind.
• Say what you would leave behind, plainly. Out loud it often sounds smaller than it did in your head.
• Name one person. The questions about people tend to give the most useful answers.
• Look back later. Listen next December and hear how it sounded then.

Related: more journaling prompts to say out loud · the complete voice journaling guide · Dearly, the voice journal.