You're Past the Halfway Point. Now What?

Hey there -

For years, I did a year-end reflection in December.

I'd take myself on a retreat, look back at the year, and see what insights I could glean to apply to the following year. In hindsight, the challenge was that by the time I figured out what wasn't working, the year was over. All I could do was carry the lesson into January and hope I still remembered it by February. (I usually didn’t.) 

Now I aim for (operative phrase!) a midyear reflection when I have the space and runway to make changes by year-end.

You may have noticed, we're past the halfway mark. We have four months left in the year. The good news is that's enough time to change the shape of the year.  

When I mention this idea to clients, most of them hear "mid-year review" and immediately turn off from the idea. It sounds too much like performance management, and they start thinking about everything they said they’d do in January that they haven’t done yet (and completely ignoring all the wins, by the way). 

In a NY minute, they’ve bet against themselves and written off the rest of the year because “they’re already not where they want to be, so why try now?”

That's what we call “self-flagellation.” 

If you're the kind of person who will focus on the one thing you didn't get done in a year full of things you did (my people!), you already know this about yourself. So go into the process expecting it. Your brain will reach for the deficit column first. Notice it, acknowledge it happening (“thank you, brain ”), and keep going anyway.

The point here isn't to grade yourself.  It's to gather information you can use. Here are some questions to get you started:

Look back

• What am I most proud of so far this year?

• Where have I grown or stretched?

• What have I learned about myself?

• What's brought me joy? (Don't skip this one. If nothing comes to mind, that is your answer, and it's the most important data point on this list.)

Look at right now

• What's working well?

• What's not working?

• What am I tolerating?

• Where is my energy going, and is that where I want it spent?

Look forward

• What do I want from the rest of this year?

• What will I do more of, less of, or let go of?

• Based on all of this, what am I willing to do differently between now and December? (The operative word here is willing.)

If this feels like too much, here’s a single question for you to ponder: 

What does it mean to live a full and fearless life? 

The clock is ticking on 2026. How will you honor yourself between now and December 31?  

Have a great week! 

S

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