Journaling For The End Of Year

26:00

26:00

Journaling For The End Of Year

by Chanequa Walker-Barnes

Rated

5

Type

talks

Activity

Meditation

Suitable for

Everyone

Plays

27

As the calendar turns from one year to another, we are invited to reflect and take stock of our journey. This guided journaling practice leads you through a process of reflection, encouraging you to revisit the highlights and challenges of the past year, to identify unhealthy patterns, and to cultivate gratitude for the people, experiences, and circumstances that have shaped your journey. While designed for the end of the calendar year, this is also a good practice to utilize at the end of an academic year, fiscal year, or other transition points.

Reflection Journaling Gratitude Breathwork Resilience Letting Go Transition End Of Year Reflection Journaling Prompt Centering Breaths Highlight Reflection Challenge Reflection Carrying Forward Gratitude Practice Resilience Cultivation

Meet your Teacher

Chanequa Walker-Barnes

DeKalb County, GA, USA

Meet your Teacher

Chanequa Walker-Barnes

DeKalb County, GA, USA

Transcript

Hello. I am Dr. Shaniqua Walker-Barnes. Today, As we bring this year to a close and prepare for a new year, I am going to lead us through an end-of-year journaling practice. At the end of each year, Many people begin looking forward to the year ahead. We like to approach a new year by setting goals, Establishing resolutions, Making plans, Discussing what our hopes and dreams are for the new year. But I've found it helpful to anchor my intentions and hopes for the coming year by reflecting upon the past year, By remembering what I've done, What I've endured, And what I've celebrated. So take a moment to grab your journal or just something to write or even type on. And you can pause this recording while you do that. So during this journaling practice, I am going to offer a few prompts. And after each prompt, There will be a few minutes of silence. You'll hear music in the background. If you need more time, Just pause the recording until you finish writing and then press play when you're ready to begin again. Let's start by grounding ourselves with some centering breaths before we begin. Take a slow inhale. One, Two, Three, Four. Now exhale all the way out to the count of four. One, Two, Three, Four. Let's do that again. This time we'll hold the breath between the inhale and exhale each time for a count of four. Inhale, Two, Three, Four, Four. Exhale, Two, Three, Four. As we prepare to journal together. So here's the first prompt. What were the highlights of this year for you? This can be things that happened to you or to people that you care deeply about. It might include major milestones and accomplishments, Maybe a special birthday or anniversary, A new job or promotion, A retirement, The birth of a child or grandchild. But the highlights can also be smaller things, A vacation, A visit to an amusement park, A teenager getting their driver's license. Focus on any positive highlights that marked this year for you. Take a few minutes to journal about this now. Take a few more seconds to wrap that one up or pause the recording if you need more time. Now for the second prompt. What challenges did you face during this year? These could be personal challenges, Familial challenges, Professional. They could be things that were one time events or ongoing situations. For example, Think about health issues, Maybe a new diagnosis, A change in medication, Relationship problems, The death of a loved one, Financial challenges, The end of a friendship or a romantic relationship, A car accident. There are all sorts of challenges that you might consider. They don't even have to be anything that people would consider negative. It can be the birth of a newborn or a long-distance move or a toddler coming into their own. It doesn't have to be something that other people might find challenging. It's what you found challenging. Anything that posed a strain or required some type of adjustment or marked a significant transition, Loss, Or hardship. Take a few moments to wrap that one up or to pause the recording as we prepare to move on to our third prompt. Here's the third question. What would you like to leave behind in this year? This might be related to the one of the challenges that you just named. It could be unhealthy habits or patterns that you've noticed about yourself, Particularly your sources of stress, Maybe unreasonable expectations, Self-defeating behaviors that you might have, Certain attitudes or tendencies. What would you like to leave behind? As you reflect on this question, Keeping in mind that some of the things we want to leave behind are under our control. Some of them are outside of our control. It doesn't matter which they are, Just name them. A few minutes to bring that writing to a close and we will prepare to move to our final question. And here's the final question. What do you want to carry forward with you from this year? Think about the gifts and the positive things that you've learned, The lessons that you've learned, The ways you've grown, Maybe any practices that have sustained you through this year. Also think about the relationships, The events and the circumstances that you are grateful for. What would you like to carry with you? Another few seconds to wrap up or again to pause. And as you finish writing, Maybe close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, Allowing your reflections to settle in with you. On the in-breath, Absorbing all those things that you wish to carry forward with you from this year. And with each exhalation, Releasing those things that you wish to leave behind. Releasing their hold over you, Releasing their power over your joy and your peace. As you close this year and prepare to enter the new year, May you carry forward with you the resilience, Creativity, The support, The grace, The strength that have sustained you during this year. And may you know that you are capable of facing what lies ahead, The challenges, The celebrations with love, Hope, Peace, And joy. Thank you for practicing with me today.