Written by our Medical Assistant, Elissa Cibu, B.S. Public Health
At our last team meeting, Jen Owen, our nurse practitioner at the Flourish Center, had us do a year-reflection mapping activity. It made me realize I hadn’t really taken a moment to look back on this year—I’d been so focused on what’s ahead. Doing the exercise helped me see the challenges I’ve faced and the milestones I’ve reached. It was a good reminder to celebrate progress, learn from experiences, and take those lessons into the new year with purpose and intention.
Let’s do a year-reflection mapping together! Take a moment to look back on the challenges you’ve faced, the wins you’ve celebrated, and the lessons you’ve learned. By pausing to reflect, we can carry these insights forward and step into the new year with intention, gratitude, and a fresh sense of purpose.
Grab a piece of paper and a pen—or colored pencils, markers, or anything else you feel like using! Turn on music if you would like!
Write ‘2025’ in the center of your paper. Then, think about different areas or ‘categories’ of your year. Mine included relationships, health, work/career, and personal. You can design your ‘map’ however you like—draw branches, make boxes, or use any layout that feels right to you. Now start jotting down things that happened this year—good, bad, or anything in between. Just write whatever comes to mind. You may notice random things popping up that don’t quite fit into your categories—and that’s completely fine.
When you’re done, take a moment to read over what you’ve written. Reflecting not only helped me ‘wrap up’ the year, but also gave me some direction for next year. You can also use this time to start brainstorming goals for each category, if you want. And don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back for everything you’ve accomplished!
Wishing you all a wonderful end to the year and an amazing start to 2026! May this reflection help you celebrate your accomplishments and step into the new year with intention, excitement, and positivity.
