Hello !
As the year winds down and our schedules start to fill with preparations for the holidays and plans for the new year, it’s easy to find ourselves swept up in the rush — checking off to-dos and setting goals without ever pausing to feel where we actually are.
Women, in particular often move from one season of life straight into
the next without ever pausing long enough to acknowledge what we’ve just lived through.
- A career shift
- A change in family dynamics
- A relationship ending — or beginning
- A version of yourself that no longer fits
If this year has felt like a transition year — emotionally, professionally, personally — you are not alone.
Before the calendar turns and the world rushes us toward resolutions and
expectations, I want to invite you into something quieter, more grounding: a moment to look back with compassion, and to look ahead with intention — without pressure to have it all figured out.
So today, I want to offer you something different: not another checklist or resolution, but a quiet moment of reflection.
Look Back — Honestly, with Heart and Grace
Here are a few questions you might sit with:
- Who was I
at the beginning of 2025 — and who am I now?
- What lessons did this year teach me — about my work, my relationships, myself?
- Where did I grow in ways that might have been quiet, unseen, or subtle?
- What challenges did I face that once felt overwhelming — and what strength did I discover in getting through them?
- What accomplishments — big or small — am I proud of but rarely acknowledge?
Growth rarely comes wrapped in applause or bold headlines. Sometimes
it shows up as the courage to set a boundary, the decision to say “no,” or the quiet recognition of what no longer fits. Read that again...it truly matters.
Now Look Ahead — With Intention, Not Pressure
Instead of leaping straight into “What goals will I chase next year?” try this gentler set of questions:
- How do I want to feel in my work and in my life?
- Where do I want more ease, more joy, more
courage?
- What parts of myself am I ready to bring forward, and what parts am I ready to let go? What would it look like to show up in 2026 with more alignment and honesty — with myself and with others?
Your next chapter doesn’t begin with a perfectly crafted plan. It begins with awareness, permission, and clarity of intention rooted in your truth — not in outside expectations.
What are My
Takeaways from 2025?
Before the year truly ends, carve out 15–20 minutes in a quiet space — no phone, no inbox — and answer these two questions in writing:
- What lessons did I learn in 2025 about who I am and what I really need?
- If I trusted myself more in 2026, what would I do differently?
You don’t need a roadmap yet. You just need clarity around who you have been and who you are becoming.
If this year stretched you,
changed you, or asked more of you than you expected, I see you.
That’s why I created a short reflection worksheet — something gentle you can do in one quiet sitting, just for yourself.
👉 Click here to download the
free worksheet
If you’d like support as you step into your next chapter, I’m here.
You can learn more about my coaching or schedule a complimentary call here:
Linda Thurwanger Coaching
Wherever you are right now, trust that you don’t need to rush.
Clarity comes in its own time —
especially when you give yourself permission to pause.
