How to Evaluate Your Year (and Actually Change Your Life in 2026)
How do you evaluate a year?
By what standard do you measure the level you lived, the joy you experienced, the pain or suffering you made it through? How does one honor all the highs and all the lows in their own life - and in the world?
It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of life, worrying about what comes next, and to forget about the dreams you had for yourself. Let me be the first (and certainly not the last) to tell you that life will always find a way to pull you back in, so it's up to you to remind yourself of the life you want and to continually work your way towards it.
Why I'm Such a Dreamer
I, myself, am a dreamer. I have such big visions for what I want to create in my life, the things I want to build, the books I want to write, the stages I want to speak on. The list goes on.
And every year the dreams change shape and take on new meaning. New relationships and experiences help to shape what I desire, what I believe is possible for me. And the truth is, that if I didn't take time to regularly reflect on what I want and give myself the space to actually change what I'm doing, I could never experiment towards building what I want.
So if you are working your way towards changing your life in 2026, here is how I'd begin.
Step 1: Reflect on WHAT IS
Take time to get really honest about what your life currently looks and feels like. What are you happy about? What do you wish were different? This is where you stop pretending and get real with yourself about what is and isn't working.
For years I wanted life to feel different, but I didn't know how to change things, or even where to begin. I just wanted to feel better, happier, more fulfilled. I wanted friendships that felt uplifting and energizing instead of a few that were quite draining – but again, where should I begin? Was it with friendships? Was it with fitness? Food? Work? It felt so overwhelming to figure out what I needed.
But when I stopped spiraling out trying to get it right, and got crystal clear about what was working and what wasn't, I could finally make informed decisions that would help me change my life.
(Spoiler alert: I've created the Year End Reflection Guide to help you do JUST THAT!)
Step 2: Allow Yourself to Dream
Think about what you'd really love your life to look and feel like. What secret dreams do you have that you never fully allowed yourself to go for? What behaviors or habits do you wish you could leave behind? What kind of people do you need to surround yourself with to create the life you truly want?
So many people are afraid to dream because they don't really believe they can have what they want. And as long as they don't really believe it's possible, it won't be.
If you're spending a lot of time hiding from your dreams, not really believing you can be an artist / entrepreneur / expat / investor, etc. then you are betting against yourself!
Let yourself DREAM. Don't worry about how you can make your dreams come true, don't even worry if they make sense, but don't you dare stop yourself from believing it's possible before you've even given it a chance to work (or not!)
(You can also do this reflection in the Year End Reflection Guide)
Step 3: Consider the Support You Need
Is it a coach? Mentor? Therapist? Healer? Personal Trainer? Nutritionist?
Get honest with yourself about what kind of commitment it will take to get where you want to go. Don't create "resolutions" you are bound to break in just a few days or weeks because you don't actually have a system or support network set up to help you get where you want to go.
Last year, when I wanted to see more of a business impact on my social media channels, I signed up for a program with a young woman who is a stellar mentor. She was (and still is) killing it on LinkedIn and I knew she could help me reach my goals.
I grew 120% since January 2025.
Was it worth the investment of time, money, and energy? 10000000% I wouldn't change it for the world – and I'm so grateful I took the chance and bet on myself, and SHOWED UP for myself to do the work.
Step 4: Build Habits & Rituals That Serve You
What habits and rituals will help you actively change your behavior? What will help you show up powerfully each and every day, to honor the person you are becoming?
When I first started journaling in the morning and lighting a candle at my altar to ask my guides for support, I felt silly. I rebelled against the routine. I hated monotony. I wanted nothing more than to wake up and decide how I felt each day and wanted to act from there.
But the problem was that way of being wasn't getting me where I wanted to be – it was keeping me stuck in old cycles and patterns that didn't serve me at all.
And so, finally, reluctantly, I decided "What's the worst that could happen?" and went all in on my morning routine. And watched as my entire life changed as a result.
I felt calm in the mornings, I could clear all the thoughts running around in my mind, I could talk through what was hard for me or what I was excited about, and I could get crystal clear about where I needed help to get where I wanted to go. Once I stopped winging it I could relax into the routine of knowing.
Step 5: Commit to Go All In (Even If Just for 30 Days)
Give yourself the gift of believing in yourself enough to actually go for it. Decide what you'd like to try first, then run a 30-day experiment. Decide to do THAT THING every single day for 30 days. Find out what happens when you go all in. Allow yourself to see who you become and what's really possible for you.
I've run a series of 30-day experiments over the last years. That's how I finally got consistent with my LinkedIn posts, my meditation practice, my journaling, writing, and so much more.
Knowing that I didn't have to commit to something for the rest of my life (or the next 10 years) gave me the freedom to try and find out. To fail, to learn, to grow, and to choose differently next time. It is 100% how I grew so much this last year – through a series of bets on myself that (always) paid off.
So if you find yourself sitting on the sidelines wondering if it's really possible for you to change your life and not knowing where to begin, start with a 30-day experiment.
Find out what happens.
Step 6: Create a Ritual Around Reflecting
Give yourself a regular check in – weekly, monthly, quarterly – whatever works for you. Find a cadence that serves your life and your ambitions and block it in your calendar.
Do you need 2 hours to reflect? Or perhaps a full day? Commit to sit down and check in with yourself regularly. Block it in your calendar already.
It can be as simple as:
What's going well?
What do I wish were different?
What one small change can I make today to bring me closer to my goal of ______?
I do this at the end of each year, and with each new moon, capturing my wishes for the period ahead – then do a longer reflection at each new quarter's beginning. It's a good moment to hit pause, see where I said I wanted to be, and check in if a) I still want to be there and b) if what I am currently doing will actually help me reach my goals.
Your Invitation to Begin
While the beginning of a new year is not the only time to hit reset, it's a great threshold to mark time and look back at what has been and where you're headed. I know how important this time of slowing down can be, for those of us in the northern hemisphere the days are getting shorter and colder – and we have the perfect natural opportunity to slow down and check in.
So if you've got dreams you've been hoping to bring to life, give yourself the gift of working your way through the Year End Reflection Guide and find out who you want to become in the year(s) ahead.
Sending you so much love for a beautiful quiet season.
And, as always, if you need support along your journey – reach out. Contact me here and let me know how I can help you, or go ahead and book a Discovery Call with me in 2026 to talk about how we can work together.
With love,
Amanda