You Did More Than You Think This Year
- Lynsey Hess
- Dec 31, 2025
- 5 min read
Before we jump into a new year — before the goal lists, resolutions, and fresh-start energy take over — I want to pause here for a moment. Because I think a lot of us are quick to write off the year that's ending as not enough.
Not productive enough.
Not exciting enough.
Not meaningful enough.
But I'd like to challenge that.
If you looked a little closer, I'm almost certain you'd find growth you didn't notice in real time. Strength you didn't give yourself credit for. Moments of love, laughter, comfort, and connection that mattered more than you realized. Even the quiet days counted. Even the hard ones shaped you. This past year wasn't empty…it was lived.
Years are funny like that. They're just a collection of months, weeks, days, and minutes that somehow come together to form an entire chapter of our lives. Trying to account for every single day fully is impossible. But looking back at the moments that shaped us? That feels more doable.
Each day was a fresh start. You showed up the best you could; sometimes growing, sometimes staying steady, sometimes taking a few steps back. And that doesn't mean you failed. It means you're human.
Stepping Into a New Year
Tomorrow, we step into 2026 — a new year full of possibilities. The pages are blank, unwritten, quietly waiting for us to decide what we'll place on them.
And whenever a new year approaches, we're told the same thing:
New year, new you.
But honestly? That mindset tends to backfire.
Big, sweeping changes feel exciting at first… until they become overwhelming and lead to burnout. It's no surprise that so many New Year's resolutions fade by February — not because people lack discipline, but because the expectations were never sustainable to begin with.
This year, I'm leaning into a different mantra:
New year, new habits.
Tiny, sustainable habits that stack over time and lead to real change. Not a complete reinvention. Not pressure to become someone else. Just small, intentional shifts that elevate who you already are. Consider practices like keeping a daily gratitude journal, taking short walks to clear your mind, or setting aside a few minutes each evening to reflect on your day. These habits may seem small, but they can foster significant growth when consistently applied.
Think SMART goals – goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These are goals that are specific, realistic, and built to fit into real life. Habits that you can repeat even on low-energy days. Growth that doesn't require burning yourself out to prove something. Because growth doesn't need to be loud or dramatic to be meaningful.
Holding Both the Good and the Hard
When we look back on a year, it's so easy to focus on what didn't happen. The plans we didn't follow through on. The chances we didn't take. The days we spent on the couch.
The moments we feel we fell short. But that's not the whole story — not even close.
This year was also filled with moments of love, laughter, joy, and quiet happiness. With unexpected wins and small surprises that made ordinary days feel lighter, with friendships that deepened, memories that stuck, and moments that reminded you how good it feels to be fully present. Even the days that didn't look "productive" were still days you lived — days that brought rest, connection, or exactly what you needed at the time. You showed up in ways that mattered. You kept going. You grew — even when no one was watching. And that counts.
Of course, not all moments are joyful.
This year may have also brought challenges, such as the grief of losing a loved one, the uncertainty and anxiety that come with job changes, the emotional fatigue from the end of relationships or friendships, and the challenges of facing health issues you never anticipated. It's okay if healing or growth is still ongoing; know that you are not alone in navigating these difficulties. Offer yourself grace as you continue on this journey.
If you experienced those things, none of it cancels out the beauty of your year — and none of it erases your strength.
If you grieved someone, it means you loved deeply — and that love will always matter.
If you've experienced job changes, that doesn't define your worth or limit what's ahead.
If you ended a relationship or friendship, honor the courage it took to choose growth over comfort.
If you faced health challenges, look at the resilience it took to be standing here now.
None of this was easy. And you don't need to minimize it or pretend otherwise. But every hard moment asked something of you — and you showed up. You did it. You made it through another year of becoming. I hope you see how strong you are. How much you have grown. And how full this year truly was — not perfect, but meaningful, alive, and yours.
You should feel incredibly proud of yourself.
Moving Forward Without Erasing Yourself
As we enter this new year, let's bring everything with us — the lessons, the strength, the love, and the memories.
Let's stop treating growth like a straight line. It isn't. It's messy. It's nonlinear. It looks more like a scattered plot than a perfect upward climb — and that doesn't make it any less real.
Instead of feeling regret for not squeezing enough out of the year that passed, what if we chose gratitude for what the year showed us?
What it taught you.
What it revealed about your strength.
What it clarified about what you want — and what you don't.
A new year doesn't require a new identity. It doesn't ask you to erase yourself or start from scratch. Just to keep building.
New Year.
Same you.
New habits.
Here's to honoring the year that shaped us — and stepping into the next one grounded, hopeful, and trusting ourselves a little more than before.
Reflection Prompts
Before the year officially turns, take a moment to pause and ask yourself:
What moments from this year am I proud of, even if no one else noticed them?
Where did I grow in ways I didn't expect?
What habits, routines, or mindsets helped support me this year?
What did this year teach me about what I need — and what I'm ready to leave behind?
What is one small habit I want to carry with me into the new year?
You don't need all the answers today.
Just reflect with curiosity, compassion, and honesty.
That's more than enough to begin!
xoxo,
Lynsey
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