A Year-Closing Guided Journal Ritual
(45–60 minutes | done once, slowly)
Before You Begin (5 minutes)
Choose a quiet space.
Light a candle or sit near natural light.
Bring one journal and one pen—no switching.
Place your feet on the floor. One hand on your chest.
Take three slow breaths.
On the exhale, silently say: “I’m here.”
When ready, begin.
1. Naming the Year (5–7 minutes)
Prompt:
What defined this year for me—both the highs and the lows?
Let the year speak in images, not bullet points.
Moments. Scenes. Conversations. Turning points.
If you get stuck, begin with:
“This year asked me to…”
“This year taught me…”
“This year broke open…”
Do not evaluate. Just name.
Pause. One breath.
2. The Mirror (7–8 minutes)
Prompt:
What did I learn about myself that surprised me—or that I finally had to admit?
Let this be honest, not flattering.
You might ask:
Where did I see myself more clearly?
What truth stopped being theoretical?
Write until something lands.
Pause. Hand on chest. One breath.
3. Energy Audit (7–8 minutes)
Prompt:
What energized me this year—and what quietly drained me?
Divide the page in two columns:
Gave Life
Took Life
Include people, places, patterns, and pressures.
Circle anything that feels like a boat anchor—not dramatic, just heavy.
Pause. One breath.
4. The Release Question (5–7 minutes)
Prompt:
What am I still holding close that no longer serves who I’m becoming?
This might be:
A role you keep playing
A responsibility you’ve outgrown
A story about who you are or aren’t
Finish this sentence as many times as needed:
“I’m allowed to loosen my grip on __________.”
Pause. One breath.
5. The Alignment Clue (5–7 minutes)
Prompt:
What felt easy, natural, or life-giving—and deserves to continue?
Look for what didn’t require force.
Ask:
Where did I feel like myself?
What brought quiet joy, not adrenaline?
Underline anything that feels true.
Pause. One breath.
6. The Unbegun Thing (5–7 minutes)
Prompt:
What did I want to begin—but didn’t—and what kept me from starting?
Be gentle here.
Instead of judgment, ask:
Was it fear?
Timing?
Permission I didn’t give myself?
End this section with:
“If I trusted myself more, I would begin __________.”
Pause. One breath.
7. The Audience Question (5 minutes)
Prompt:
If my life were a movie, what would the audience be shouting at me to do next?
Write it exactly as it comes—imperative, bold, obvious.
Let it be simple.
Let it be clear.
Let it be unavoidable.
Circle the sentence.
Closing the Ritual (3–5 minutes)
Read only the circled and underlined lines from your journaling.
Then write one final sentence at the bottom of the page:
“As I move into the year ahead, I choose to live with __________.”
Blow out the candle or close the journal slowly.
You’re done.
If you’d like, I can:
turn this into a printable ritual PDF,
adapt it into a guided audio meditation, or
shape a shortened version for Substack that invites readers into the same experience.
This ritual isn’t about answers.
It’s about orientation.
Peace,
Paul