62| Year in Review: Do This Before You Set Goals for the New Year

Before you set a single goal for the new year, Melissa invites you to pause and complete a Year in Review / Life Evaluation—a simple, powerful reflection that brings clarity, context, and peace. She shares how she recently did this with her planner and prayer time, why reflection matters (with encouragement from Scripture and mentor Rick Warren), and how this process looks different when life feels more balanced than it once did. You’ll learn exactly how to review your year through highlights, goals met, lessons learned, struggles, places visited, and especially through the Anchored with Purpose Life Anchors—so you can see God’s faithfulness, measure your growth (including your Word of the Year: Impact), and step into the next season with intention. Plus, you can download the free Life Evaluation guide. Key Takeaways A Year in Review gives you clarity + context before you set goals for what’s next. Scripture calls us to reflect and remember what God has done (Ecclesiastes 3:1; Psalm 77:11–12). Reviewing your year through the Life Anchors helps you see where you were thriving—and where you want to grow. Your “Word of the Year” becomes more meaningful when you evaluate real-life evidence of it (Melissa’s 2025 word: Impact). Progress doesn’t always look like perfection - sometimes it looks like balance, growth, and grace. Practical tools help: flipping through your planner, reviewing calendar/photos, and using a simple evaluation worksheet. Your wins count - especially the quiet ones you might forget if you don’t write them down. This reflection becomes fuel for choosing your next Word of the Year and setting goals rooted in your real life. It’s okay if your review happens at your desk instead of a coffee shop - still do it (and yes, go grab the latte anyway). The free Life Evaluation download is designed to make this process easy and doable. Chapters 00:00 — Pause Before You Plan 01:16 — Why a Year in Review Matters (Clarity + Context) 02:19 — Last Year’s Perspective vs. This Year’s Balance 04:37 — Life Anchors Review: Faith Wins & Spiritual Growth 06:57 — Health & Family Wins (Gym, Intentional Time, Parenting Growth) 11:32 — Relationships & Community (Coffee Dates + Gym Friends) 13:54 — Money & Career Wins (Anchored with Purpose + Rebuilt + YouVersion) 20:45 — Personal Growth, Coaching, and Legacy Work 23:00 — Fun & Recreation (Wins You Forget Until You Flip the Planner) 27:46 — Home Wins (Kitchen Refresh + Creating Joy at Home) 30:05 — Highlights: Full Circle Mentor Moments + Big Events 34:45 — Goals Met + Biggest Accomplishments 36:59 — What Worked vs. What Didn’t 39:23 — Struggles, Grief, and Trusting God Through Uncertainty 40:42 — Lessons Learned + Rest (Because Your Body Keeps the Score) 42:10 — Places Visited + Why It Matters to Track Them 43:50 — Download the Free Life Evaluation + How to Use It 45:20 — Final Encouragement: You’ve Got This Year in Review, Life Evaluation, Christian goal setting, faith-based planning, reflection prompts, end of year reset, Word of the Year, Wheel of Life, Life Anchors, Catholic personal growth, spiritual reflection, planner reflection, gratitude and growth, habits and systems, work-life balance, discipleship, making an impact, Scripture reflection, journaling prompts, goal setting with God, Anchored with Purpose planner