The end of the year has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute we’re making summer plans, the next we’re standing in line at the grocery store wondering how December disappeared, and why we feel both relieved and exhausted. While the culture pushes us toward frantic celebration or rigid goal-setting, there’s another option: ending the year with intention.
Here are ten grounded, doable ways to close the year feeling clearer, calmer and more connected—to yourself and the life you’re actually living.
1. Create a retrospective inventory list
Before rushing into New Year’s resolutions, pause. Ask yourself what truly worked this year, and what didn’t. No judgment required. A simple list of “more of this” and “less of that” can be far more revealing than a lofty vision board. For example, leaning into local Meetups was a great way to meet people. Dating apps, maybe not.
Gym membership underused? Instead of vowing to become a regular this year, identify the activities you’re drawn to, whether that’s salsa at the Palomar or Dance Church at the Tannery. Resolve to pursue the things you’re most drawn to for more sustainable results. When you’re clear on what to let go of, you free yourself up to focus on the things you want to commit to.
2. Clear One Physical Space
You don’t need to Marie Kondo your entire house. Choose one area—your desk, pantry or even one half of your closet (less daunting!)—and resolve to clear some space. Physical clutter is a sneaky path to distraction, like when you have to spend 20 minutes looking for the scissors. Who knows, maybe one clearing space will naturally lead to the next step in what psychologists call a virtuous cycle.
3. Take a Year-End Walk
There’s something illuminating about moving your body without a destination. Walk West Cliff at sunset. Wander a redwood trail. Let your thoughts unfold. Movement helps us process what words often can’t. You may be surprised by your insight.
4. Name the Hard Things (and the Wins)
Not every year is worthy of a photo album, and that’s okay. Acknowledge what was difficult without minimizing it. Then, just as intentionally, name what you survived, learned or grew through. Both deserve airtime. Journals are built for moments like this.
5. Revisit Your Relationship with Rest
If the year taught us anything, it’s that exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor. During winter’s shorter days, give yourself permission to slow down. Earlier bedtimes, quieter mornings, fewer commitments. Rest is not quitting, it’s recalibrating. Your mind and body will thank you.
6. Cook One Mindful Meal
Choose a recipe that feels nourishing rather than challenging. Maybe it’s soup that simmers all afternoon or a simple pasta shared with friends. Mindful meal preparation can be a ritual of self-care, a way to savor the sensory experience and feed the soul.
7. Write a Letter You’ll Never Send
To a past version of yourself. To someone who changed you. To a year that surprised you. To someone who disappointed you. Writing privately allows for honesty without performance. You don’t need closure, just expression.
8. Reconnect with Your Senses
This is an underrated reset. Light a candle. Make a cup of your favorite herbal tea. Put on some music that uplifts you. Step outside and notice the filtered light of winter, the way the air smells after it rains. Sensory moments bring us back into the present, where real healing happens.
9. Choose a Word, Not a Resolution
Instead of a list of things to fix, choose a word that feels supportive, steady, spacious, curious, grounded. Let it guide your decisions gently, without pressure. A word can be a companion rather than a command. Write it down. Find an image and caption it with your word. For years, mine has been “breathe.” It may sound irrational, but like all things in our environment, it gradually seeps in.
10. Celebrate Quietly
Not every ending needs fireworks. Sometimes celebration looks like an early night, a good book or a deep exhale. Honor what feels true for you, even if it doesn’t match the highlight reel.
As the year comes to a close, remember: you don’t need to become a new person overnight. You’re allowed to carry forward what’s working, release what isn’t, and step into the next chapter with humility and hope.
Ending the year well isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence. And that, thankfully, is always available.
Join Elizabeth Borelli for a sensory reset weekend retreat at Mount Madonna Center in Watsonville this January. Learn more at ElizabethBorelli.com.
