14 End-of-Year Journal Prompts for Entrepreneurs & Writers

You came, you wrote, you edited. Now, remember to celebrate your progress.

Every December, inside my writing membership for business owners, we dedicate time to reflecting on the past year.

It’s amazing how quickly we forget our wins.

We set out to accomplish something — write copy for a new website, launch a new coaching program, create an email nurture sequence, start posting on social media, or even write a book.

We put our heads down, do the work, push past resistance, meet our goals — then move on to the next.

Wait? What?

Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash

Why do business owners forget to honor their wins?

Maybe it’s not that we forget and that we’re just so focused on creating that we forget to stop and smell the published pieces.

🎉 Reasons to Celebrate Your Writing Wins

Celebrating is good for us.

• Emotions form habits. When you’re creating a new habit in your business — posting daily on social media, writing a weekly blog, working on your book 3x a week — you’re more likely to stick with your writing habit if it feels good.

• Celebrating wires feel-good emotions in your brain.

• Having mini fist-pumping moments throughout your writing project will help keep you going. Celebrate at the end of your 25-minute Pomodoro writing sprint.

• Celebrating every success primes your brain for more success.

Photo by Prophsee Journals on Unsplash

How to use these journal prompts

Take your time. We often want to jump to the next thing, but without taking the time to get quiet, pause, and reflect, we might miss the pivotal moments and magic that call for a pat on the back before we move forward.

🌊 Tips to let your freewriting flow:

• Follow these prompts with pen and paper to slow your brain down

• Write without judging, forcing, or criticizing

• Answer with the first things that come to your mind

• Notice any sensations in your body as you write and make note of them as you write

You might choose to go through them all at once, pick and choose a few to follow, or follow one a day in your morning pages for the next 14 days.

As you dive in, you might unlock inspiration for what you want to create next year — that’s great. Keep going with your reflection and make notes, highlight, or star any items to come back to when you begin your writing plans for the coming year.

To help you look back, having your calendar or journal handy is helpful — or wherever you track your wins and progress.

1. What piece(s) of writing are you most proud of this year?

2. List 1-3 things/habits/topics you won’t take with you in the coming year. Write these all on a loose piece of paper and toss them in your next bonfire.

3. What were the most important lessons from the year? Did anything surprise you?

4. What tech/software/apps supported your writing? Are there any you need to let go of?

5. Who inspired you? What qualities do they embody that you want to nurture? Later, feel free to write a little thank you note to them. You can drop it in the mail to them or simply send an email.

6. What skills did you learn or grow this year? How did this help you?

7. What challenges came up? How did you meet them?

8. How was your energy throughout the year while writing and editing? What writing felt depleting? What felt energizing? Where did you procrastinate or resist? What felt overwhelming? Did you introduce practices or rituals into your writing routines?

9. Who did you really enjoy working with? What about working with them made it feel really good? Make a note to revisit your client profile details (writing community members; see your template for this) and capture some details so you can call in more clients like this in the future.

10. What fears did you release?

11. Where did you take risks?

12. Did you have a word or theme for the year? How did you live that? Where could you have improved?

13. What music would you choose as a theme song for the year?

14. Write a letter of gratitude to the previous year. Consider starting your letter with… 

Dear 2023, thank you for showing me… 

I’m grateful for this lesson

What to do with your letter: Save it in your planner for the following year, and review it before you do your annual review for the coming year.

That’s all! I hope you enjoyed this look back. Before moving into planning mode, I suggest letting your reflection marinate over the next few days. 

Suggested Next Steps

1. Create a “Thank Bank” — this is what I call it. I have a digital folder and an email folder with this title. In it, I add nice emails, texts, DMs, comments, and thanks for how my work, writing, and by simply sharing my energy has helped someone. If you doubt how far you’ve come or how much progress you’ve made for even a second, review what you’ve added to this folder. And… know that just by being here — in this community, you’re A LOT further along than you think.

   

   Create a folder in your inbox for kind words & things to celebrate.

2. Start content planning with this free workshop.

3. Create your 12-week writing plan with the free workshop and template.

These journal prompts were originally shared inside The Intuitive Writing School Membership Community. To attend live writing events, regular workshops (content planning is happening on December 13), and get access to 35+ templates for copy and content writing, emailing, and more — join us before December 12.

Also, you’re going to love this week for writing, brainstorming and planning. Listen to this week’s audio to help you flow with this week’s energy…