December 2025

Written By Gretchen Murchison

🐰🐰 Year’s End: A Gentle Close to 2025

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” ― Hal Borland

The only constant is change...

As we reach the final chapter of 2025, many of us feel that familiar tug between wrapping things up and wanting to press pause. The end of the year often brings a mix of emotions—relief, nostalgia, gratitude, and sometimes a quiet heaviness that can be hard to put into words. It’s a natural moment for reflection, but it doesn’t need to be one fueled by pressure or perfectionism.

This season invites us to shift the focus from productivity to purpose, from “doing enough” to “feeling enough,” and from rushing to finish the year strong to gently choosing what really matters.

Finding Joy in the Small Moments

As the days get shorter and we spend more time indoors, there’s an opportunity to reconnect with simple pleasures—those tiny, nourishing moments that often slip by unnoticed when life is moving fast. Maybe it’s:

  • Lingering over a warm drink

  • Letting yourself get lost in a book or show

  • Rediscovering a hobby you set aside

  • Enjoying quiet, cozy evenings without a to-do list

  • Making space for conversations with people who lift you up

Joy isn’t always loud or flashy. Sometimes it’s subtle, slow, and easy to overlook unless we intentionally look for it. Let this season be a gentle reminder: you’re allowed to seek joy simply because it feels good—not because it accomplishes anything.

Being Purposeful, Not Perfect

Many of us feel the weight of “shoulds” as the year ends. I should get more done. I should be further along. I should use this time wisely. But purpose doesn’t require hustle. Purpose can mean resting when your body asks. It can mean choosing one meaningful thing a day over ten “productive” ones. It can mean letting yourself be human—messy, growing, learning—instead of trying to wrap the year in a neat bow.

If you do nothing else in December, give yourself permission to approach your days with intention rather than pressure. When you check in with yourself—What do I need? What matters most today? What can I release?—you’re already living purposefully.

Honoring Your 2025 Growth

Before looking ahead, take a moment to honor everything you navigated this year. Growth isn’t only measured in milestones; it’s found in the choices you made, the boundaries you practiced, the habits you strengthened, the courage you found, and the ways you cared for yourself and others.

Try reflecting on questions like:

  • Where did I surprise myself this year?

  • What challenges taught me the most?

  • In what ways am I different from who I was last January?

  • What am I proud of—big or small?

  • What did I learn about what truly matters to me?

This kind of reflection can help create a sense of closure—not because everything is resolved, but because you’re acknowledging the journey you’ve been on.

Setting Gentle Intentions for 2026

Instead of framing the new year around resolutions, consider setting intentions—themes or values to guide how you want to move through the months ahead. Think of intentions as soft promises to yourself rather than rigid expectations.

Some possibilities:

  • I want to make more room for joy.

  • I want to stay connected to myself.

  • I want to nurture relationships that feel reciprocal and kind.

  • I want to slow down when I can.

  • I want to lead with curiosity rather than fear.

You might choose one intention or a handful; you might write them down, create a ritual around them, or let them evolve naturally. What matters is that they support the life you want to grow—not the life you think you’re “supposed” to create.

A Year-End Wrap-Up With Supportive Tools

If you’re looking for structure as you reflect on this past year and prepare for the next, consider using a guided tool like YearCompass or another reflective workbook that helps you explore your year with curiosity and clarity. These kinds of guides offer thoughtful prompts for looking back, noticing patterns, celebrating successes, and imagining the version of yourself you want to nurture in 2026.

You can make it a personal ritual: light a candle, settle into your favorite chair, and spend some unhurried time reviewing the chapters of your year. Let yourself be honest, kind, and hopeful. Think of it as giving your past self a moment of gratitude—and your future self a gentle head start.

As we close out 2025, I hope you give yourself permission to slow down, savor moments of joy, and step into the new year feeling grounded, supported, and intentional. Here’s to a meaningful end and a hopeful beginning.

I'm grateful to know you and I thank you for letting me be a part of your journey.  Please let me know if there is anything more I can be doing to support you.

“As the year comes to a close, it is a time for reflection – a time to release old thoughts and beliefs and forgive old hurts. Whatever has happened in the past year, the New Year brings fresh beginnings. Exciting new experiences and relationships await. Let us be thankful for the blessings of the past and the promise of the future.” ― Peggy Toney Horton

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I recommend adding these to your contacts in your phone. If you don't need them, you might be able to share them with someone who does.

Gretchen Murchison https://www.sunriselcsw.com
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November 2025