Here is an easy, 20-minute writing activity to close out 2021 and kick off 2022. You can print out this sheet to fill out by hand, which slows down your thinking process and allows you to be more mindful, or you can edit it as a PDF and keep it handy in the cloud to refer back to during the year. 

As a family, we each completed this page (from my husband to my 7-year old); it’s a great activity to do with a friend or kids. It was interesting to hear what my kids came up with—one brought up how she was grateful to go back to school in person in 2021 (so thoughtful!), and then in her best 2022 she wrote that she would get a puppy and a unicorn-themed bedroom. 

The top section asks you to list three things you’re grateful for from 2021 (big, small—anything that is meaningful to you).  

The middle is a place for you to write something you’d like to “stop,” something you’d like to “start,” and something you’d like to “continue” doing in 2022. 

And for the final section I recommend you go to a quiet place where you can close your eyes and imagine what the best possible year would look like for you, then spend 15 minutes writing about it. Try not to censor your dreams, but really imagine the BEST.  This is a twist on an exercise (Best Possible Future) that has been researched and recommended for many years; it has repeatedly been shown to increase mood, wellbeing, and optimism. 

Reply to let me know one thing you want to happen in your best possible 2022. I’m cheering for you!