Dear Reader,
As we approach the final stretch of the year, I’ve been thinking about the way time moves.
Some days feel long, but somehow the months slip by quickly.
And suddenly we arrive in December with a whole year behind us that we might not have fully acknowledged.
This past Saturday, I led a workshop on "Reflecting on 2025, Planting Seeds for 2026."
One thing that struck me was how easy it is to forget the experiences we lived — even the meaningful and joyful ones — until we pause with intention.
Today, I want to share a simple story from the workshop that illuminated this beautifully.
And I’m including the same reflection handout we used that day as a gift to you, so you can guide yourself through the same gentle process.
If you’re ready to honor your year with compassion and clarity, then keep on reading.
Now let's get ALIGNED...
Inspirational Quote
"We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience."
- John Dewey
The Story
During Saturday’s workshop, I invited everyone to open their calendars as a way to jog their memories.
Reflection can feel big and abstract, but sometimes all we need is to look back month by month.
As I scrolled through my own calendar, I suddenly saw a note that said Puerto Vallarta.
I said it aloud in the Zoom room: “Oh my goodness… Richard and I went to Puerto Vallarta this year! I completely forgot that happened in January.”
People smiled and nodded.
It was that warm moment of recognition we all know so well.
A little later, one participant shared that she appreciated the reminder to look at her calendar.
She had forgotten about several deeply meaningful things she did earlier in the year.
Seeing them again — even as small calendar entries — brought back gratitude and emotion she didn’t expect.
That moment reminded me of something important:
We don’t just forget events.
We forget who we were becoming as those events unfolded.
And in that remembering, we return to ourselves.
The Spiritual Lesson
Reflection is a sacred practice because it expands our inner sight.
It helps us reclaim the parts of our year that slipped by unnoticed.
Your year is more than a timeline. It is a living expression of your becoming.
When we pause to reflect, we begin to see:
- What we celebrated
- What challenged us
- What brought us alive
- What we learned or released
- And who we are now because of it
Reflection reveals the quiet wisdom inside your experience.
All it asks is that you slow down long enough to listen.
Your Call to Action
I invite you to take a gentle moment this week with the 2025 Reflection Handout, included below:
➡️ Reflecting on 2025 Handout.pdf
This is the exact worksheet we used in Saturday’s gathering.
Reflection Prompt:
- As you move through the questions, notice what surprises you.
- What did you forget?
- What becomes possible when you remember?
If something meaningful emerges, I would love to hear from you.
Email me a few lines. I always treasure what opens up for you.
As you reflect on 2025, may you do so with tenderness.
May you honor the moments that strengthened you, surprised you, stretched you, and delighted you.
And may this practice of remembering bring you home to yourself in a deeper way.
Your year was sacred.
Your growth is real.
And your next chapter is already whispering.
In the next newsletter, we’ll take this reflection further as we explore Planting Seeds for 2026.
I’ll share the companion handout we used in Saturday’s workshop, so you can begin shaping the intentions and possibilities you want to cultivate in the new year.
Until then, may your reflections reveal the quiet wisdom within you.
Abundant Blessings and Namaste.
Abundant Good News and Notes
"What's Your Next Chapter?" Coaching: If you’re sensing it’s time for a new beginning, I’d love to support you. My one-on-one spiritual life coaching helps you listen within, find clarity, and step into your next chapter with courage. Learn more about my coaching services by clicking here.
Thanks for reading ALIGNED!
If you have any questions or want to share what you thought about this newsletter, hit reply and let me know.
Abundant Blessings,
Joselito Laudencia
Spiritual Life Coach, Teacher, Speaker
Author, The Creative Impulse: Answering the Highest Calling of Your Heart
www.abundantgood.com
Did an awesome person forward you this email?
Sign up here for free.