You Can’t Change the Beginning, But You Can Change the Ending of Your Year

by Kristina Karlsson

A Fresh Start in the Final Month of the Year

There’s something special about the first of December – and when it lands on a Monday, I love it even more. It feels like a mini fresh start inside a bigger fresh start. A new week, a new month, and the final chapter of the year all rolled into one.

In this recent Monday Motivation episode, I shared one of my favourite quotes from C.S. Lewis:

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

If this year hasn’t unfolded exactly the way you imagined back in January (and honestly, whose has?), this quote is your gentle reminder that it’s not over. You still have time to finish well, in your own way, on your own terms.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through the key ideas from the episode and share five simple insights to help you use December as a month of reflection, intention and tiny steps towards your dream life.

1. Why You Can’t Change the Beginning – and Why That’s Okay

So often, at the end of the year, we look back with a mix of pride and regret.

• The dreams we pursued.
• The habits we dropped.
• The boundaries we didn’t hold.
• The self-care that slipped.

It’s tempting to wish we could rewind and “do it properly this time”. But the truth is, we can’t go back and change the beginning – and that’s actually liberating.

When we stop fighting the past, we free up energy to work with what we can change: how we respond now.

A powerful journaling prompt to try:

What did this year teach me – about myself, my dreams, and what matters most?

This kind of reflection isn’t about judgement. It’s about understanding. Every season shapes who you are becoming.

2. Reflection, Not Self-Judgement: How to Learn from Your Year

If you use any of our Dream Life journals or planners, you’ll know how much I believe in the power of reflection. A blank page is not a place to beat yourself up. It’s a space to notice, learn and gain clarity.

Try asking yourself:

• What worked really well for me this year?
• Where did I feel most aligned with my dream life?
• Where did I feel out of alignment – and what might that be teaching me?

When you approach reflection with curiosity rather than criticism, you transform regret into wisdom. Small insights create big change over time.

If you’d like extra support with this, our tools at The Dream Life Store are created exactly for this purpose – to help you reflect, dream and plan in simple, gentle ways: www.thedreamlifestore.com

3. Tiny Steps Today: Why Small Actions Change the Ending

We often think that if we’re behind on our goals, we need a huge, dramatic change to “catch up.” But in my experience, it’s always the tiny steps that create the deepest and most sustainable transformation.

Ask yourself:

What is one tiny action my Future 2026 Self would want me to take today?

It might be:

• Writing down one dream that’s been sitting quietly in your heart.
• Saying no to something that drains you.
• Saying yes to a walk, a glass of water, an early night.
• Opening your journal and answering one reflective question.

You don’t need to climb the whole staircase today. Just take one step. Tiny steps count – and often, they’re the ones that change everything.

4. Design Your Ending: A December Vision Exercise

One of my favourite practices is to design your ending.

Imagine it’s 31st December and you’re looking back over this month. In your journal, write as if it’s already happened:

• Who were you this month?
• How did you show up?
• What did you focus on?
• What did you stop tolerating?
• What did you allow more of – rest, joy, creativity, connection?

This simple exercise connects you with your Future Self, and from that place, it becomes so much easier to make aligned decisions today.

You don’t need to wait for the new year to begin living as the person you want to become. You can step into her energy now.

5. Be Your Future 2026 Self Now

Inside my Dream Life Coaching Program, our December theme is “Be Your Future 2026 Self Now.”

Together, we’re:

• Choosing our top three dreams and goals for 2026.
• Identifying what needs to shift to make those dreams real.
• Starting the inner and outer work before January arrives.
• Adding a simple December habit like “no complaining” or “one small daily act of kindness.”

It’s not about fixing yourself. You don’t need fixing. It’s about giving yourself structure, accountability, community and a loving guide cheering you on as you consciously create your dream life – whatever that looks like for you.

If your heart is whispering “I’m ready,” you can learn more and join us here:
👉 https://www.yourdreamlifestartshere.com/course

Final Thought: You Can Start Where You Are

As we step into this final month of the year, I want you to remember this:

You may not be able to change the beginning of your year, but you absolutely, wonderfully, powerfully can start where you are and change the ending.

Be kind to yourself. Be brave with your dreams. Take one tiny step today your future self will thank you for.

It all starts with a dream – and it continues with small, courageous actions, taken one December day at a time. 💛