#504 - Before You Plan 2027, Look Back at 2026

Hi there!

Before you rush into planning a new year, what might 2026 still have to teach you?

We're nearly at the end of another year, and so many of us jump straight to new dreams, new goals and a new word for the year. I love that energy. But when we jump straight to planning, we miss everything this year has already taught us.

In this episode, I share why the look-back matters, then walk you through three simple reflections: celebrating what you're proud of, looking at your life one area at a time, and deciding what you'll carry into 2027 and what you'll leave in 2026. I also share a few of the things I'm proud of from my own year.

Grab your journal and a pen if you can, and start with one small step: write down three things you're proud of from 2026.

What are you most proud of from this year?

As always, I'd LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let's keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here.

Have a wonderful week ...and remember, it all starts with a dream.

Enjoy!

PS: If you would like support turning your dreams into action alongside a group of inspiring women, explore Dream Life Coaching: https://www.yourdreamlifestartshere.com/course

SHOW NOTES:

• Do your year review in my Plan Your Year Journal.
• Take the free Your 2026 Life Check-In quiz to see where you are now and what you want more of in 2027.
• Join me for my next live online workshop here.
• Follow me on Insta and TikTok

• If you feel it's time to take a leap and invest in you, join:
  • My Platinum Coaching Program -> Learn more here.
  • My Dream Business Book Club here.
  • My online personal Growth Book Club GROW,
• Dream Life Community Facebook Group: Connect with like-minded dreamers.

RESOURCES:

• Sign up to our email list here to hear about upcoming workshops.
• Take your first step to getting clarity on what you want from life with this free bonus dreaming exercise here 101 Dreams Audio Guide
• Buy Kristina's book, Your Dream Life Starts Here
• Discover how close you are to living your Dream Life. Take our 5min Quiz here and get personalised insights emailed to you...

TRANSCRIPT:

Kristina: Hi there, and welcome back to another episode of Your Dream Life Podcast. I'm Kristina Karlsson, and I'm so glad you are here with me today. It is early in the morning. I have my coffee, the candles are on, I have done my journaling and I have been for a walk. I cannot quite believe we are nearly at the end of another year.

Every year seems to sneak up on me. One minute it is January and I am writing my plans in my Plan Your Year Journal. The next minute, the Christmas decorations are in the shops and everyone is asking, where did the year go?

Maybe you have been saying that too. I hear it everywhere at the moment, in conversations, in my messages and when I am out walking. Today I want us to sit with that question because I think it is a very good one. Most of us say it, sigh, perhaps complain a little and rush to the next thing. Today, I would love us to stop and answer it.

Before you plan 2027, there is something valuable in looking back at 2026 first. I will share why the look-back matters, then walk you through three simple reflections you can do today, this week or whenever it works for you with a pen and journal.

If you are somewhere you can write, grab your journal and a pen. If you are driving or walking, listen and come back to it later.

Why look back first? At this time of year, so many of us jump straight to next year: new dreams and goals, new resolutions and a new word for the year. I love that energy. I am a big planner and a big dreamer.

But when we jump straight to planning, we miss something important. We miss everything this year has already taught us. You have lived almost 12 months and 52 weeks, with hundreds of decisions, conversations, wins, setbacks and surprises. That is a lot of information about what lights you up, what drains you and what you want more of.

If we do not look back, we tend to repeat the same dreams and goals, the same patterns, the same feelings and perhaps the same results. Many of us are also much harder on ourselves than we need to be. Ask most people what they achieved this year, and they tell you what they did not get to. We remember the gaps and forget the progress.

A review gives you two gifts. It shows you what to carry into the new year and how far you have already come. Both make planning easier and more exciting. November or early December is a good time to do it, before the final weeks fill with work wrapping up, events, family, Christmas, gift buying, gift wrapping and celebrations.

If you can give yourself an hour before the busiest weeks begin, it can change how the whole month feels. You walk into the holidays feeling clearer rather than scattered.

If Monday nights do not work, an early morning is another favourite of mine. I love doing things early in the morning with coffee or tea.

Reflection one is to celebrate. I know some of you are already thinking that there is not much to celebrate. It has been a challenging year for many people, including through politics, environmental issues and wars. Stay with me.

Take your journal and write at the top of a fresh page, 'What I am proud of in 2026'. Then write down 10 things. They can be big or small. They all count.

Maybe you started something new, even if you did not continue it. Maybe you finished something you had put off for years. Maybe you got through a hard season and you are still standing. Maybe you said no to something that was not right for you. Maybe you read more books, walked most mornings, called your mum or a friend more often, took a course, had a difficult conversation or finally cleaned out a cupboard.

Small things done often add up. When you see them written together on one page, you begin to see yourself as someone who makes things happen, not perfectly, but with progress rather than perfection. That is the person you want walking into 2027.

I have already started my reflection. One thing I wrote down is that I became much better at using AI for tasks I do not love, especially administration. I automated many things. What I can do now as a small business, compared with when I started kikki.K, feels completely different. I will share more about that next year.

I also made the decision to stop recording the previous Monday morning episode. It was not easy, but I am glad I made it. I also began doing more strength training. I do not love it, so I have not done it perfectly, but I did it better this year.

I am proud that I keep going for a walk most mornings. I do not always feel like it, and there are always urgent things I could be doing, but I make time because it matters. Think about the things you do regularly that you may take for granted but that make a difference in your life.

If you get stuck after four or five items, look through your calendar, journals and photos on your phone. I do this every year and I am always surprised by how much we do in 12 months. Celebrating is part of the work. When you notice your progress, you build belief that you can create more of it.

Reflection two is to look at your life one area at a time. If you have read my book, Your Dream Life Starts Here, completed my digital course or joined coaching, you may know that I like to break life into different areas.

The nine areas I use are: career, business and finances; education and learning; health and fitness; family and relationships; home and environment; spirituality and sense of purpose; travel and experiences; hobbies and fun; and community and contribution. Change the areas so they fit your life. There is no right or wrong way to do this.

For each area, give yourself a score out of 10 for how satisfied you feel today. One means not at all. Ten means you love this part of your life exactly as it is. Do not overthink it. Then give each area a second score for where you would love it to be by the end of 2027.

Look at the gaps. Where is the biggest difference between now and where you would love to be? That is often where your energy wants to go next year. Pick one area where you scored lower than you would like. If it is a four, ask yourself, what would a seven look like? Not a 10, just a seven. The answer is often smaller and more doable than we think.

Look at your high scores too. What made that area work this year? Who helped you? What did you do often? There may be clues you can bring into other parts of your life.

You can do anything, just not everything at the same time. When my children were born, I cut back on public speaking, work and travel because family was where I wanted to focus. That was the right choice for that season. You do not need to fix all nine areas next year. Choose one or two, or protect an area that is already working well.

We have created a free quiz called Your 2026 Life Check-In. It takes you through your life areas and is intended to show where you are now and what you want more of in 2027.

Reflection three is to decide what to carry forward and what to leave behind. Draw a line down the middle of a page. On one side write 'Carry into 2027'. On the other write 'Leave in 2026'.

On the carry side, write the habits, people, routines and dreams you want more of. It might be a morning walk, a friend who leaves you feeling inspired or a project you want to keep building.

On the leave side, write what you are ready to let go of. It might be a habit that drains your energy, saying yes to everyone or a story you keep telling yourself, such as 'I am not creative', 'I am not a numbers person', 'I am not an AI person' or 'I never finish anything'. You get to leave that in 2026.

This can feel emotional, especially when it involves people, so be kind to yourself. Some things are easy to let go of and some take time. Writing them down is a powerful first step.

I am carrying forward my morning routine, including walking, meditation, journaling and coffee. I am leaving endless scrolling behind. I sometimes go through seasons of scrolling too much, and I am ready to leave that pattern behind.

Those are the three reflections: celebrate what you are proud of, look at your life area by area, and decide what you will carry and what you will leave.

When you have done these three things, you stop guessing about next year. Your 2027 dreams and goals come from your real life, from what happened and what you genuinely want more of. When your dreams and goals are truly yours, you are more likely to keep going.

I do my review before I choose my top three dreams and goals for the year. I will do that in December, then plan the year in January. It turns the end of the year from a rush into a chance to pause, feel proud and become clearer.

I would also love to do this reflection with you in a live online workshop called Your 2026 Life Review and 2027 Reset.

In the workshop, we will reflect on the year, celebrate progress and become clearer on what matters for the year ahead. There is something special about doing this as a group. You hear what other people are proud of and remember things you may have forgotten. You see someone else let go of something and it can give you permission to do the same.

Whether you join me or not, please take some time this week to look back before you plan. Even a few minutes will help. Write down three things you are proud of from 2026. That is your small step for this week.

You have done more this year than you think. Thank you for being here and for showing up and listening to the podcast. If you have a friend who needs to hear this, feel free to forward it. I will be back next Friday.