Hello there,
As we step into December and the energy of conscious closure, I’ve been thinking about you and what this final month of the year might hold for your journey. This week, we’re beginning our exploration of conscious completion – understanding how to reflect with compassion rather than criticism, recognizing the growth you’ve experienced, and learning to access the wisdom your body holds about this year’s journey.
I think of Rachel, who sat across from me with frustrated tears in her eyes as she described her year. “I keep trying to reflect on my growth,” she said, “but all I see are my failures and everything I didn’t accomplish. I can’t tell if I’m actually growing or just lying to myself about getting better.”
What Rachel discovered through our work together was the profound difference between rumination and reflection. She’d been caught in loops of self-criticism disguised as “self-improvement,” never actually acknowledging her real growth or learning from her experiences.
The Art of Self-Recognition
Most of us have never been taught how to truly see ourselves with the same compassion we’d offer a dear friend. We’re skilled at cataloguing our shortcomings but struggle to recognize our genuine growth and strength.
Self-recognition isn’t about inflating your achievements or pretending difficulties didn’t happen. It’s about honestly acknowledging who you’ve become through this year’s experiences – the capabilities you’ve developed, the resilience you’ve demonstrated, the quiet courage you’ve shown in continuing to show up for your life.
When Rachel learned to look at herself in the mirror and truly see the woman who had navigated challenges she couldn’t have imagined last December, who had developed strength she didn’t know she possessed, and who had learned to trust herself in new ways – everything shifted. She began approaching her year-end reflection from curiosity and appreciation rather than judgment and criticism.
Reflection vs Rumination
There’s a crucial difference between conscious reflection and rumination that many people miss. Rumination keeps you stuck in loops of regret and self-criticism, replaying difficulties without extracting wisdom. Conscious reflection helps you harvest wisdom from every experience, including the challenging ones.
This year brought you experiences you couldn’t have planned for. Some delighted you, others stretched you beyond what felt comfortable. All of them contributed to your evolution. When you reflect with curiosity rather than judgment, you discover that even your most challenging moments carried gifts.
I worked with David, who spent months ruminating over a failed business venture. He’d replay every decision, criticizing himself for not seeing the problems earlier, convinced he’d “wasted” a year and significant resources.
Through our work, David learned to shift from rumination to reflection by asking different questions. Instead of “Why did I fail?” he began asking “What did this teach me about my business instincts? What skills did I develop navigating this challenge? What do I now know about my resilience?”
This shift revealed that his “failed” venture had taught him invaluable lessons about market research, team building, and his own capacity to handle setbacks with grace. The experience wasn’t wasted – it was transformational when he approached it with conscious reflection.
Body Wisdom in Year-End Reflection
Your body remembers this year differently than your mind does. While your thoughts focus on events and outcomes, your body holds the felt sense of every moment you’ve lived – the relief when stress finally lifted, the expansion when you felt truly seen, the grounding when you found your footing after uncertainty.
This embodied memory is valuable information for conscious closure. Your body knows which experiences need appreciation, which tensions are ready for release, and which areas feel excited about new possibilities. When you tune into these physical responses, you access wisdom that pure mental reflection might miss.
Through our work together, Rachel discovered that her body was holding significant tension related to a relationship that had ended earlier in the year. While her mind had “moved on,” her body was still processing the loss and needed conscious attention and appreciation for what that relationship had taught her about love and boundaries.
When she placed her hand on her heart and thanked her body for carrying her through that difficult transition, tears came – not of sadness, but of relief and recognition. Her body had been waiting for this acknowledgment, and giving it created a profound sense of completion that mental processing alone hadn’t achieved.
Creating Your Reflection Practice
Your conscious closure practice doesn’t need to be elaborate – it needs to be authentic to how you process experiences and honour transitions.
Some people need quiet journaling time to reflect on their growth. Others process through movement practices that help their body release stored experiences. Some create visual representations of their year’s journey. Others need conversations with trusted friends who can mirror back their growth.
The key is approaching reflection with genuine curiosity about who you’ve become, compassion for the challenges you’ve navigated, and appreciation for the strength you’ve demonstrated – even in moments when you didn’t feel strong.
Weekly Challenge: Beginning Conscious Closure Practices
This week, I invite you to explore these five foundation practices:
1. Mirror Recognition Practice: Look at yourself in the mirror and acknowledge one way you’ve grown stronger this year. Speak it aloud: “I am someone who…” Notice what emotions arise with this recognition.
2. Reflection vs Rumination Check: When reflecting on a challenging experience, ask: “What strength did this reveal in me?” rather than “What did I do wrong?” Notice how different questions create different insights.
3. Body Wisdom Inventory: Place your hand on your heart and take three slow breaths. Ask your body: “What do you want me to know about this year?” Listen for physical sensations, emotions, or insights that arise.
4. Experience Appreciation: Choose one difficult experience from this year and write down three specific things it taught you about your capabilities, values, or resilience.
5. Daily Gratitude Completion: Each evening this week, complete: “Today I’m grateful I experienced…” acknowledging even small moments with appreciation.
Join the Journey
I’m so honoured to walk this path with you! Throughout this week, I’ll be sharing daily reflection practices on social media to support your conscious closure journey. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn for regular inspiration and practical exercises.
I’d love to hear about your experiences with conscious reflection. What differences are you noticing between rumination and genuine reflection? How does your body respond when you approach year-end review with compassion? What growth are you beginning to recognize? Comment on any of my social posts or reach out directly to share your journey.
Notice with gentle awareness:
• How does compassionate self-recognition feel different from self-criticism or self-inflation?
• What happens in your body when you reflect with curiosity rather than judgment?
• Where do you feel resistance to acknowledging your genuine growth?
• What small shifts in perspective create the biggest changes in how you see your year?
Summer’s Reflection Teaching
As summer surrounds us here on the Sunshine Coast, remember that this season’s clear, bright light creates perfect conditions for seeing things as they truly are. Summer doesn’t hide in shadows or apologize for its clarity – it illuminates everything with generous, honest light.
Your conscious reflection can embody this same quality of honest illumination. See yourself clearly – both your struggles and your strengths, both your challenges and your growth. The extended daylight hours create natural space for this reflection work, allowing you to examine your year’s journey in summer’s clear, compassionate light.
With warmth and deep appreciation for your willingness to see yourself clearly,
Gemma-Lee
About the Author:
Gemma-Lee Harvey is a Holistic Counsellor and Lifestyle Coach based on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. With a diverse background spanning psychology, business, counselling, and coaching, she creates a nurturing space for exploring one’s full potential. Her gentle yet practical approach kindles the transformative spirit within, guiding individuals through life’s challenges as they rise through empowerment.
Contact:
🌐 www.phynixbydesign.com.au
☎ 07 5493 6742
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Opening hearts & facilitating transformations since 2017
Phynix By Design ~ Life Reignited