Are you familiar with the Year Compass? I don’t recall how I ran across this, but it’s a free workbook that prompts you to review the past year and plan for the year ahead. I was never one for new year’s resolutions, so this process of reflecting really spoke to me.
I had already written down my past year review, but it didn’t feel like something I’d go back to and truly process. And we had a really difficult year in 2025, so I needed something I could go back to and truly process. So I thought of making a scrapbook of sorts to review the past year and get comfortable with the uncomfortable of certain things.
For those unaware, we had someone severely injured or severely ill in our home starting in May and going all the way to the end of the year, and that was after a number of months grappling with the fact that we got to the point of having no choice but to cut off contact with my father and stepmother (which should have happened many, many years ago…). This last process started in January, with a letter I received in the mail that finally put the nail on that coffin.
Anyway, going through this process of making art while journalling about all of this really helped me to absorb everything that happened in 2025 and to start moving on to better things.
I use the “Happy Planner” as my daily agenda, and a while back I purchased a hole punch that works for the “Happy Planner” rings. So I punched white pages with it and added it to my daily agenda, so I can go back through it often.
AIMR
(Linda -2026 time to regroup and renew :us:)
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You did have a horrid 2025, but you got through it. What an excellent way to process through all that you and your family have gone through without shoving the bad parts under the rug. I find that eventually, those bad parts come out in other ways if you don’t deal with them.
I also see a lot of happy pictures, so even though the feeling is that is was mostly bad, you found good in it all as well. You are a strong woman and staying strong for your family seems very important to you. Lovely journey and art therapy.
This brought tears to my eyes, literally. Thank you for saying it. I needed to hear it
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AIMR
(Linda -2026 time to regroup and renew :us:)
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You have been such a motivating and supportive member of this community. I include us as part of your “family” because your strength has given me encouragement and hope through many of my bad times as well. I am thanking you back!
What a great way to both celebrate and process the year. I always think I’ll remember the things that happen each year (little and big) but with enough distance they slip away. I’m glad this process is proving therapeutic for you!
I’m sorry this was a hard year for your family. As AIMR said, you’re always such a positive influence here on LC. It’s good to have supportive friends and family and I’m glad that your family has you to lean on and learn from. Sometimes it’s the hardest things that help us become better, if we allow that. And you are the kind of person who will not only allow the growth, but will welcome it.
That being said, I truly hope that 2026 will be a kinder year.
