A MID-YEAR REFLECTION POINT
by
Elizabeth Jordahl
03 Jun 2025
“Reflection, meditation and prayer help us to renew ourselves in God’s love, as we strive daily to become better people.” – Queen Elizabeth II
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. - 1 Corinthians 13:12
2025 is really flying by! And just like every other year… this year has already been full of ups and downs, highs and lows, blessings and problems. As we reach the midpoint of the year, I love to set aside time and reflect. I take it as an opportunity to check how I am doing on my goals and what I most want out of the rest of the year. I review what has gone well and what hasn’t worked, and I dream about what I most want out of the rest of the year. It’s a treasured part of my rhythms!
Over the years, I have worked to create a reflection and dreaming process that is intentionally beneficial and thought out. It’s a whole system designed to make sure I think through the important things, and that can be adjusted based on my available time or desires. It’s such a special thing to me that I wanted to share all the different pieces with you! So let’s get started!
If you want to catch up on other pieces, here are the links:
The Process
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
This process is just what works for me! Feel free to adjust to what will work best for you. There is no right or wrong, it’s just supposed to be a helpful outline to allow you time and space to reflect on your year so far.
The very first thing you need to do is actually set aside the time and put it on your calendar. Then make sure that the people in your life honor that time. Ask for help with the kids, so you don’t have to be distracted. Choose a day and time where you don’t need to worry about work or home. Prepare yourself well! Remember, this whole thing can be very flexible. So, choose days and times that work best for you.
For a yearly or birthday check-in, I always suggest a whole day. However, for a monthly, or quarterly or mid-year check-in, a half of a day or just a few hours is perfect. Start your day in the best ways - good night’s sleep, the right clothes, food that leaves you energized. You can stay at home, or you can head out to a place you really enjoy. Sometimes I go to a botanic garden, or a coffee shop, a library, or a national park. I like to bring along a life-giving book, a journal, my Bible, some fun pens and music. Here are the steps I take for my mid-year check in!
- First up, journaling! I write a stream of consciousness for 3 pages. To get out all the thoughts and ideas that are filling up my brain.
- Lists! Write 10 things you are grateful for (get really specific), 10 celebrations or wins, and 10 worries or prayer requests.
- Reflect on what has worked and what hasn’t. Get detailed so that you know what you can let go of and what you can focus on even more.
- Pull up my goals for this year. Double check to see if I have accomplished any or if there are any that really need attention. Put those things into my calendar, so I know I will have time to focus on them.
- Look over my calendar for the next half of the year. See where I need to add in anything like vacations, travel, classes, work tasks, or anything else that needs attention. I also like to review if my morning, evening and weekly routines need any adjustment or if they are working great!
- *If you did the yearly check-in, you could also pull out your big ideas for the year! Review and adjust as needed.
- Next, I will do some more journaling. Focusing on what I want the rest of the year to feel like, what I want to focus on, and who I want to be in my life.
- At this point, I wrap up with some actionable steps! What needs to be done, booked, created, or passed on, in order for the second half of the year? Get it done or plan when to do it!
- Now you can do something fun, like reading or taking a walk, or anything that allows you to rest and reset.
- You can go on with the rest of your day! Content that you are well prepared for the rest of the year.
You have been given the agency and power to work towards the life you want! You don’t have to be a victim of your circumstances or just blown about with the busyness of life. Give yourself permission to be intentional. God has given all of us this amazing life, may we all use it with intention, purpose, and love.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:1-2
“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every person has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all people have some.” – Charles Dickens
QUESTIONS AND REFLECTIONS
One of my favorite things to do is to ponder, reflect and journal, it gives me time to think through all the various aspects of life. May you find time in your day or your week, to sit and reflect. You can use these questions as a starting place for your reflection, or just an addition to your normal journal rhythm.
- How can you make this time of reflection extra special and intentional?
- Have you done reflection times like this in the past? What did you like or dislike about them?
- Schedule out your midyear reflection and enjoy every minute of it!
- Where have you seen God at work in your life lately?
- What’s one thing from this blog that you want to use or put into action?
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. - James 1:22-25