Year-End Reflection and Intentions 2026
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christa elza: [00:00:00] I think wrapping up a year and starting a new one, it's like a fresh start. It's a great time to reflect, to give yourself credit for the things that you have accomplished. I know personally for me, that is a challenge. It's a challenge for me to say, oh, wait, I did do these things, and like sit in gratitude.
I have to be very intentional about that because I tend to always be chasing the next thing or the next trip, or the next accomplishment. You know, it's not a, it's not a good space to be because then you're just kind of that hungry ghost. You're always grappling for the next thing and not sitting in like, wow, I really did accomplish this.
So looking back and acknowledging that is super powerful.
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christa elza: Welcome back to another episode of The Wild and Well Collective, and today we are gonna talk a little bit about wrapping up a year and what New Year's resolutions look like. I think it's really interesting that a lot of us kind of have this mindset of reflection of what did I accomplish over this past year, and then what are my goals moving forward?
And that's amazing. But I think the travesty of all that is that a lot of times people have intentions and they don't actually follow through. We know this, we know that the gyms are jam packed for the first couple weeks in January and then trickle off by mid-February. Right? But why is that? You know, we're gonna talk a little bit about that.
Like why is that and how can we make this year different? How can we have realistic goals? And really feel good moving forward. So, Cherise, start us out with a little, I, I saw that you [00:02:00] were you know, filling, writing things out and journaling. Like, tell me a little bit about what you were doing and what that serves and like how you feel after.
sheree beaumont: Yeah. I love doing some sort of process at the end of each year. I mean, and we both talked about this on the. The episode that we shared earlier last year in terms of like picking a word for the year. And so I think both of us walk through life and people that have, you know, that are high performers or high achievers with really clear intentions.
It can be. A little bit easy to get lost in the weeds though sometimes. And so I find having some dedicated time to really reflect and review. And a friend of mine sent me something called the compass, your year's Compass. And part of the exercise, which I actually found really helpful was to look at, it actually suggests to go through your cam, your calendar.
I went through my camera roll 'cause that's my way of keeping track of all the events and things that I did. And it said to list out any kind of significant event. Anything that was a project that you brought to completion, any fun, [00:03:00] family time, et cetera. And what was so incredible for me, 'cause I think also when you ask someone that really likes to strive for peak performance or excellence, you can be really hard on yourself or not acknowledge the journey that you've been on.
We're so focused on the next goal of the next destination. And I was an hour into this exercise answering the first question, and I'd filled out four A for a line sheet. Of things that I was either proud of myself for doing that were in alignment with, you know, my goals that I ticked off, or memories that I was so happy about.
And I took a moment just to be in pure gratitude that I had so much one to be thankful for that, that it all happened. But two, I was like, wow, you did a lot more than you probably would've given yourself. Even acknowledgement around, and so I think even starting with something as simple as not just looking at, okay, what did I achieve?
Did I achieve my 10 goals? But beyond the scope of just in your work life or just in, you know, maybe [00:04:00] your professional life There is so much more to the story and so much more to the picture. And so yeah, really, really dialing in. I'm excited to continue the process. I give myself a little while to do this, but that's probably where I'd suggest. People can start. And one of the things you mentioned in the intro is like, why?
Why a lot of these new solutions fail or these goals that we set at the beginning of the year fail. And I think we come into it with this idea around I have to do it all and I have to do it all right now. That's why the gyms are so full. And initially people start up and they go, okay, well I'm gonna go seven times a week.
I've never been one of those people because I'm like, well, that's not ever something I'm gonna be able to stick to. I don't wanna put that pressure or that expectation on myself. And so I'd love for you to share from your experience and how you kind of work through this with like patients in that as well, how to set ourselves up for goals that are actually going to be attainable, achievable, and get us the success and results we want.
christa elza: Yes. I think [00:05:00] that the human brain wants to do things consistently and routinely and not change anything up. So I think by nature we're in, kind of in this battle of continuing what we are always doing. So any kind of change can be challenging sometimes. So, you know, in the book Atomic Habits, there's also tiny habits.
There's several books out there that really can help you understand these concepts. But really the gist of them and what I find works for me and for my patients when I'm like, okay, let's drink more water for me. I wanted to drink more water. Let's use me as an example. But I also have coffee in the morning.
So my challenge then was to drink a certain amount of water before I was allowed to have my coffee. Right. Or for me to work out. Sometimes what's really motivating me to do it is because I've got a new playlist or I have an audio book that I'm listening to, or there's a podcast I wanna finish. So there's something also drawing me to it in [00:06:00] terms of like working out.
So I think if there's new habits that you wanna do, be realistic. And you know, as you mentioned, like don't say I'm gonna go from like not working out at all to seven days a week. Start small. Start with, I'm gonna do it two times a week or three times a week, or if the goal is to move your body 30 minutes a day, I always tell my patients, I want you moving 30 minutes every single day.
It does not have to be all at one time. It can be 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the evening. If that's where you can start, right? So making you know it, it's great to have these big ideas, but for most of us, we've gotta say, this is the end goal, and then let me back it up into smaller bite-sized pieces and let me make this enjoyable.
So have something on the other side of it. Also, removing any kind of barriers. So if you want to eat healthier, but you don't have a lot of time, or you just don't want, at the end of the day, you don't wanna cook. Then plan ahead and have some [00:07:00] easy, easy, healthy things from your grocery store or plan an hour and a half to meal prep, some proteins or whatever on a Sunday.
But there you have to remove the barrier that what's keeping you from eating healthy throughout the week? Is it because you're purchasing things that aren't healthy? Well then start spying things that are healthy. So thinking ahead, making sure that you're making it easy for you each day. Going back to the example of water.
Making sure that you have an appropriate container, that you are okay carrying with around and putting it on your desk or putting it somewhere where you wash your hands if you're in a clinic like somewhere that it's gonna remind you. So it's easy. It's, you're not having to remember to look for something or what have you.
Right? So there's just some simple hacks to creating habits that I find really, really effective. The other thing is don't pull away from the habit for longer than two or three days once you've started it, because you'll slide right back into your old way of being around whatever habit you're trying to change.
So, you know, sure you're gonna go on vacation or you had a day that [00:08:00] you were off, but get right back on that habit as soon as you can, or you will lose that momentum. And so those are just some quick tips, I think, to really be successful in what you are intending to do. And
sheree beaumont: I think that goes hand in hand with the, you know, the entire concept of the podcast too, with the living wild and well, I used to be someone who was like, cool holiday, don't have to gym, don't need to do all the healthy things.
This is my excuse for a massive blowout. And then I realized that wasn't serving me. I had lost the habits. Yes, sometimes I'd come back hungrier to train harder because I had a little bit of a break. But when I started integrating the gym, when I'd go on holiday or making sure I still drink my water the whole time, or take my supplements and electrolytes, you feel so much better.
And I think it helps keep that consistency and you don't wind up in March going, oh, how did I start the year off so strong and now everything's fallen apart? I'm really curious. You know, I think one of the things we can do is be very self-reflective personally, but I think one of the things [00:09:00] where we miss the mark.
Or maybe don't do, and it's something that I see a lot of couples do. You know, now and especially the high performing space is like reflecting on the year, not only like together, but you know, sitting down and making sure that the goals you are working towards are aligned. So if you do have a partner, and I know Krista, you know, you have a beautiful marriage, you know, is there, is there anything you do as a couple during this time of year or at the start of the year to really make sure you're setting yourself up in alignment together?
christa elza: Yeah, I mean, I do think that if you have a partner, it's important to engage them in whatever your intentions are for the year. I know for us right around the end of the year, like in that kind of wonky week between Christmas and New Year's, a lot of times we'll sit down and say, Hey, let's just jot down what we accomplished together as a family this year.
Where do we travel? What do we do? What financial jumps did we make or didn't make? Or whatever. Like, kind of just reflect. And then from there, say, [00:10:00] cool, this is what we did. What do we want together in terms of finances, family, family, you know, connection, travel. Those are usually our big topics of what we want to talk about.
And that's a really great way to kind of blend in personal with yourself as a couple, because it's one thing to have all these intentions. Like if I wanted to travel to five different countries and my partner didn't, well then that's probably a problem. Like, you know, when you have kids and all the things involved, right?
So given your circumstance, I think it's really valuable to have your own personal goals. But then yes, cohesively. It's good to come together. And I think too, even if you're not in a partnership, if you have a good friend that you hang out with frequently, I think it would be, it's really helpful to have accountability and to have connection with somebody who's gonna hold you accountable because human nature again, kind of wants to go slide back in to routine old routine and not really embrace a new routine.
And so having someone to hold you accountable. On areas that you feel like you need it can be really helpful, whether that's a [00:11:00] partner or a good friend. But the accountability piece there is super important.
sheree beaumont: Yeah. The other thing I'll add to that, regardless of if you're doing this, you know, solo or as a team, essentially it's.
I think what we forget to do is put in the fun things or block out the fun things, you know? And if we do have the intention, right, if this is around the goals, we do wanna see a few new places, or we've got specific events that we wanna go to, or you know, we wanna have milestones that we're hitting.
Actually putting them in the calendar. It's the same if we're looking at a small habit, but looking at this from a big perspective, you know, I like to start big, look at the big vision personally, and work my way backwards. So it's like, okay, well if I am ex having the expectation that I wanna be, you know, at summertime in July, I wanna be here or here.
I'm gonna put that in my calendar now. That means that then my team knows that I'm gonna be out of office at that time. That means we can plan launches. It means I can plan other things in and around that to achieve that personal goal of having that time off in July, for [00:12:00] example. And so whether it is a travel goal, whether it is a business goal, whether it is like whatever it may look like.
One of the best advices I got given from mentors was actually look at your. Calendar for next year. So your 2026 calendar and go, this is where I actually want to be blocked out. This is where, you know, with you and your kids, so you might be taking a vacation and so you're able to work backwards and then rather than, oh my goodness, this is coming up, and how on earth do I fit all this in?
So I think that can be really, really valuable. Another thing I know that both of you and I do each year is pick a word for the year, which I think is really, really powerful. Do you wanna reflect a little bit? 'cause I know you had. Quite a year this year. You've accomplished a lot. And yeah, just sharing a little bit about what your word was
christa elza: Yeah, my year, this year for 2025 was audacious and I didn't really quite know exactly what that would mean, but I wanted to do things that were a little bit scary and approach things with a little bit more, not fearlessness because we can't get rid of that, but in spite of fear going through some [00:13:00] things.
It's not necessarily a word for me that I reflect on every single day, but it's more like when things come my way, how am I gonna approach this? And so keeping that word kind of in the back of my mind as I'm making decisions, as I'm moving through things. And so, you know, when I reflect back on 2025.
There were some audacious things. I, you know, was diagnosed with ductal breast cancer and decided to go audacious and do a full double mastectomy and do a complete reconstruction. And that was pretty crazy. And then when I was looking at renewing my lease in my clinical space, it was like, well, I can continue to pay rent or I can take a big scary jump and purchase a place for us to move our clinic to.
You know, to me that that feels audacious. It feels a little bit kind of crazy. And but so when I look back on this year, I think, yeah, I stuck to the word and now that I'm, we're wrapping [00:14:00] up 2025, I am starting to think about what is my, what is my word next year? And to me, I believe right now it's gonna be level up.
It's gonna be what am I doing now and how can we go to the next level in many areas of my life, whether that's physically in my workouts in my expanse, in my reach to patients and clients around the world. Like what can I do to level up in different areas of my life? So, given the fact that audacious held true in 2025 I've got a lot of expectations for 2026 with Level Up.
sheree beaumont: I always think it's quite funny, like you get what you ask for and it's not always in the way that you expect. So I was going for my walk the other morning and I was like, okay, what is your word for this coming year? And I was like, oh gosh, like. I don't know if I wanna be tested. Like there were words popping into my head and I was like, I don't think I wanna be tested in that way.
I don't think I'm gonna choose that as my words, because, you know, it really is like, life is always gonna be a mirror for what you [00:15:00] want. And my word for 2025 was fearless. There are definitely areas I think that I embodied that could I have done better? Probably. So one of the reflections that I've made is how can I bring it into.
My check. And I love that you shared that you, when you're making a decision, you come back into attunement with that. Like is it in alignment with your intention that you'd set for the year? So I think for myself, like bringing something like that in, I will say I drove on the other side of the wrong side of the road very confidently.
So I feel like that was one of my big fearless achievements, which sounds ridiculous. And I'm also here on the other side of the world and that's been quite an intense. Shift change and doing that all? Not really on my own. I don't feel like I'm on my own 'cause I have beautiful people like yourself around me all the time.
But there was definitely an element of fearlessness to get on that plane and be like, I'm gonna see what happens. And hopefully it all works out. So trusting and having faith. There I was, when I was coming up with my word, I couldn't really think of just one. So there was this idea of magnetism that really came through quite strongly and I was like, I like that.
[00:16:00] I really do. I wanna stop being in push. I wanna stop being in force. I think like I'm someone that has such a strong work ethic that I will constantly find a way to make something happen. But again, we can end up in the weeds or we can end up like trying to force things into our reality, which I've realized doesn't work for me.
It doesn't really work for anyone. So I'd rather be in receivership and flow and magnetize opportunities. But taking aligned action from that and to your words or point. Leveling up to me. I looked at expansion. How can I take what I'm already doing to that bigger level or create a bigger impact? And so if you're listening to this, that can be a really fun way to start.
You know, if you don't wanna start with the micro goals, like think about what energy or intention do you really wanna carry through this next year? And, you know. Not that we get into all the spirituality side of things, but there's been a lot of talk about the fact that it was a year of a snake, so you were shedding and letting go of a lot of stuff this past year and next year gets to be, or you know, if you're listening to this in 2026, it [00:17:00] gets to be all about that, that next level.
So I think that's the energy I'm seeing across the board.
christa elza: Yeah, I think wrapping up a year and starting a new one, it's like a fresh start. It's a great time to reflect, to give yourself credit for the things that you have accomplished. I know personally for me, that is a challenge. It's a challenge for me to say, oh, wait, I did do these things, and like sit in gratitude.
I have to be very intentional about that because I tend to always be chasing the next thing or the next trip, or the next accomplishment. You know, it's not a, it's not a good space to be because then you're just kind of that hungry ghost. You're always grappling for the next thing and not sitting in like, wow, I really did accomplish this.
So looking back and acknowledging that is super powerful. And then, you know, if you're curious about a word for this year, I think, you know, like you said, you were on a walk kind of thinking, and I don't think it's something you force either. It's something that just kind of pops in your head and feels really right, like, this is gonna be my intention.
For next [00:18:00] year. And yeah, I think, you know, pairing that with planning a few strategic things and then working with the tools that we've kind of shared around habit change and sticking to it and ways that you can stick to something and actually permanently change a habit without white knuckling it is absolutely possible.
You just have to make it easy. You have to make it without as many barriers as possible. And I think you'll find success more in this year. And I think it's a reminder, this conversation is a reminder to us too, that go for the goals. Like go for the big thing, work backwards. What do I need to do in small steps to actually get there?
And then slow and steady wins the race. I think one last thing I wanna say on this is that. High achievers, we tend to be very much all or nothing. So in terms of, let's just use exercise for an easy example, you know, I'll find a lot of people say, well, if I don't have an hour, I just don't do it. Like I, I just don't have time.
Well, yeah, you do. You do have time, you have 10 minutes, you have 15 minutes. Those [00:19:00] all matter. The micro workouts add up to a lot by the end of a week. So just as an example, if I don't, if you don't have time to completely revamp your closet, you have 10 minutes every single day to go in there and move the needle.
So try to open your mind to that and get out of that all or nothing approach, and you'll find that the habits and that what you want to accomplish, even though it feels really large and impossible, you can actually do it because everything matters.
sheree beaumont: Yeah, and just to add to that, I think it's really important to reflect on what has worked for you.
So if you find yourself going, well, I had a intention of doing all the workouts and then I did come up with that block, or that excuse that I can only do it if it's gonna be an hour long, what can work for me? Instead? I was also reading or listening to, I should say, a new book. And again, I'm only just in the nuance of it, in the sense of like the first chapter.
But it's a concept that I'm, you know, we're quite familiar with. But this idea, [00:20:00] I think to also dream big. Because so often we can get so caught in the weeds but we can get to the end of the year reflect and again go, well, maybe I didn't achieve what I wanted to achieve. Why didn't I achieve what I wanted to achieve?
And the idea that this book is suggesting is actually set a big audacious goal set. One that feels almost impossible. And this isn't going into that all, nothing mentality or setting yourself up for failure, but instead set something that feels so. So massive that you actually have to get so specific in what you're gonna let go of and what you no longer need, that you can jump into that and set a timeline for it.
I also think one thing that's limited me in the past is setting the goal for the year versus this is gonna happen in the next 90 days. Because it's a lot easier to keep yourself accountable when you're breaking it into small chunks of time than it is to be like, okay, by the end of the year, because you get halfway through January and you go.
Eh, like that doesn't feel as rewarding [00:21:00] because it's so far away. There's less of that kind of return of investment. So that's another thing that I'll add in there. Since set something that is a shorter timeframe, feels quite undoable. And if you've got big dreams and big goals, make them, you know that when people are talking about income, they quite often say, double.
What would you like to make an ear double it and see what that stretch feels like. And then you'll start to look at what you need to let go of, or what needs to move out of the way, or what action needs to be taken that's really gonna move the needle.
Yeah, good
christa elza: advice. I think that requires audacious and fearlessness. I think. I think all of that is, is really great. So I hope you guys have found this episode to be inspiring motivating, and, know, join us in reflecting 2025 and moving forward in 2026 with intention. With grace for yourself and with kind of a new outlook on how to approach the new habits that you want.
I hope you found this helpful. We'll see you [00:22:00] next time.
Speaker 3: If you love this episode, be sure to leave us a review, download, and subscribe. If you know someone that could also benefit from this conversation, please share. That's how we Spread Empowered Health. We'll see you again for another episode of the Wild and Wild Collective.
