Where do I go now?: An invitation to further reflection

Madeline Curtis
Dec 29, 2025
5 min read

There’s a quiet moment that always shows up at the end of the year. It’s a pause between what was and what’s to come. In those moments, as the year comes to a close, our minds often race ahead to what will be. We think about what worked, what didn’t, and all the things we meant to do. Before making resolutions, cracking out planners, and crafting ambitious lists, we all confront one question: Where do I go now?

The new year has a way of making us feel simultaneously excited and overwhelmed. Sometimes, we feel like we need immediate clarity before heading into a new unknown. Clearer goals. Clearer habits. A clearer idea of where to go next. But, true growth rarely comes from rushing forward without reflection. It comes from a quiet pause–long enough to notice patterns, lessons, and truths that might otherwise go forgotten. Before you decide who you want to be next, it’s worth asking yourself a few foundational questions.

An age-old question

Where do I go now? This question shows up every new year. It’s not just about career moves or goal setting, however. Though we may struggle with direction in our careers or when reaching our goals, this question is deeper than that. It’s about purpose and alignment. What am I meant to do? Am I where I should be? The answer to these questions isn’t found in doing more, but in understanding yourself better. The best way to understand yourself–and in turn, discover where you need to go–is to invest time in honest reflection. To that end, we’ve compiled six of our deep, hard-hitting reflections aimed at renewing your sense of self and direction for the year to come.

6 Reflections for determining your next steps in the New Year

1. Where are you?

This reflection requires a lot of honesty and self awareness. Take a moment to think about where you are. Here, you’re not thinking about where you wish you were or where you think you should be. But where you truly are—mentally, emotionally, professionally, spiritually. Naming your current reality without judgment is the foundation of any meaningful progress. Besides, it’s nearly impossible to determine where you should go or which direction you’re currently headed if you can’t accurately pinpoint where you are. Be honest with yourself. Are you where you should be? Are you on the path that still keeps your goals and purpose in mind? Have you been knocked off kilter throughout the year? If you’re deciding where to go, first zero in on where you are.

Read: Where are you? An invitation to reflection

2. Where have you been?

Your past year–your past in general–tells a story. It shows patterns, repeated challenges, small wins, and quiet growth. It’s important to reflect back on this time, not out of regret, but through the lens of gratitude and growth. Spend some time considering where you started at the beginning of the year. Give yourself credit for where you’ve been, what you’ve struggled through, and how you’ve grown. This is a time to consider what led you to where you are and what lessons you can carry with you into the new year or new season of your life.

Read: Where have you been? An Invitation to reflection

3. Are you pushing through the fog?

There are times in everyone’s goal journey where the path becomes hard to see. The fog of obstacles, changing values, or lack of direction blurs our path forward leaving us blind to where we are and where we should go. Not every season comes with perfect vision or direction. Sometimes forward movement feels slow, uncertain, or even impossible. During these times, the question isn’t whether or not you have perfect clarity. Rather, the question becomes, “Am I pushing through the fog?” Are you willing to keep showing up, despite the uncertainty and the obstacles? How do you tend to react when the fog rolls in and the path becomes unclear? Knowing your innate reaction to lack of clarity is the first step to learning how to push through the fog.

Read: Through the fog: Pushing forward when the vision’s blurry

4. Are your goals achievable and actionable?

Sometimes, the reason you stall out on your goal journey is that you’ve chosen the wrong goals. Or, maybe you’ve chosen good goals— but they’re not really actionable and achievable. Ambition without structure often leads to burnout, or worse–internalized failure. Goals should stretch you, yes, but they should also be grounded, realistic, and broken into steps you can actually take. The right goals are ones that are achievable, measurable, and can be acted upon. If you’re struggling with where to go, consider reflecting on the goals you’ve set for yourself.

Read: Work SMARTER: Your guide to creating achievable goals

5. Do you know your why?

The most important and accessible fuel you have for your growth journey is your purpose. Your purpose provides clarity and motivation when strategy alone can’t. Staying in touch with your purpose, or your ‘why’, keeps the path ahead more direct and gives you the push you need to follow it. Motivation fades when it’s disconnected from meaning. Understanding why you do what you do brings resilience, clarity, and confidence. This is especially true when things get difficult or you begin to feel lost. Your ‘why’ anchors your effort. Are you in touch with your purpose? Do you know your ‘why’? Has your purpose changed since the beginning of the year? Reflect on what your purpose is and how you can use it to make clear the path ahead.

Read: Bringing your best self to work: Do I know my why?

6. Do you need a coach?

Growth doesn’t have to be—and usually isn’t—a solo journey. Sometimes the most powerful step forward is admitting you need guidance. If the way forward is foggy or confused by possibilities, don’t try to redirect alone. The right guidance can help you see blind spots, refine your direction, and craft goals suited to your purpose and talents. If you’re looking to refine or redirect your efforts in the new year, it may be time to seek out a mentor, guide, or coach.

Read: Do you need a coach?

The New Year doesn’t demand reinvention–certainly not overnight, anyway. Rather, the start of a new year offers an amazing opportunity to reflect on where we are and where we want to be. A new year invites you to realign and move forward with honesty and a renewed purpose. Before you rush into resolutions, take time to sit with these questions and reflect. Let them shape your direction.

Here’s to a New Year—a year built on intention, reflection, and purpose.