These 30 fun reflection questions help you turn memories into insights. You can use them for year-end reflections, as journaling prompts, or as thoughtful questions to ask students, friends, or groups.
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How Reflection Questions Help
I first stumbled across a list of reflection questions on the Swedish blog Underbara Clara and immediately thought: oh, I'm keeping these. The author even encouraged readers to borrow them. So I did, tweaking the order here and there and rephrasing a few questions.
There are 30 questions in total. Some are light and fun (favorite series?), others surprisingly deep (what's your highest wish right now?). Together, they offer a playful, gentle way to look back on the past year.
I've been using these reflection questions at the end of every year ever since. I usually answer them on top of my weekly notes - little keywords and snippets I jot down throughout the year. On their own, those notes are raw material. The questions help me make sense of it all and distill what really mattered.
One thing that surprised me: I always have the most to say when answering these two questions:
Did you do something this year that you had never done before? and What are you most proud of?
It's funny, isn't it? The things that feel hardest or most uncomfortable at first often turn out to be the ones we're proudest of in the end.
In short, these reflection questions are a simple but great way to take stock of your year.
Take your time with them. Let the questions lead you through the past months and see what lessons are waiting for you there.
And at the very end, there's one bonus question. The question of all questions.
30 (+1) FUN Reflection Questions
Below you'll find my favorite reflection questions to look back on the past year with curiosity and honesty. They're open-ended and flexible, so you can use them in many different ways.
I like answering them on my own as a quiet year-end ritual, but they also work beautifully as journaling prompts. Sometimes I go through them with my partner, and I've even used them as end-of-year questions with friends.
If you're a teacher or professor, these reflection questions can also be a thoughtful (and surprisingly fun) way to invite students to look back on their year.
Take what resonates, skip what doesn't. There's no right or wrong way to do this.
- Did you do something this year that you had never done before?
- Did you make any major changes?
- What date from this year will you always remember?
- Did someone close to you pass away?
- Which countries did you visit?
- What was your best purchase this year?
- Did something make you genuinely happy?
- Did you miss something this year that you'd like to pursue, experience, or have next year?
- What do you wish you'd done more of?
- What do you wish you'd done less of?
- What was your favorite series this year?
- What was the best book you read?
- What was your biggest music discovery?
- What was your biggest success at work?
- What was your greatest success in your personal life?
- What was your biggest mistake?
- Were you happier or sadder this year compared to previous years?
- What did you spend the most money on?
- Was there something you wanted and got?
- Was there something you wanted and didn't get?
- What did you do on your birthday?
- What were you most grateful for this year?
- Is there anything that would have made your year even better?
- What made you feel good?
- Who did you miss?
- Who were some of the best new people you met?
- What was the best gift you received?
- What are you most proud of?
- What is your highest wish right now?
- What are you going to do differently next year?
Bonus question = the centerpiece of your annual reflections:
31. What is the most important lesson this year has taught you?
Optional: Reflection Card Decks
Reflection cards can be a lovely way to make the process more playful, especially when sitting together with other people.
So, if you enjoy working with prompts in a more tactile way, here are a few reflection card decks I've personally enjoyed:
Building Blocks: conversation starters for groups and teams
Holstee Reflection Cards: gentle, deeper questions for two people
We! Connect Cards: great for connection and discussion
Tell Me More: thoughtful prompts around gratitude and creativity
You can find all of these decks online (for example on Amazon). I've linked them here for convenience.
Want to keep going?
If you'd like to explore more gentle ways to reflect on the past year and step into the new one with intention, you might enjoy these posts too:
- 13 Positive Reminders for a Happy Life
- 15 Positive Affirmations for the New Year
- 5 Steps to Good New Year's Resolutions
- 20 Positive Intentions for a Magical Life
- Sorcova: A Fun Romanian New Year's custom
If you're in the mood to chat: What's your favorite year-end reflection question? Anything to add the the list?
Wishing you planty of insightful and delightful year-end reflections,
Ramona
♥
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