Today I'm sharing 10 simple practical steps to finish 2025 strong, celebrate your wins, and set yourself up for your best year yet in 2026. Welcome to Roots of the Rise with me, Sarah Hope, where spiritual wisdom meets practical tools in short, bite-sized episodes. These are tasters, not deep dives, meant to spark curiosity, help you root deeply, rise freely, and remember who you truly are. This is my last episode of the year. And honestly, as I look back, it's been one of my favorite years of my life. My marriage has never been stronger. My kid is one happy camper. This podcast got off the ground. My work is growing in ways I never imagined. My friends are incredible. My family is amazing. I feel so blessed to have this life. And if you told me a decade ago that this is what was waiting for me, I know that I would not have believed it. One thing I've been reflecting on a lot recently, and that keeps coming up in my own inner work is how important it is to benchmark our progress. It is so easy to get stuck in what's not working, in where we feel like we're falling short, to get overwhelmed by this feeling that the self-development path is never ending, and to get exhausted by it. And hey, that's valid because it is never ending. And who likes staring down a path that goes on forever? It can be intimidating and overwhelming. For me, the remedy is awareness. You know, giving ourselves the time, the space, and the structure to check in with who we are and what we want, to notice how far we've come, to celebrate our wins, to learn from our failures. So before we flip the calendar, I want to share 10 simple steps to help you finish the year strong, taking a moment to celebrate where you've succeeded, learn from where you haven't, and prepare for the life you really want to create in 2026. So let's get to it. Number one, identify three things you want to change next year about how you experience life. I'm talking the big, meaningful shifts, the things that would bring you the most joy and fulfillment. Think practical and doable. So not winning the lottery, okay. Things more like, I want to see my mom at least once a month because I miss her terribly and I feel like I didn't see her enough this year. Or I want to explore a new town in my state every quarter. I miss traveling. Or I want to run a marathon just to say I did it. It's a bucket list item. I want to finally establish a consistent meditation practice. Other ideas could be things like reading a set number of books, cooking a new recipe every week, or dedicating one night a week to connecting with friends. So here's your prompt. Which three small achievable changes would make your day-to-day life feel fuller and more joyful? Number two, kind of the opposite of the practical. I want you to dream big, go completely wild, no limits. Still like within the reach of possibility. So still no win the lottery. But what would your best life ever look like if you could have anything? Think bold. On the financial front, maybe it would be be completely debt-free, be in the best shape of your life, own the home of your dreams, travel internationally twice a year, or finally launch that passion project you've been talking about forever. Then take a moment to map out what's actually possible to move toward those dreams, like creating a debt payoff plan, finding a personal trainer, joining that running club you've been wanting to, setting aside travel funds every month. Small steps make big dreams achievable. So here's the prompt. If there were no limits, what would your dream life look like? And what's the first small step you could take toward it right now? Number three, plan something to look forward to every quarter. Seriously, plan your joy. Too often we wait for happiness to happen instead of creating it. If you know that going to the ocean lights you up and it's only a few hours away, book the trip. Get it on the calendar. Don't leave it to chance. Life has a way of slipping by if you don't plan for your own joy. I've already got camping plans in May with one of our best friends on the calendar. I am not waiting. Life is too short, and these moments of happiness are too important to leave to chance. Here's your prompt. What experiences or mini adventures could you schedule in the next three months that you know will light you up? And when will you put them on the calendar? Number four, complete a year-end review. Look back on the past year. What worked? What didn't? What brought you joy that you want to do again? And what never worked? What do you want to leave behind? This is a broad strokes question. We're gonna dig deeper in a moment, but for now, just top-down global perspective. Here's the prompt. Looking back, what are five things you would love to carry forward into the new year? And what five things do you definitely not want to repeat? Number five. Now dig deeper into that last question. First, decide what to let go of. So when you look at that list of five things, pick one thing you really want to be done with. It could be a boundary you need to set, a limiting pattern, or even a relationship that drains your energy. Maybe it's an obligation you picked up, like volunteering for the PTA, way too much drama, or you realize you're overextended with too many responsibilities at work. You can't walk into next year carrying the same energetic leaks caused by quiet resentment, frustration, or unspoken anger. So ask yourself, what is one thing you are no longer willing to tolerate in your life, and how are you going to make space for it to leave? Number six, we of course have to do the flip side, decide what to pull in, either keeping something going from this year or something new. What's one small habit, practice, or positive shift you want to implement immediately? It could be as simple as less sugar in your coffee, stretching every couple of hours at work, journaling each morning, drinking more water. Small changes compound in a powerful way. So here are a few more to consider. Morning or evening journaling, five to ten minutes to reflect your set intentions. Daily gratitude practice, we've talked about it. Write down three things you're grateful for. Refer to episode 114 to make that practice worthwhile. Move your body, 10 to 15 minute walk, stretching or a short workout daily. Hydration habit. Drink a full glass of water first thing in the morning. Create some digital boundaries for yourself. No phone for the first 30 minutes after waking or the last 30 minutes before bed. Ideally both. Mindful breathing or meditation, three to five minutes, morning or do a midday reset. Declutter one small space each week, a drawer, a desk, or a shelf. Connect intentionally. Text, call, or meet one friend or family member per week. Learn something new. Read one article, watch one video, or practice a new skill daily. Do an act of kindness. Just do one small thing for someone else each day. So here's your prompt. What's one practical habit you can start right now that will bring more energy, clarity, or joy into your daily life? Number seven, declutter your most congested space. We talked a little bit about this in the last episode about what we need to let go of as we move into the new year. Forget about the little spots. What I want you to do is take the big one, the space that has been driving you crazy, but you just haven't like had the chutzpah to get it done. Do it. Clear it out, create room for what you want. Start the year with that one lingering, annoying project complete. The mental relief alone is worth it. So ask yourself, what is the one area in your home that has been weighing on you and how can you clear it out before the new year begins? Number eight, nurture your social well-being. Social connection, connection to other people is fundamental. We need it. So who did you lose touch with this year or see less than you'd like? Make plans to reconnect in 2026. Or maybe it's someone that you really connected with this year. Be intentional about how you're going to keep that connection going. Last year, one of my girlfriends and I scheduled a get together every month. And even though, of course, we had those times that we needed to cancel or reschedule or move things around, it made such a difference just having it on the calendar. First Saturdays, no, I'm gonna have breakfast with her. Just don't leave connection to chance. Again, plan your joy, prioritize the people who matter most. So ask yourself who in your life deserves more of your time next year? And what is one concrete step you can take to reconnect with them? Number nine, clarify the person you want to be. Get a clear image in your mind, feel it in your body of how you want to show up in 2026. As James Clear explains, identity shapes behavior, behavior shapes experience, and experience creates your reality. Your thoughts guide your actions, and your actions shape your life. For example, thinking I struggle to exercise daily keeps you stuck, but thinking I am someone who moves my body intentionally every day can start to shift everything. Your reality matches your vibration, so what signals are you sending out? Scarcity brings scarcity, loneliness brings more of the same. Joy, abundance, connection, the good things in life, these are reflected back when you radiate them. So ask yourself, who do you want to be next year? And what thoughts or actions can help you step fully into that identity? For sure, read Atomic Habits if you want some hints on this one. Another one would be Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza. They're both excellent. Alright, number 10, last one. Face your fears. If you plan a year that could be your best yet, what fears come up? Maybe fear of failure, fear of change, fear of success. Acknowledge them. All of these are normal. The question isn't what could go wrong, but how will I respond if I feel afraid? Recognizing fear and acting anyway is how growth happens. Courage is not action without fear. It's action in spite of it. Fear. I was about to say the other one, which is face everything and run. And that's what we don't want. We don't want to run, not away, we want to run towards. Rise. So the prompt is when fear shows up when you imagine your best year, how can you move forward despite it? As we close out this year, remember, this is about more than just checking boxes or setting resolutions. It's about noticing how far you've come, releasing what no longer serves you, and intentionally creating the life you want to live. These 10 steps are simple, but they can be powerful tools to help you celebrate your wins, plan for joy, align with the person you want to be, and step into 2026 with clarity, courage, and purpose. Take a deep breath, reflect, and choose even one thing today that moves you closer to your best year ever. Every small step matters, and every intentional choice sends a signal to the universe about the life you are ready to create. Thank you so much for listening. And I want to pause and also say thank you for joining me this year. Like I said in the beginning, starting this podcast, it was a pivot point for me. It was a moment of facing the fear and just stepping into something. And the next level of that has been creating the membership that I shared with you earlier this week and really opening that out and giving or providing another way for you to work on yourself. And not in that overwhelming, scary, this is a chore kind of way, but in an intentional, loving, I'm going to take care of myself kind of way. I'm really excited to support you as you move into this 2026 you want to create. And if you have any questions about it, feel free to email me at Sarah at risingwithsarah.com. And that's uh Sarah with an H. I will be back on January 5th with season two. And there are going to be some changes in order for me to accommodate the way I actually want to provide this loving support. So starting in the new year, I'll be going down to releasing one episode every Monday. I've decided to do this because I want to have the time, the space, and the energy to really deeply support the people who are here for it. It's not that I don't want to, you know, provide content as I have been on the podcast because I think there's value in that. And that's why I've kept the episode short and, you know, taster, bite-sized. But what I'm really feeling called to do in 2026 is to help people on a more kind of individual level. But I have time constraints. And it's not time scarcity, it's time reality, you know, between my one-on-one clients, all the teaching I do, uh, my family, my son that I want to be so present for before he turns into a teenager and doesn't want me anymore. You know, I want to make sure that I am able to provide for everyone I love, for all the people I want to support in a way that is sustainable and is not going to stress me out too much. And so this is the concession I'm making is dropping down to just doing one episode a week. I have a sneaking suspicion that I will end up doing some bonus episodes because I have content already planned for the start of the year, but I know things are gonna come up that I'm gonna want to speak to. So I'm guessing there's gonna be an occasional bonus episode, uh, but I'm going to commit to the once a week. So I hope that you have a wonderful couple of weeks between now and the new year. Whatever holidays you celebrate, bringing in the new year with joy, spend this time with the people who matter and soak up every moment. I can't wait to see what 2026 is gonna bring for all of us. Until then, know who you are, love who you've been, and be willing to do the work to become who you're meant to be. Just a quick reminder this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. I am not a licensed therapist, and nothing shared here is meant to replace the guidance of a physician, therapist, or any other qualified provider. That said, I hope it inspires you to grow, heal, and seek the support you need to thrive.