- The Productivist
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- Reflecting on 2024
The past few weeks have been full.
I wrapped up my MBA semester with presentations, exams, and meaningful lessons. Then came the holidays: family gatherings, delicious food, and catching up on everything I simply didn’t have time for in the past 4 months.
In all the hustle, I missed sharing these newsletters with you.
But here I am, just in time before the New Year begins!
In fact, it is my favourite time of the year to reflect on the past 12 months: the challenges, the growth, and the moments that truly mattered.
Reflection is such a powerful way to reset and step into the new year with purpose.
So, I’ve put together something special for you:
14 A’s for self-awareness and growth. ✍️
It’s a simple template with 14 thoughtful questions to help you reflect on 2024.
These prompts, inspired by my mentor Brendon Burchard, are designed to help you uncover insights like:
Appreciation: How much gratitude did I feel this year?
Aliveness: What people or activities gave me energy?
Alignment: Were my actions in line with my goals and values?
And more!
Because self-awareness is a gift we can all use.
Since many of you like hearing my own answers, I’ll share a few reflections too.
Let’s dive in and start the New Year with clarity!
Read time: 3.1 minutes
Appreciation: How much gratitude did I feel this year?
I’d give myself an 8 out of 10.
This year, I felt deeply grateful for both the big and small moments.
Some of the things I’ve been most thankful for are my energy and ability to fully experience life, whether it was:
Morning walks with my love and my dog
Meeting incredible people
Surprising myself with positive outcomes after stepping out of my comfort
Gratitude has become my default mindset, but there were a few weeks this year when I felt overstretched and overwhelmed.
During those times, I noticed myself slipping into negative reactions.
It was a big reminded how important it is to pause and appreciate what’s going well, especially when you “don’t have time for this”.
Taking a moment to reflect on gratitude is powerful, but it’s not the only or even the best way to practice it. I shared some of my favourite tips for building a gratitude habit in one of my recent newsletters. Check it out here:
Acceleration: How much did I set myself up for future success?
8/10 for this one too.
This year has been all about growth and setting the foundation for what’s next.
Every year feels like a learning year, but this one stood out because of the momentum I built.
As you know, I’m doing my MBA right now, which is the perfect time to rebrand myself in the business world, explore new interests, and consider opportunities previously unavailable for me.
I’ve taken on a lot of challenges:
Expected ones, like participating in case competitions, consulting for tech startups, and running live events.
Surprising ones, like founding a Women in Leadership club and delivering A+ work with a team that wasn’t the strongest.
Not all these experiences will make it onto my resume, but they’ve done something far more valuable. They’ve shifted my mindset. I’ve gained confidence, perspective, and resilience.
This year wasn’t just about ticking off achievements, though there were some, and I’ll get to those in a second. It was about laying a strong foundation for what’s next.
I feel ready to take the next leap and see where this momentum takes me.
Achievements: What accomplishments stand out this year?
I first gave myself 5/10 here, but after reflecting deeper, I had to bump up this score to 7/10. Here’s why.
This year was far from perfect but full of moments I’m incredibly proud of.
Here are a few highlights that stand out:
I was featured in Forbes. It may have been a small mention, but it felt surreal to see my name there.
I earned an admissions scholarship, a reminder that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.
I made beautiful new friendships that have brought joy and richness to my life.
I achieved a 4.0 GPA 🤓, showing that my high performance habits truly pay off.
And personally, I’ve reached a level of physical and mental fitness I’ve never had before.
But the most rewarding part of this year?
Watching my clients transform their lives.
One client stands out in particular.
They came to me feeling unfulfilled and uninspired.
Through our work together, but not right away, they found a renewed sense of purpose and joy.
Now, they’re building a new beautiful relationship, traveling more, and stepping into incredible opportunities at work.
Seeing their happiness and growth has been one of my biggest accomplishments.
Beyond these external wins, my inner growth has been equally meaningful:
I’ve gained more confidence and clarity in who I am.
I’ve deepened my understanding of management & leadership.
I’ve learned so much from working in both high-performing and struggling teams.
I’ve let go of taking myself too seriously, leaned into authenticity.
I’ve built resilience and mental toughness; I feel so ready for whatever comes next.
This year has been a blend of external success and internal growth.
It has reminded me that true achievement isn’t just about hitting your own goals, it’s about the positive impact you can have on others while becoming the best version of yourself.
Your turn!
My holiday gift to you:
Take a little time to look back on this amazing year.
Celebrate your wins!
Learn from the challenges!
And let it all help you reset for what’s next!
If you’re ready to crush your 2025 goals, I’ve got one spot open for 1-1 high-performance coaching starting end of January. Just reply to this email if you’re interested, I’d love to help!
Here’s to a meaningful end to 2024 and an incredible start to 2025. 🥂
Happy holidays,
Valeriya
PS: What’s been your favourite question/insight among these? Let me know by hitting reply or DMing me on LinkedIn!