Right before Christmas Eve, I introduced our Tribe to a tool I use for almost everything: setting goals, managing time, tracking habits, and more, the Best Self Journal. Then, I disappeared for a bit. 🙂 I went into full holiday mode, savoring quality time with my mom and sisters in New York. It was a delightful hurkle-durkle situation where I lounged about most of the day, even managing a five-day stretch without looking at a computer. And you know what? It was exactly what I needed!
When I got back to Austin, I was ready to dive back into the markets and my routine. As part of this return, I continued my personal process of reviewing the year that’s ending (2024) to prepare for the year ahead (2025).
Over the years, I’ve developed a multi-phase process for this. Instead of rushing to have everything done by January 1, I take a holiday break then complete my process in early January.
Why Reflection Matters
As the holiday season winds down and we approach the first full week of 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect. Whether you’ve been tracking your life’s activities in a journal or calendar, or are entirely new to this practice, here are some exercises to help you reflect on 2024 and prepare for 2025.
Start with Your Trading Equity Curve or Journal
For traders, the easiest starting point is your trading account—specifically, your equity curve. I know – a knot may be forming in your stomach as I mention this, especially if you lost money this past year. The thing is that trading is a business, and even if you had a crappy year, you’ve gotta reflect and learn from it if you want to turn things around. And if you were among those who made trading profits in 2024, congrats! You need to reflect as well to make sure you can continue to create such results in the future.
Back to the equity curve — it shows the balance of your account over time and its trends (yup, just like the markets). So either look at the graph of the equity curve or the high and low points from your trading account balance and see if you can isolate any specific good or bad periods in your trading. Remember, the goal isn’t to focus solely on whether your equity curve is trending up, but to learn from the pauses and dips along the way. Was something going in in your life or trading that yielded a positive stretch, or a negative one? Are tendencies or patterns jumping out to you? Take note of anything that jumps out, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Now if you’ve been keeping a Trading Journal, like my Blueprint Mentorship students do, then you have even more valuable info! I reviewed my Trading Journal and here’s a takeaway that maybe you can relate to:
Hima’s review example: when I’m too late to my AM trading prep, I rush my trades and overtrade. And when I’m too early to my desk, I get bored and take setups I shouldn’t. So there’s a sweet spot when I’m trading solo, from 9:05 am to 9:08 am Eastern, that I MUST begin my trading prep or frankly don’t trade!
Use Your Calendar as a Reflection Tool
Your calendar, whether digital or paper, can be a powerful reflection tool. As you review the year, look beyond work and trading activities to personal events. Reflecting on these moments often brings clarity and captures the significance of your year.
What I do is read through my old Best Self Journals, quarter by quarter, relaxed on the couch, and keep a notepad year by. Every time something seems like something I want to remember about that year, I write it down on the notepad. Again this is across all categories of life. Here’s some of my trading related takeaways:
Hima’s review example: I read a book called the Courage to Be Disliked that helped me work through how I look at myself and changed my framework for moving towards my goals and reacting to others. I began doing an accupressure practice each evening (the Shakti mat) which vastly improved my sleep and made it easier to get up earlier to prep for/handle the 2024 market volatility. After years of resistance mentally I hired an Executive Assistant who has taken over so much of the admin of business and life that I now have more time and mental energy than ever to focus my personal trading and family money management.
Categories for Reflection
To simplify your reflection, focus on two main categories: “Yes” and “No.”
The “Yes” List
Start by listing things you’re glad you said yes to:
- Positive habits you may have developed
- Training/education that you learned that feels easier to do now
- Actions for your well being and fitness – remember Health is Wealth!
- Events or interactions in your family and friends circle – remember life is about Relationships – with yourself, with God, with others
Hima’s examples: too many to count, but my relationship highlights were my 45th birthday party – a DJ in my living room with all my Austin friends! – and spending more quality time with my husband at our Hindu temple and giving my spiritual practice more time and attention.
The “No” List
This category splits into two:
- Things You Wish You Said No To and/or Will Take as Lessons Learned:
- These things happened, and you can’t turn back the clock. But you can learn from them so that they don’t keep coming up going forward.
- And it’s not just about money, it’s about time, energy or mental allocation too
- Things You’re Glad You Said No To:
- Whether it was saying no to a shiny object (in trading or elsewhere), saving money that could have been spent, removing toxic people from your life, ending bad habits, jot them down!
Hima’s examples: There are quite a few, but less than 2023. For example attending a variety of optional business coaching related meetings (I realized I’m more advanced than I thought). Also when I create custom trading plan (which I love to do and I’m really good at) I wish I protected the time/days around that instead of piling on, sometimes I’d be exhausted for days after!
Measuring Your Gains
Reflecting on gains, both big and small, is crucial. Consider listing achievements such as:
- Books you read (digital or physical)
- Courses or trainings you completed
- Movies or TV shows you enjoyed
- Family or community events you participated in
- Hobbies or activities that brought you fulfillment
Measuring these gains helps frame your mindset for success moving forward.
Hima’s example of books I read (non trading, non fiction): The Courage to Be Disliked, 10x Is Easier than 2x, The Upside of Stress (among others).
Begin Your Review
If you haven’t yet set your plan for 2025, start with this reflection process. Remember, this isn’t about right or wrong or comparing yourself to others. It’s about getting a snapshot of where you’re at and understanding how you spent the last 12 months.
The future is a blank canvas, ready to be shaped. Focus on what you can control and begin your review today. Reply back and let us know if you decided to embark upon this exercise and any insights you gained. In my next update, I’ll share what comes after the initial review.
Let’s make 2025 our best year yet!
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