Winter Solstice Journal Prompts for a Self-Reflection Ritual

The longest night of the year is the perfect time to go inward and reflect on the past year, who you want to be, and what you want to experience in the new year. Use these winter solstice journal prompts to spark your inner reflection!

For several years now, I use the winter solstice (December 21st) to conduct a thorough inventory of the past year and set intentions for the coming year.

It’s truly a special time of the year. This is the first day of winter, the shortest day of the year, and the start of the return of the light.

From this day forward, every day will get 1-2 more minutes of daylight until we reach the spring solstice. Yes, the winter is long and can feel so harsh, but we are already at the lowest point and climbing back up.

I like to print out my reflection guide, light a candle, make a big cup of tea, and spend a few hours reflecting. That can seem like a long time, but it is truly a sacred time for me. This is my new beginning. This is how I set the intentions for my intentional life.

At first, it feels like goal setting, but eventually I get in touch with the deep, inner me and learn things about myself I’d never expected. It’s quite beautiful and incredibly transformative. I certainly would not be where I am now without this practice!

My Winter Solstice Reflection Routine

I generally go through 4 phases: 

1. Observe
2. Reflect
3. Celebrate
4. Imagine

This allows me to get rooted back in my body, take stock of the current year, celebrate the successes, and dream big about where I want to go in the future. It really covers everything!

I’ve created a 31-page, in-depth Winter Solstice Reflection Guide to guide you through this spiritual inner work, but I’d like to share a handful of prompts to get you started.

Journal Writing Prompts for the Winter Solstice

The following prompts come from my Winter Solstice Reflection Guide and are a gentle way to start reflecting to reflect. Don’t carry anything into the new year you don’t want to hold anymore. Be a strict editor of your life and eliminate anything that does not feel good. (This is easier said than done, but absolutely essential.)

1. Close your eyes and mentally walk through your average day. What are some specific things that disturb your peace?
2. What are some things you’d like to experience this winter? Consider hobbies, activities, family traditions, etc. List them out.
3. Find ways to bring the outside indoors. What can you make or do to bring more natural, seasonal elements into your home?
4. How did this year push you past your comfort zone? What are some challenges you faced?
5. What are some of the best things that happened this year? Add as many as you possibly can. Star 2 or 3 that really stand out.
6. What would you like to experience next year? Be specific.

I know it can be challenging to find a few moments of stillness during the busy holiday season, but please do. For thousands of years, people in the Northern Hemisphere have marked this occasion as a sacred time. This is one of the key poles of the yearly calendar. For the next 6 months, we will be returning to the light. It’s a time of new beginnings, setting intentions, and aligning out action with our values. 

Winter Solstice Reflection Guide

Several years ago, I first started compiling a printable reflection guide that I could use again and again. I wanted to have a consistent framework to rely on with vetted, tested questions that genuinely helped me grow and change. Over the years, I’ve removed questions, added new ones, and really streamlined it into a system. 

There are 31 total pages, including the 4 phases of reflection noted above and several Life Analysis pages to map out key aspects of your life. Work, family, health…map out what’s going well, what you want to change, and how you will get there.

It feels so good to start the new year knowing where you want to go and how you will get there, and it’s really more than just goal-setting.

This is about getting your nervous system, inner voice, and true self in alignment. The goals shouldn’t be just to fit in and check off societal benchmarks. 

The goal is to curate your life until it feels truly right. 

As an entrepreneur and small business owner, I find this guide to be an incredibly helpful way to check in with my body to find what feels right and what I want to change. From daily life to spiritual work, new habits, and business opportunities, this guide really covers every element of your life.

If you’d like to explore your own inner landscape and spend some time getting to know yourself, it’s a great time to do so. Get your copy here!

Happy Winter Solstice!

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