How to Reflect on Your Year Without Feeling Like a Failure
Traditional systems can overwhelm neurodivergent authors. Instead, reflect on personal successes and find simple, effective methods that work for you. Celebrate small wins and use them to improve next year.

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Have you seen those posts from authors sharing their year-end reviews? The ones about how many books they’ve published, complete with color-coded spreadsheets and detailed stats? Meanwhile, you’re over here trying to remember if you ate breakfast.
You’re not alone. For neurodivergent authors, those traditional methods can feel impossible—like they’re specifically designed to make us feel behind. Here’s the truth: you’re not behind. You just need a system that works for you, not someone else.
Maybe you had big plans in January. You bought the perfect planner, wrote out all your goals, and felt ready to crush it. But life happened. That planner is still stuck on Week 2. You tried to track word counts, but it lasted about three days before it slipped your mind. And now it’s December, and you’re sitting there wondering where the last eleven months went.
Take a breath. This isn’t about fixing what’s already done. It’s about looking back and seeing what did work—even if it was small—and using that to move forward. Think of it as a treasure hunt. We’re looking for the little gold nuggets you can carry into next year.
Why Reflection Feels So Hard
You’ve heard all the advice: track your word counts, keep a writing log, analyze your productivity. Just thinking about it is exhausting, isn’t it? Or maybe you’ve tried. You bought the fancy planner (again), set up the spreadsheet (and forgot about it by February), or promised yourself this year will be different (it wasn’t).
It’s not you. It’s the method. Some brains just aren’t built for rigid systems—and that’s okay. In fact, it’s better than okay. It’s a strength when you learn how to work with it.
I’ve been there. I love shiny new systems that promise to change everything. But then the kids need something, I sleep in, or chaos just takes over. Before I know it, that “life-changing” system has fizzled out, and I’m back to trying to figure out how to do better next year.
Reflection is how we break that cycle. Even if it feels a little messy—or like staring at a fogged-up bathroom mirror—it’s worth doing.
The Problem with “Should”
How many times have you told yourself you should write more, publish faster, or market better? That word—should—might just be public enemy number one for your creativity.
It creeps in when we compare our messy, behind-the-scenes process to someone else’s polished final product. It’s like holding up your first draft next to their bestseller and wondering why you’re not there yet. No wonder it sucks the joy out of creating.
I’ve had plenty of shoulds this year:
- I should have kept writing in my original genre. My audience loved those books. Never mind that I wasn’t enjoying them anymore. I told myself I owed it to my readers.
- I should have built a bigger audience for my new genre so I could have launched more successfully. Let’s just ignore how much harder it is to break into this market now than it was a decade ago. Or the fact that I launched the first book at a remarkably bad time I would’ve told any other author to avoid.
- I should have started Write Your Own Path two years ago when I first had the idea. Instead, I clung to the “safe” path, even though it wasn’t making me happy.
Every should added to the weight I was carrying. But what if we stopped asking what we should have done and started asking what we actually learned this year? Every one of those shoulds taught me something valuable—and that’s worth celebrating.
A Simple 3-Step Reflection
If this year feels like a blur, you’re not alone. 2023 hit me like a freight train that kept rolling through most of 2024. Family emergencies in two different states, a loved one’s passing, graduations, an unexpected move—it was… a lot. Trying to create at the same level I had before? Yeah, not happening.
At one point, someone asked me why I thought I was so special that I should have been able to keep up like nothing had changed. It stung, but they weren’t wrong. Some years, just showing up is the win.
If all you’ve done is keep going, that’s worth celebrating. So let’s start there.
Step 1: Celebrate Every Win
Wrote a single sentence? That’s a win.
Thought about writing? That counts too.
Even opened your laptop with the intention of writing? Absolutely progress.
Take 5-10 minutes to list every little thing that went right. No matter how small it seems, it matters.
Step 2: Spot What Worked
When was writing easier? Was it late at night, first thing in the morning, or during those random bursts of inspiration in the carpool lane?
What got you into the zone? A playlist? A writing sprint? That one friend who texts you to check in?
- What did I learn about my writing process?
- When did writing feel easy or even fun?
- What helped me keep going?
- What times of the year felt better or more productive?
These aren’t questions to criticize yourself. They’re questions to get curious. Think of it as being a detective for your own creativity. (A magnifying glass might help, but no pressure.)
Step 3: Use What You Learn
Forget about elaborate systems. Just pick one thing that worked, and think about how to lean into it more often next year. Simple is better.
What’s Next?
You made it this far—guess what? That’s a win too.
Set a timer for 10 minutes (yes, just 10!) and try one of these:
- List three tiny wins from this year
- Note one time writing felt good
- Pick one small change you'd like to try next month
If you’re ready to take the next step, I’ve put together a Year-End Reflection Guide just for ADHD authors. It’s flexible, easy to use, and designed to work with your brain.
Your journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. You’re not behind. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just figuring out what works for you—and I’m here to help.
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