As the year draws to a close, many people find themselves moving into survival mode. The holidays arrive with packed calendars, financial pressures, family dynamics, and a familiar inner dialogue: “I just need to get through this.” In this mindset, the end of the year becomes something to endure rather than an opportunity to engage with intentionally.
From an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) perspective, intention is less about achieving a particular outcome and more about how we choose to show up. Rather than focusing solely on goals, checking off tasks, finishing obligations, or bracing for January, we can use this time of year to reconnect with our values. Values act as an internal compass, guiding our behavior even when circumstances are stressful, busy, or imperfect.
This season offers a powerful invitation: to reflect, to release, and to reset, not as a productivity exercise, but rather as a way of embracing what truly matters.
Reflection: Looking Back with Curiosity, Not Judgment
Reflection is often misunderstood as a mental audit of successes and failures. In ACT, reflection is more about awareness than evaluation. It involves gently noticing what the past year was like for you, emotionally, relationally, and personally, without the need to label it as “good” or “bad.”
You might ask yourself questions such as:
- When did I feel most aligned with the person I want to be?
- When did I feel disconnected or on autopilot?
- What moments, even small ones, felt meaningful?
This kind of reflection encourages curiosity rather than self-criticism. The goal is not to rewrite the year or assign blame, but to notice patterns. Awareness creates choice, and choice is where intentional living begins.
Release: Letting Go of What No Longer Serves You
The end of the year often brings an urge to “fix” ourselves, which includes things like habits to break, traits to eliminate, mistakes to undo. ACT takes a different approach. Instead of forcing change through control, we practice making room for our internal experiences while loosening our grip on unhelpful struggles.
Release does not mean forgetting, excusing, or minimizing what was difficult. It means acknowledging what you’ve been carrying and deciding whether it deserves to continue shaping your energy and attention.
This might involve releasing:
- Unrealistic expectations of yourself during the holidays
- Lingering resentment or guilt tied to past events
- The belief that you must feel calm, joyful, or grateful at all times
Letting go is often less about pushing something away and more about allowing it to be present without letting it dictate your actions. You can feel stressed and still act in ways that reflect your values.
Reset: Choosing Values Over Goals
A reset does not require a new version of you. It requires clarity about what matters.
Goals are future-focused and outcome-based: exercise more, save money, be less stressed. Values, on the other hand, describe how you want to live and behave in the present: being caring, honest, grounded, or connected. Goals can be completed or failed; values are ongoing and flexible.
As the year ends, consider asking:
- What kind of partner, parent, friend, or colleague do I want to be?
- How do I want to treat myself when things feel overwhelming?
- What values do I want guiding me through the holidays and into the new year?
When values lead, even routine or stressful moments can become meaningful. Buying gifts can be an expression of generosity rather than obligation. Setting boundaries can reflect self-respect rather than avoidance. Rest can be an act of care, not laziness.
Embracing the Season as It Is
Intentional living does not mean creating a perfectly balanced or peaceful holiday season. It means embracing the season as it is, which can be busy, emotional, joyful, and challenging, while choosing to respond in ways that align with who you want to be.
You may still feel rushed. You may still feel tired. That does not mean you are doing it wrong.
Ending the year with intention is less about changing your circumstances and more about changing your relationship with them. Through reflection, release, and reset, you can move into the new year not by escaping the present, but by meeting it with openness, flexibility, and purpose.
And that, ultimately, is what it means to live a values-driven life.
OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES WE OFFER IN DENVER, CO
We offer a variety of additional services besides brain-spotting and EMDR therapy. WellMinded Counseling also offers the following therapy services: