Reflecting on Your Year: A Muppet Christmas Carol Retro

As we approach the end of the year, it’s the perfect time to slow down, reflect, and consider what’s working for you. I’ve always been a fan of taking time for personal retrospectives: those moments when you stop, think, and get deliberate about what you’ve been doing and what you want to continue doing.

I wrote about this years ago in this post for 12 Devs of Xmas: Christmas is a Time for Reflection. 9 years later, it's still true: that quiet time between Christmas and New Year still remains super reflective for me.

One of my favourite ways to structure a retrospective is inspired by The Muppet Christmas Carol. I know, I know, technically, it's Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. But the Muppet version lives rent-free in my mind and is my favourite Christmas movie. It also gives you a fun soundtrack to put on in the background while doing your reflection.

The story offers a brilliant framework for reflection, using the ghosts to guide Scrooge through the process of self-examination. I’ve found it to be a great tool to reflect on the past, present, and future. Here’s how you can use it in your own retrospective:

The Ghost of Christmas Past

Take a moment to reflect on how your year has gone. This is the time to celebrate your wins, both big and small. What accomplishments are you proud of? What moments made you feel happy? When did you have fun? Equally important, think about what didn’t go as planned. What would you have done differently? What lessons did you learn from those moments?

Looking back helps you acknowledge growth and areas for improvement. By remembering where you’ve been, you can shape your future.

The Ghost of Christmas Present

The present is often where we forget to pause and appreciate what’s going well. So, ask yourself: What are you grateful for right now? What brings you joy in this moment? It could be anything from relationships, work achievements, personal growth, or even something small like starting a new hobby or discovering a new recipe.

Acknowledging what makes you happy right now is a powerful way to stay grounded and find happiness in the present. It reminds us that no matter what challenges we face, there’s always something to appreciate in the here and now.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Now, let’s turn to the future. What would your perfect year look like? When you think about the upcoming year, what goals do you want to set for yourself? What do you want to accomplish, experience, or feel? This is where you can dream big, think about your growth, and visualise your ideal future.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a chance to imagine a future that excites you, motivates you, and gives you something to work toward. Setting intentions and goals for the year ahead helps you enter the new year with purpose and excitement.

Wrapping It All Up

By reflecting on your past, present, and future, you can start the new year knowing what truly matters to you. This process helps you celebrate your progress, and set intentions for the year ahead. 2024 has been a tough year for many of us, but taking the time to reflect and think about what we want our 2025 to look like can help us shape that future.

What about you? Do you use any particular formats for retrospectives? I’d love to hear how you reflect on the past year and plan for the future!