Reflect, Reset, and Renew – Closing the Year with Intention
As 2025 draws to a close, many of us feel the pull to start over, to set resolutions, buy planners, and declare “this is my year.”
But before rushing ahead, I invite you to pause.
The most powerful way to begin a new year isn’t through resolution, it’s through reflection.
Taking time to look back, assess your health story, and realign your priorities helps you create lasting transformation rather than short-lived motivation.
At Empowered Health, we teach that reflection is a form of medicine. It allows you to observe patterns, celebrate progress, and identify where your energy is best invested next.
The Science of Reflection and Reset
Your brain is designed to learn through reflection. When you pause to review an experience, the hippocampus (your memory processing center) and prefrontal cortex (your decision-making center) work together to strengthen neural pathways that support positive behavior change.
In short, reflection hardwires wisdom, it turns lived experiences into actionable insight.
This is why we encourage all Empowered Health members to periodically “audit” their habits. Reflection is not judgment. It’s data collection, a key part of functional medicine.
Research Spotlight: The Power of Looking Back
A 2023 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that adults who regularly practiced structured reflection, journaling, mindfulness, or guided review, had a 32% greater likelihood of sustaining health behavior changes after six months.
Neuroscientists attribute this to cognitive consolidation: the brain’s ability to store meaningful lessons from reflection, reducing the need for constant “starting over.”
The Physiology of Reset
When we reset intentionally, several beneficial processes occur:
-
Cortisol Levels Normalize - Slowing down helps recalibrate stress hormones, improving mood and metabolism.
-
Heart Rate Variability Increases - A marker of resilience, HRV improves when we rest and reflect.
-
Neuroplasticity Enhances - Your brain becomes more adaptable to forming new, healthier habits.
This is why December reflection matters. It primes your body and brain for the next phase of growth.
Quick Quiz: How Ready Are You for a True Reset?
| Statement | Always | Sometimes | Rarely |
|---|---|---|---|
| I take time to evaluate what worked
and what didn’t this year. |
☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| I celebrate progress, even small wins. | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| I know which habits bring me energy and
which drain it. |
☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| I have a clear health goal for the upcoming year. | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| I’m proactive about scheduling preventive care
(labs, checkups, etc.). |
☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Interpretation:
-
4–5 Always: You’re aligned for growth, your reset is rooted in awareness.
-
2–3 Always: You’re on the right path, refine your clarity and intentions.
-
0–1 Always: This is your sign to slow down and reconnect with your “why.” Reflection can reveal exactly where to start.
Local Inspiration: Where to Reflect and Recharge in the Tri-Cities
Eastern Washington offers the perfect landscape for mental and physical reset:
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Howard Amon Park (Richland): Walk along the Columbia River trail, movement + reflection equals powerful clarity.
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Chiawana Park (Pasco): Ideal for quiet morning meditation or family walks in winter sunshine.
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Frichette Winery (Benton City): Try a mindful tasting experience, yes, reflection can include savoring local life in balance.
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Uptown Yoga (Richland): Restorative classes to release tension and reconnect to your breath.
Sometimes reflection happens best when you step away from screens and into stillness.
Research Bite: How Gratitude Changes Your Biochemistry
According to a 2024 Harvard Medical School review, daily gratitude practices (journaling or verbal acknowledgment) increase dopamine and serotonin, the brain’s “feel-good” neurotransmitters, by up to 25%.
This not only improves emotional well-being but also boosts immune function and reduces inflammation markers like CRP (C-reactive protein).
Translation? Reflection and gratitude aren’t just emotional tools, they’re biochemical therapy.
Empowered Insight
“We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we process and respond. Reflection turns chaos into clarity and that’s where healing begins.”
- Dr. Jessica Schneider
Your 2026 story starts now, not with a resolution, but with reflection.
Schedule an Inquiry Call to begin your Empowered Health journey and discover how personalized, physician-guided care can help you sustain vitality long-term.
Or Join our “Stress, Hormones & Health Talk” to explore how your hormones, metabolism, and mindset work together to shape your energy and longevity.
This December, give yourself permission to pause. Reflect deeply, reset intentionally, and step into the new year with renewed purpose.
Jessica Schneider, MD
Why Empowered Health.
Time between patient and physician is dictated increasingly by the health system and insurance reimbursement. At Empowered Health, we take a membership approach to primary care in Tri-Cities that challenges the standard healthcare model.
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