S5E1 Reflecting on 2025. Kicking off the Summer Series

In this first episode of the summer series, Jenny Cole invites you to pause and reflect on the year that’s been. Whether you’re crawling or cartwheeling to the finish line of 2025, this gentle debrief is your chance to acknowledge what worked, what drained you, and what you want to leave behind.

Through thoughtful questions and quiet prompts, Jenny guides you to consider your energy, your small wins, and the stories you’ve been telling yourself—so you can enter 2026 feeling lighter, clearer, and more intentional. Perfect for a walk, a quiet moment in the garden, or while making yet another sandwich, this reflective episode offers space to honour your growth and set the tone for what’s next.

Did you know there is more? You can access every episode, show notes, links and more via my website Positively Beaming.

Transcript

Hello, lovely humans. Welcome to this special set of episodes for summer 2025–26. I'm Jenny Cole, leadership coach, recovering principal and champion of educators everywhere.

Whether you’re listening to this as you limp, stroll, or cartwheel toward the finish line of 2025—or maybe you’ve already made it and are taking a little time to relax and regroup—regardless of where you are, this is a really good time to look back on the year and reflect. What were the lessons? And how can we step into 2026 with intention?

I want to give you something we don’t often give ourselves: a proper pause.

If you're a teacher or leader, chances are you sprinted to the end—writing reports, organising end-of-year events, ticking off to-do lists, and handling the holidays. And if you're a parent, it likely hasn’t slowed down. There’s still plenty to do.

So, whether you're walking, gardening, or making yet another sandwich for a small tribe of hungry humans—let’s just take this moment.

There'll be times in the next few episodes where, if you have a pen and paper nearby, you can jot down your thoughts. Other times, I’ll invite you to pause the podcast and reflect.

In this episode, we're taking a moment to make sense of 2025: what worked, what drained you, what delighted you, and what simply needs to be retired. This is your gentle debrief—so we don’t launch into another year carrying things that no longer serve us.

Let’s start by looking back. Sometimes that means flipping through your diary or calendar to remind yourself what actually happened. There’s a meme going around that says this year went: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. And for many of us, that’s exactly how it felt.

Ask yourself: What worked this year? What routines, habits or decisions made life a little easier? What relationships deepened—and what did you do to make that happen?

If you're in leadership or teaching, what choices did you make that felt aligned with the person you want to be?

Normally we might start with achievements or recognition, but I want you to focus on the smaller things—the habits and moments that made the work and your world smoother. I can't give you more time in the day, but I can help you notice what energised you.

So think: When did you feel energised instead of depleted? Maybe it was creativity, organisation, or balance. What tasks lit you up? What colleagues helped you feel grounded or inspired?

Now ask: What depleted you?

Some things drain us slowly, others immediately. Were there people, tasks, or routines that left you exhausted every time? If you’re on a walk or in the car, keep going. But if you can, take a moment to write down: What worked? What gave me energy? What drained it?

You might also reflect on alignment. What felt easy and right? What felt heavy or out of step?

And when we talk about depletion, think: What did I dread?

Maybe it was a regular meeting, a certain task, or a specific interaction. These patterns reveal what may need to be redesigned, delegated, or let go.

As a leader, you won’t always be able to eliminate the hard stuff—but you can consider how to reduce its impact on your energy.

Now, let’s reflect on actual success.

We didn’t start here on purpose—because people often get caught up in the idea of success needing to be big or public. And yes, you might have won an award, gained a promotion, or achieved accreditation. That’s fantastic.

But I want you to think about small successes. Times you showed courage. Times you stepped into something hard, not knowing the outcome. Maybe a difficult conversation went well. Maybe a student breakthrough reminded you why you do this work.

And for those in leadership, reflect on the moments you truly led—not just managed. Moments when your team was engaged, when something shifted, even slightly, because of your influence.

Think about the boundaries you held. When did you protect your time, your energy, your values? Those are wins worth celebrating.

And while you're reflecting, ask: What did I bring to this success? What habits, strengths, values, or routines helped?

These moments didn’t happen by accident. You made them happen.

Next, let’s look at patterns that no longer serve you.

When did perfectionism show up? When did you over-function, over-prepare, or over-deliver?

Perfectionism is just fear in a fur coat. High standards are great—perfectionism isn’t. It’s draining.

When did you doubt yourself? When did you silence your voice? When did you slip into rescuing or people-pleasing?

Consider your "shadow self"—the version of you that shows up when you’re stressed or stuck. Maybe your strength of humour turns into sarcasm. Maybe your empathy becomes over-functioning.

What stories kept you stuck?

We all have narratives we lean on—like "I’ll just do it myself" or "I don’t want to bother anyone." These stories shape how we show up, often without us realising.

For me, that radical independence has me pushing furniture around by myself instead of asking for help. What’s your version of that?

If you’re unsure, go back to the moments of depletion. What were you telling yourself at the time?

Now, as we come to the end of this episode, let’s do a short closing ritual.

If you’re driving, keep your eyes open. But if you’re somewhere safe, stand or sit with your feet on the ground. Take your shoes off if you can, and just notice the feeling of the earth beneath you.

Take a deep breath in. Then exhale slowly through your mouth.

Again—in through your nose, and a long, slow exhale. If you're alone, let yourself make a little noise on the exhale.

And as you breathe out, say to yourself:

"I want to honour and celebrate what I’ve learned.
I want to release what I no longer need.
And I want to choose who I want to be next."

Now open your eyes.

Thank you so much for joining me in this end-of-year reflection—or whenever you’re listening to this. I hope it’s helped you not just reflect on what you did, but who you became.

I wish you rest, joy, and a fresh start that feels aligned and energising.

This has been Jenny Cole, owner and CEO of Positively Beaming. I coach incredible educators just like you. If you’d like to explore my workshops or online offerings, head to positivelybeaming.com.au and check out the “Work With Me” page.

Enjoy the rest of your day.