The Most Overlooked Practice to Living Your Best Life
Have you ever felt like you’re living on autopilot—checking off to-do lists, meeting goals, but never truly savoring your progress? Or perhaps you’ve jumped into a new month, determined to set fresh goals, but found yourself stuck in the same start-stop cycle. If so, you’re not alone. As a purpose-driven, high-achieving person, I’ve been there too.
That’s why I’m a huge advocate of the monthly review—a simple yet transformative practice that helps you slow down, reflect, and recalibrate. In this post, I’ll share why this practice is so impactful, how it has changed my own goal journey, and how you can start your own monthly review today.
What Is a Monthly Review?
A monthly review is a purposeful pause—a moment to reflect on the wins, challenges, lessons, and areas for growth from the past month. It’s not just about looking back; it’s about using that insight to live intentionally, design your life, and align your actions with God’s purpose for you. Without this practice, we’re often caught up in the grind, missing opportunities to celebrate progress, adjust strategies, and notice where God is moving in our lives.
Why a Monthly Review Matters
Celebrate Wins (Big and Small): It’s easy to push past accomplishments without stopping to acknowledge them. But celebrating progress—whether it’s completing a big project or simply showing up consistently—tells your brain, this is worth repeating. For me, one of my wins this month was sticking to my morning mind renewal practice and being more intentional with my gym routine.
See God’s Hand: Taking time to reflect on where you’ve seen God move deepens your faith and builds trust in His plan. For example, I recently noticed how years of preparation and learning culminated in my ability to develop and launch the Focus 40 program with Revelation Wellness. It was such a clear picture of God’s hand guiding me over time.
Gain Insight for Growth: A monthly review isn’t just about patting yourself on the back; it’s about learning from what didn’t work. For me, this month’s struggle was nutrition. I noticed gaps where I didn’t plan meals well and allowed myself to get too hungry, leading to less-than-ideal choices. Recognizing this pattern helps me plan better for next month.
Break Free from the Start-Stop Cycle: When you take the time to assess what’s working and what isn’t, you’re addressing root causes of behavior instead of relying solely on motivation or willpower. This is the key to living intentionally and breaking free from the frustration of starting and stopping.
How to Do a Monthly Review
Here’s the step-by-step process I use to guide my monthly reviews. Grab your journal and try this practice for yourself:
Celebrate Wins: Write down every win—big or small. Look at your calendar, your phone’s photo gallery, or any trackers you’ve been using to jog your memory. Wins could include being present with your kids, launching a project, or simply sticking to a new habit.
Reflect on God’s Hand: Where did you see God’s presence in your life this month? What did He teach you? Reflecting on His provision strengthens your faith and helps you notice His hand in even the smallest details.
What Worked: Identify the habits, routines, or strategies that helped you succeed. For me, calendaring my week and dedicating specific time to decision-making were game-changers.
What Didn’t Work: With kindness and curiosity, assess what didn’t go as planned. Avoid shaming yourself; instead, view these as opportunities to make adjustments. For example, I noticed my nutrition wasn’t aligned with my goals, which is something I’ll prioritize next month.
Progress Made: Even if you didn’t hit every goal, what steps did you take? This keeps you out of all-or-nothing thinking and motivates you to keep going. I celebrated going to the gym early three times this month—a big improvement from last month!
Lessons Learned: What lessons did God teach you this month? What insights did you gain from both successes and challenges? For example, I learned the power of being present with my daughter while doing puzzles, a simple activity that boosted her confidence and deepened our connection.
Start Your Monthly Review Today
A monthly review is one of the most powerful tools you can use to align your actions with your purpose and live a thriving, intentional life. It’s a gift you’re giving your future self—a way to track growth, celebrate progress, and honor God’s work in your life.
If you’re ready to take this practice to the next level, join me in The Abundant Life Collective! This faith-filled coaching program will help you break free from the start-stop cycle, rewire your brain, and live out your God-given calling. Spots are limited, so don’t wait—learn more and sign up here.
Stay Connected:
Instagram: @reneebooe
The Abundant Life Collective: Join here
Let me know if this practice resonates with you! Leave a comment or DM me on Instagram to share your biggest takeaway. Together, let’s step into the abundant life God has for us.