Adults don’t get an end-of-year report card. This can mean we end the year wondering, ‘Was it a good year? Did I perform well? How can I do better?’

What’s great about reports is that you receive objective feedback on what you did well and where you need to improve. Back in the day, your parents read it and praised or chastised you accordingly.

In good years, you also got awards at the school assembly meaning there was a public aspect to your success. You finished the school year with a sense of pride and community recognition.

To make up for this shortfall, I wrote us a little Q&A that you can download at the end of this post. Think of it as a personal report card. It’s by no means exhaustive – just a guide – so please add your own questions that are meaningful to you.

Here are the questions and my answers:

1. What did you do this year that you are happy about?
   Married my love, Anthony, and miraculously (in spite of my age and chop suey uterus) got pregnant. I also finally saw Europe.
2. Was there anything that happened this year that you wish you’d handled better? What was it and what did you learn from it?
   I learnt that weddings are not my specialty. I get really stressed out about them and in this year’s case, got really drunk the night before. I also turned down the volunteer services of an event planner – dumb move. This meant that on the day, I was still really stressed and a lot of things went wrong that could’ve been avoided if there’d been someone actively managing things.
3. Who stands out as being the most supportive people in your life this year? What have you done to honour and thank them?
   Anthony, my sister Kate, my friends Jen, Nat and Holly and my step mum Cheryl. During the year, I try to be there for them, spend meaningful time with them, and offer encouragement. At Christmas, it’s a matter of buying them thoughtful gifts and reminding them how much I adore them.
4. What was the lowest point of your year?
   Going off Pristiq while suffering from morning sickness. Two of the worst weeks of my life.
5. What was the highest point of your year?
   Anthony and I’s Hawaiian marriage blessing with Hawaiian kumu hula Ka’imiloa Dahang.
6. Did you learn any new skills this year? If so, what were they?
   I tried to learn how to play tennis properly but I flaked out on my lessons as soon as winter arrived. I practiced new art techniques blending watercolours and collage, a process that was lots of fun.
7. What do you hope to learn next year?
   How to be a good mother and how to use oil paints properly.
8. What are you looking forward to?
   Becoming a parent with my main man Anthony, and meeting and getting to know our little guy.
9. What would you like your life to look like in 2017?
   I say in all optimism, well-rested, calm, organised and very happy with our family, a dog and a garden.
10. What do you need to do to make that happen?
    The small miracle of a calm baby who loves to sleep, moving house to Sydney’s South West where we will have a backyard and room to move, finding the world’s best dog and remembering that peace on the inside equals peace on the outside.

Click this homework link to download the Q & A and please feel free to share your answers in the comments if you want to.