A Year in Review (and Why I Think You Should Do One Too)

If you’ve never done a year-in-review, I really recommend it.

Most of us roll straight into planning the next year without ever stopping to look at what actually happened. And if you’re anything like me, your brain is way better at pointing out what went wrong than giving credit for what went right.

A year-in-review helps slow that down. If you’ve found yourself already looking forward and finding new ways to achieve your goals…pump the brakes.

Reviewing the year FIRST gives you space to acknowledge what worked, understand what didn’t, and make decisions based on reality instead of vibes, pressure, or your current stressors. 

It’s not about being hard on yourself, it’s about giving yourself credit for how much you’ve accomplished.. Especially when it may not always feel like you’ve come very far.

In case you still need convincing.. Here’s why it’s worth doing a year-in-review

As photographers, we don’t need more goals. We need more clarity. So many of us have lofty goals… but no clear picture of the past 365 days of effort!

A review helps you:

• give yourself credit where it’s deserved

• notice patterns (both good and bad) that you might otherwise miss

• understand why something didn’t work instead of just labelling it a failure

• build plans that actually feel sustainable

Every year, my review looks a bit different. Sometimes it starts out with a simple scroll through my camera roll and me thinking “oh.. No wonder I’m so tired” - but there are a few tangible things I try to do before moving on to big-picture 2026 planning. Let’s walk through some of the steps…

Auditing My Calendar

I go through my calendar and look at how I actually spent my time.

A few questions to ask yourself:

What took up the most space?
One year when I did this, I realized I spent SO many hours in client calls that could have been emails.. That was the year I started sending out more comprehensive info guides so clients felt more confident going into their shoots & weddings.

What felt energizing vs draining?
Shoots, strength training workouts, and studio days energize me. Admin tasks kill me - so this year I hired a VA that tackles only admin work.

Where was time wasted?
I can’t imagine I’m alone on this, but I have spent way too much time scrolling this year. That’s not time on my calendar, but when I look at my marketing calendar I know that I need to spend more time creating than consuming in 2026.

Where I wish I had spent more time or effort?
I spent a fair amount of time in nature this year, but I wish I was more consistent with this throughout the year. I definitely notice a correlation between periods when I felt burnt out and periods when I wasn’t prioritizing outdoor walks.

Your calendar tells you a lot about what your year really looked like, not what you thought it looked like.

Auditing My Finances

I check in on the goals I set the year before.

Did I hit them?
If not, what area of the business needs more attention?
Where did revenue feel easy vs heavy?

Missing a goal isn’t a failure, it’s just information… and on the flip-side, if you smashed all your goals, how will you update those for next year?

This one is huge for me in 2025.. This past year my financial goals weren’t solid or specific enough. In 2026 I’m getting hyper-specific about financial goals for my wedding business, family business, commercial & branding, and brand sponsorships. Very excited to see where money flows to me once I have those goals - and their corresponding plans - dialed in.

Auditing the Overall Vibe

This part is slightly less easy to quantify, but it’s equally important. 

• How did this year feel?

• How was my health and wellness?

•  Did this pace feel sustainable?

•  Did I actually enjoy myself?

• Am I enjoying this work?

You can’t separate how your business is doing from how you’re doing. Sometimes it’s not easy to know how it felt until we’re “out” of it. Personally, this was a tough year. Taylor and I lost both our sweet pets Richard and Penelope after 11 and 14 amazing years with them. Penelope passed in July, and Richard 3 months later in September. I don’t need to tell you as photographers that that is a ROUGH time to go through loss. My mental health took a big hit, but I am grateful that I had systems in place, supports from family and friends and health practitioners like my naturopath and therapist to get me back on my feet. Life will happen.. That’s a guarantee. How long it takes for us to feel like ourselves isn’t always in our control, but there are absolutely steps we can take to part the proverbial clouds a bit faster. 

If this year felt unsustainable, or perhaps it was your happiest and most joy-filled year ever… take stock of that. What was within your control? How does that impact your plans for next year?

Peaks and Pits From My Year 

Take a look at some of my highs and lows, and then write out your own:

Peaks

I was more consistent with my education newsletter, and I genuinely loved connecting with more photographers through it and inside the Facebook group. The conversations there have been thoughtful and supportive, which is exactly why I built that part of my business in the first place.
If you’re not part of it, join the Facebook group here -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/photographybusinesslindsaycoulter

I got more consistent with self-care. Regular strength training, more focus on mental health, better boundaries. That alone improved everything else.

I hired a new VA, which has made a massive difference. Having admin support again has freed up the mental space I need to focus on marketing and planning ahead for 2026.

I was reminded that I really love a challenge. Lower numbers don’t scare me, they motivate me. I now have the strongest marketing strategy I’ve ever had, and honestly everyone loves a comeback.

We had our first podcast reel go viral before the end of the year, which felt like a really nice reminder that momentum builds when you keep showing up.

Pits

I underestimated how much I value having an assistant. Falling behind on admin tasks made me feel stuck, which then killed my motivation to grow my businesses. That ripple effect was very real.

Lower marketing this year has resulted in slightly lower numbers forecasted for 2026. That one’s on me, but it also gave me a very clear direction moving forward.

I didn’t do as much to promote the podcast as I wanted to. The content is there, but consistency in promotion matters, and that’s something I’m actively working on.

What to Expect From Me in 2026

Going into 2026, I feel clear, motivated, and honestly pretty excited.

Here’s what you can expect:

• monthly educational blog posts
  

• more opportunities for conversation inside the Facebook group
  

• a bigger focus on education through the podcast, with some really great guests already scheduled
  

• stronger systems, more intentional marketing, and better boundaries across the board

Follow along with me:

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/photographybusinesslindsaycoulter

Shoot Your Shot, Weekly Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@theshootyourshotpodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lcoulterphoto