The “Timeline of Us” Exercise for 2025
Over the past couple of months, you may have noticed a more reflective tone here. That’s been intentional.
In fact, recently I even asked you not to fix anything this month.
Not because things don’t matter, but because deeply ingrained habits, especially around money, don’t change easily. And the holiday season is rarely the right time to overhaul how you relate to finances or to each other. Yes, a few safeguards can help things not get out of hand, but what I like to suggest this time of year is something simpler and often more powerful: awareness.
That happens to be the first phase of my Wealth Partnership Path, using my RISE framework: Reflect, Interrupt, Streamline, and Empower. And December, by nature, is a reflective season. So here we are, reflecting a little more.
Why reflection matters right now
Last week, I invited you to reawaken your dreams for the future through a simple conversation, either with your partner or with yourself. This week, I want to add to that by looking back at the year that’s closing.
Think of this as a short walk down memory lane for 2025.
This is an exercise I use inside my Dream Again lesson, inspired by John Gottman’s work on nurturing fondness and admiration, one of the core principles of strong relationships. We’re going to keep it light and apply it only to this past year.
A “Timeline of Us” for 2025
Together, draw or list a simple timeline of your year. Start with your shared experiences:
Moments that really mattered
Times you showed up for each other
Turning points, big or small
Highs, lows, and the in-between moments that shaped you
Just notice what was.
Then, create a second timeline just for money. As you do, notice:
How money entered your conversations this year
Decisions you made, or avoided
Habits that formed under pressure
What you were trying to protect, manage, or get through
You don’t need to make conclusions yet. No fixing. Just noticing.
If money conversations feel tense
right now
If your conversations with your partner feel tough right now, especially around money, it’s completely okay to do this on your own first. Personal reflection can be incredibly valuable by itself.
You might later ask your partner if they’d be willing to simply listen to what you noticed, focusing on sharing your own experience rather than pointing out what went wrong. And if it feels right, you can invite your partner to share their reflections too. This doesn’t need to go perfectly to be meaningful.
If things start to feel tense, it’s okay to pause. The goal here isn’t to solve problems. What matters most is approaching this with curiosity, not judgment, of your partner or yourself.
If this reflection brings up anything about how money conversations tend to go between you, you might find it helpful to name that pattern. One simple way to do that is through my Money Talks Quiz, which helps you understand your communication style around money and why certain conversations feel harder than others. It’s quick, private, and meant to support awareness, not change anything right now.
A small note before I go: I’m intentionally keeping things quiet here for the rest of this holiday week. No extra posts, no pressure to keep up. If you take a little time to reflect, that’s wonderful. If not, that’s okay too.
I’ll be back next Monday with a New Year reflection focused on cherishing your partner and the qualities you already appreciate in each other.
