Pivot, Pivot, Pivot! Five Questions To Ask Yourself Mid-Year

Your Half Year Review starts here...

The days fly by. Yesterday it was January 1st. Next week will be July.

We’re hitting the half year mark, and I suspect most of us are thinking some version of – where did the year go?

I posted recently about how fast the days go by the older you get. And 2026 has passed by at a supersonic speed. It feels like only yesterday that I was taking down Christmas decorations and making New Year’s resolutions. And now I’m starting to think about Labor Day, and Halloween, and (gulp) next Christmas!

This Thursday – July 2^nd – is officially Halfway Day – the 183^rd day of the year with 182 days passed – and 182 to go.

But the second day of a month feels messy to an OCD guy like me.

So for me July 1^st – this Wednesday – is my halfway point.

So how has your year been? Are you on track – or as the famous Friends quote goes – is it time to ‘Pivot, Pivot, Pivot!’

As someone who loves to reflect and make plans – this weekend is a great opportunity for a mid-year review, as I look back at the year that’s been, and make plans for the months still to come.

If you’re able to, I invite you to do the same.

To help you take stock, I’ve put together five key questions that I think are a helpful starting point.

And I’ve created a template document you can use to guide you through your own mid-year evaluation.

So let’s dive in...

Life Unscripted Half Year Review

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Question 1: What have been the highs and lows of your year so far?

It’s helpful to start with some stock taking. How was January to June for you?

Like most people, I would say the first half of this year has been a mixed bag for me. But that’s life.

This year certainly brought some challenges. My husband had neck surgery in February that was a major event in our lives (especially his). I was downsized from my job at the end of January – without even a goodbye from my boss of four years (yep, your company certainly will not love you). And this week, we had an issue in our home when we woke up to a collapsing ceiling at 4am!

But on the flipside, we had another great vacation to our favorite place in the world. I picked up some freelance work with some new contacts. I launched this Substack page, and a brand-new Instagram page (please come follow me there), and broke the back of my upcoming book. And I will be honest – some of the responses and comments I’ve received from my writing have been incredibly validating.

In my template, I’ve divided this question into six key life areas, mirroring the Wheel of Life exercise I posted about a few weeks ago. Work and Career, Personal Relationships, Health and Fitness, Financial, Home and Family. But obviously feel free to tweak as you choose. And there is also space for additional highs and lows that don’t fit into any category.

So how has your half year been?

Photo by Sina HN Yazdi on Unsplash

Question 2: How are your 2026 goals progressing?

Most of us start the year with goals and resolutions – but how are yours progressing?

Losing weight, training for a marathon, learning a language, launching a new business... our plans come in all forms. But there’s a big difference between having a goal – and seeing it through.

Many people don’t get further than a few days into the new year. In fact, there’s even a day designated to ‘failed’ goals – Quitters Days aka the second Friday in January. It’s the date when data shows most people abandon their new year’s resolutions.

So did you make it past January? And are you on track to success?

Away from Life Unscripted, I’ve tightened up my diet and I’ve completed half the 10k runs I was aiming for in 2026. But in other areas... well I didn’t host any dinner parties or renovate our closets or get my old photos scanned (again!)

In the attached template write in your 2026 goals and how you’re progressing – the good and the bad!

Photo by Matthew Waring on Unsplash

Question 3: Is your schedule setting you up for success?

We are our routines.

And yet so many of us never take the time to really look at our lives and how we could best utilize the time we have.

I’m a huge believer in shaking up our daily schedule and trying new ways of working – and living.

Our energies ebb and flow at different times of the day. We often overschedule our free time and burn ourselves out. We eat badly because we fail to plan, skipping breakfasts and lunches.

In a nutshell, we don’t set ourselves up for success.

I’m constantly looking at my own routines to see what is working... and what isn’t!

I’ve come to realize that 6.30am is peak writing time for me, and I can get a couple of hours of great work in when I’m feeling fresh and the house is quiet. As a result, I’ve now flipped my morning workouts to 6pm – the time of the day when I’m starting to wind down and could use a second wind.

So what is and isn’t working for you day to day – and how could you shake up your schedule to be more productive - and ultimately happier?

In my template, I’ve posed some key questions that hopefully will help you plan your ‘perfect’ day.

Photo by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash

Question 4: What is the one thing missing from your life now?

We all have gaps in our lives.

We work too hard and feel we need more free time.

We lack discipline and don’t feel we’re achieving our goals.

We want to spend more time with our families. Or friends. Or alone.

So what do you need more of in your life right now.

And how do you plan to get it?

Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash

Question 5: What is the one achievement that would make this year a win?

This is perhaps the most critical question of all. When you look back on 2026 what is going to be the one thing you look back on that will make you most proud?

You won’t remember all the dinners you enjoyed with friends, or the movies you saw. The TV shows you watched or the walks you took.

We remember the big things – not the day to day of life. Weddings, births, new houses and new jobs. You’ll remember if you competed in a triathlon. Or launched a new business. Or moved to another country or state.

For me 2026 will be the year I launched Life Unscripted. And hand in hand with this is the aforementioned book I’ve been writing for the last 18 months. I’m working hard to have it finished by the fall, so I can release it just ahead of the holidays. So heading into this weekend, I need to focus on the deadlines I need to hit to make this a reality.

But what is your final goal for the year – the one achievement that that will make the year memorable?

And hand in hand with this question is the why...

Why do you want this goal so badly? What will reaching your milestone mean to you? And how will it make you feel?

The more you understand your motivation, the more compelled you will be to follow through.

There you go. Five questions for the next six months.

If you try this exercise at home, let me know how it goes – and what you discovered in the process.

I’d love to hear your updates...

And if this post spoke to you and you’d like to support my work - please do leave me a tip. All contributions are gratefully received…