Every new year arrives like a blank chapter—one you can’t postpone, skip, or negotiate. The question is never if the chapter will be written, but how you choose to write it.
Over time, you can notice three kinds of people and how they approach this inevitable turning of the page:
- 1. The String-Along Crew : Those who stumble into the new year almost accidentally -half-aware and half-distracted.
- 2. Team Half-Conscious They recognise that reflection matters and may even make a few notes, but they rarely dig deep enough to see the patterns beneath the surface.
- 3. Team Fully Conscious They observe the behaviours that held them back, the decisions that paid off, and the boundaries that made a difference. In many ways, they practice the honesty that strengthens a designer’s craft.
If you want to be part of Team Conscious, then this post is for you.. In this edition, we sit with a notable member of the NGD community—Juliet Chiemere—to explore her reflections and invite you into yours.
These guided questions reveal not just her journey but the mindset that shapes intentional creatives, much like the openness that allows a designer to receive feedback and turn it into strength.
5 Questions With Juliet Chiemere
1. What top changes made up 2025 for you?
I will say I started content creation. It’s more like starting a new career and also learning video editing. This year is a very major change in my life.
2. Do you believe in new year resolution goals?
Before, I used to but now time is running fast. I’m tired of new year resolutions. I believe I should just get things done. No more resolutions. There’s no need to wait for the new year. This is Nigeria.
3. If you could make one wish for 2025, what would it be?
I hope I become proficient in my new career path and become better at crypto trading. Really, to become the best version of myself.
4. Do you think people achieve their goals by effort or by divine intervention?
I am a realistic person believing that you can achieve anything if you work towards it. I don’t really believe in divine intervention. If you work hard, stay focused then everything comes into place. I don’t hope in miracles.
5. What will you prioritise in 2026 moving forward?
My career, my health, and most especially me.
Reflection as Strategy, Not Sentiment
Meier from Agile Life describes year-end reflection as a strategy for self-improvement not a sentimental ritual. This classification draws a powerful distinction for everyone, namely:
You’re not examining what could work. You’re examining what has worked.
This shift moves reflection from wishful thinking to pattern recognition. It’s similar to how designers learn to critique a brand without projecting emotion by studying what actually happened, not what they hoped would happen. The more clearly you see your patterns, the more intentionally you can shape the next year.
And here’s a truth many overlook: time never presents itself; we make it.
Reflection doesn’t require a day-long retreat. Sometimes an honest hour is enough to refine your intentions, observe the elements that weaken your personal brand, or decide which habits deserve to follow you into the next chapter.
Much of this clarity grows from an intentional period of observation and the year’s end might just be the start of a better you.
More Thoughtful Reads to Guide Your Year-End Reflection
If you want to explore reflections that echo the designer’s journey, consider our community favourites:
And above all—write your next chapter consciously.
Here’s to a more intentional year ahead!