At the end of each year (or any meaningful season of your life), most of us pull out the same ritual: set goals for the coming months, jot down resolutions, plan projects, and create a fresh to-do list that (we hope!) will help us become our best selves. But what if there was a better way to acknowledge how far you’ve already come, not just how far you still want to go?

Enter the “Ta-Da” List — a simple but transformative reflection practice that shifts your focus from what you haven’t done to everything you have accomplished.

🎧 Where the Idea Comes From

The concept of a Ta-Da list was popularized by happiness expert Gretchen Rubin on her Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast. In Episode 134: Write a “Ta-Da” List, Gretchen and her co-host Elizabeth craft and explore the power of this practice — celebrating what we’ve already achieved instead of fixating only on pending tasks. Player.fm

Rather than adding one more to-do list to your ever-growing stack, a Ta-Da list encourages you to reflect, rejoice, and build momentum from your past wins — big and small.

✨ What Is a “Ta-Da” List?

A Ta-Da list is exactly what it sounds like: a record of everything you’ve already done that deserves a “Ta-Da!” — from meaningful progress on big goals to everyday wins that mattered in the moment.

Instead of starting with tomorrow’s priorities, you begin with today’s achievements — or in this case, the past 12 months’ accomplishments.

This simple mindset shift can:

Boost your confidence
Reinforce your progress
Motivate you to keep going
Help you see patterns of growth you might’ve overlooked

As Rubin explains, making a Ta-Da list helps you notice how much actually happened — which often surprises and energizes people. Gretchen Rubin

📝 How to Create Your Ta-Da List for the Last 12 Months

Here’s a step-by-step process to make your own year-in-review Ta-Da list:

1. Gather Your Memories

Start by collecting tools that help you remember:

Your calendar or planner
Photos from your phone
Journal entries or social posts
Notes you took during the year
Email reminders or saved messages

2. Celebrate All Wins — Large and Small

Think about:
Big life wins

Career milestones
New skills learned
Major life transitions

Personal growth

Tough conversations you navigated
Healthy habits you started
Emotional or mental breakthroughs

Unexpected joys

New friendships
Tiny moments of happiness
Things you finished that you thought you never would

3. Write Them Down with Pride

Create your list in a journal, favorite digital app, or even a Canva printable. Start each item with a celebratory mindset:

Ta-Da: I reorganized our home office.
Ta-Da: I finished a long-pending course.
Ta-Da: I prioritized time with loved ones.

4. Reflect on Themes

After writing your list, you might notice themes that help you understand your past year better—like resilience, creativity, connection, or self-care.

5. Share or Save It

You can:

Share highlights with a friend or community
Frame it as a keepsake
Use it as a launchpad for planning next year

🌈 Why This Matters

So often, we sprint toward what’s next that we forget to look back — not to critique what we didn’t do, but to honor what we’ve done.

A Ta-Da list isn’t just a feel-good checklist — it’s a resilience builder. When you acknowledge your wins, you connect the dots between who you were a year ago and who you are now. That’s powerful.

🎙️ Recommended Listening

If you want guidance and inspiration straight from the source, check out:

🎧 Happier with Gretchen Rubin — Episode 134: Write a “Ta-Da” List
In this episode, Gretchen and Elizabeth talk through the idea, explain how to make a Ta-Da list, and offer practical examples of the difference it can make. Player.fm

🌟 Final Thought

Looking back with intention — and celebrating your wins — isn’t self-indulgent. It’s a practice of gratitude, insight, and growth. That’s something worth saying Ta-Da! for. I would LOVE to see what you all come up with for your lists !!!!

Remember, even small things count !

-Tanya