30 Questions to Ask Yourself Before the New Year

Elul is traditionally a time for cheshbon hanefesh, a thoughtful accounting of the soul. It’s an invitation to pause, look inward, and reflect on the direction of your life with more honesty and self-compassion.

These 30 questions, divided into six sets focusing on different areas of growth, are meant to help you notice what’s working, what’s missing, and where you might want to realign as you move toward a new year.

There are a few ways to use these questions:

1. Choose an area of growth that feels most in need of attention and focus on that set.
2. Answer one question from each section that resonates with you.
3. Spend time with one or two questions per week and sit with them more thoughtfully.
4. Or simply write down the answers to the questions that speak to you most.

You can also use these questions as a springboard for discussion with others or answer them privately, in writing or in thought.

There are no fixed rules; these questions are meant to guide you, not overwhelm you.

Potential & Inner Growth

1. What part of myself have I outgrown, and what part is waiting to emerge? Growth often begins with acknowledging the shifts in your inner world.
2. Where am I living smaller than I’m capable of? Sometimes the limits we feel are ones we’ve unknowingly set based on outdated fears and beliefs.
3. What truth about myself have I been avoiding? Elul is a time to face what’s uncomfortable with self‑compassion.
4. What is one belief I hold that is no longer serving me? Teshuvah includes updating the stories that we believe about ourselves.
5. What fear is holding me back from becoming the person I want to be? Naming a fear is often the first step toward overcoming it.

Inspiration & Direction

6. Who inspires me most right now, and what exactly about them inspires me? Inspiration becomes direction when you understand its source.
7. What do I want my life to look like in 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years? Elul invites you to zoom in and out and consider your trajectory ahead.
8. What is the most courageous decision I could make right now? Courage clarifies what matters most to you.
9. If I trusted the bigger picture of my life more fully, what would I do differently this year? Trust often opens doors that your fears kept closed.
10. What dream have I been afraid to admit I want? Elul is the month of honest longing; this is the first step toward its fulfillment.

Energy & Habits

11. What drains me the most emotionally, spiritually, or physically? Naming it is the first step to addressing it.
12. Which habit is quietly shaping my life in the wrong direction? And in the right direction? Small habitual patterns create big outcomes, so make sure yours are taking you where you want to go.
13. What is one new experience I could try this year to bring more novelty and energy into my life? Novel experiences can wake up parts of you that routine often puts to sleep.
14. Where am I being reactive instead of intentional? Elul invites a shift from autopilot to awareness.
15. What is one healthy boundary I need to set to protect my emotional or spiritual well‑being in the coming year? Healthy boundaries are a form of self‑care.

Skills & Activities

16. What is one talent I’ve been under-utilizing and why? Elul invites honesty about potential that you haven’t developed yet.
17. What skill do I want to strengthen this year, and how can I do this? Growth becomes real when it’s tied to a specific and measurable action.
18. What physical activity could challenge me in a way that builds resilience and confidence? Growth is not only spiritual; it’s physical and embodied.
19. What creative activity did I used to love but have neglected in my adulthood? Reconnecting with enjoyable creative activities supports your wellbeing and reminds you of aspects of yourself that you may have forgotten.
20. What is one place I want to visit to appreciate nature, and what practical step would help me get there? Awe is a spiritual practice; planning makes it real.

Relationships & Connection

21. How can I deepen my relationships with the people I love? Our personal growth is intertwined with our relationships.
22. What relationships need an infusion of love, appreciation, or presence? Elul is a time to recognize and reconnect with the important people in your life.
23. What apology or repair would bring me back into alignment? Teshuvah is relational as much as it is internal.
24. Who brings out my best self, and how can I spend more time with them? Choose the people and environments that elevate you.
25. Who could be a role model or mentor for where I am right now? We grow faster with the right guidance.

Return & Realignment

26. What religious practice or ritual feels most alive for me? Follow what energizes you; it often points to what you have to give to the world.
27. What area of my life feels most aligned with my values right now, and why? Alignment becomes real when you act in the direction of what matters most to you.
28. What aspect of my spiritual life have I been neglecting, and what small step would help me return to it? Teshuvah is return, not reinvention.
29. Where do I feel a sense of longing in my spiritual connection, and how can I strengthen it? Longing is a form of return; it shows you where your soul wants to grow.
30. What does God want from me now? This is the most profound Elul question, in terms of your true direction, purpose, and alignment.

When you take time to reflect on your potential, your habits, your activities, your relationships, and your spirituality, you begin to see where you want to grow and what you want to carry into the year ahead. These questions can help you enter the new year with more intention, more courage, and an understanding of who you truly are and how you can reach your full potential.