The American world number seven lost in two tough sets to top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka at Flushing Meadows before ending her season with an appearance at the WTA Finals.
"It's funny how it feels like so long ago, but also feels like last week at the same time," she said of the US Open ahead of starting her 2025 campaign as top seed at the Adelaide International.
"Tennis is weird like that. It's definitely a motivation for me to want to do well this year and keep going for my goals and everything that I've set out for myself this year.
"It's still a nice, fresh memory I feel like in my mind. Hopefully it stays that way I think to keep the motivation going."
The 30-year-old leads the women's Adelaide field ahead of compatriot and world number eight Emma Navarro, with two-time finalist Daria Kasatkina seeded third.
Paula Badosa and teen talent Mirra Andreeva are also playing, as is holder Jelena Ostapenko, who defeated Kasatkina last year.
The likes of Tommy Paul, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Sebastian Korda headline the men's field.
Pegula delayed the start of her season by a week, pulling out of the Brisbane International to deal with a knee problem which bothered her at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
But she said "all was well" and she was ready to go.
"The tournament here, the draw is really, really tough, so I think it will be good to test how my body's feeling," she said.
"Excited to definitely play some matches before going into Australian Open."
She won the Toronto Masters last August prior to her US Open run and said that her current lack of court time would not affect her Melbourne Park chances.
"I won Toronto without many matches behind me, I got hot there and did well," she said.
"I like being match-tough but I can also do well without a lot of practice."
Pegula was knocked out in the Australian Open second round last year after three consecutive quarter-final appearances.
The Adelaide International gets underway on Monday, with the Australian Open starting on January 12.
