Ahhh, it’s that time of year again, when 90% of new year’s resolutionists have quit working on those resolutions. Gyms are empty again, the healthy section of the grocery store is once again fully stocked, and all the extra money that was put into a savings account is spent again. The excitement period has passed, which is why this is the perfect time to actually start on resolutions or goals for yourself. After all, what better than the shortest month of the year to work on meeting goals? If you were able to make it past the “new year, new me” time of year, you might actually have a chance to set some goals and stick to them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about making positive change in your life, but it’s just so much better to do that when those goals will be actually about you, and not just a goal you set because you saw five of your social media friends posting about it and thought it would be a good idea. Those are the resolutions that are doomed to fail. Here’s some after the New Year Resolution Tips to help you find a place to start with intentions that will help you create positive changes and space in your life. Dry January? #neveragain
New Years Resolution Tips #1: Take a Personal Inventory
Take a little time for self-reflection before you begin to think about this next year. Nearly every app out there now allows you the opportunity to review your year in pictures, in music or in social media memories. Start there if you want. Do you like what you see? How about the places you went to or the people you spent time with? Did you try any new music this year or make a new friend? From here, think about how you felt about all of these things. Are you disappointed that you didn’t get a chance to travel more or check out the new hiking trails? Did you notice that you spent less time with a close friend than you have in the past and are you okay with that? Before you can move forward with new goals, think about the previous year and what you want to avoid or continue in the new year.
New Years Resolution Tips #2: Make a List of the People you will Want at Your Funeral.
Yes, I know initially that is an incredibly morbid and somber place to start when beginning a new year, but when you really take a minute to visualize those people, they tend to be the people that you love and care about the most. What it does though is remind you to give yourself a chance to hit refresh and refocus on those relationships. Your goal is to work to make them a priority. Did you picture your best friend from high school, but haven’t seen them in two years? Set a goal to make that phone call or send a direct message to meet for a coffee date. Are there others who are currently in your life, but you haven’t been able to make time to see because your work keeps you too busy? It’s time to re-evaluate which of those is more important and make some changes. Make your list of those people and work to make time for those relationships now, and at the end of the year, you might be surprised at how your life has changed. If you put things on the calendar with the people you care about most, you’ll foster wonderful experiences and quality time that makes your life feel rich, fulfilled and, at the end of the day, makes sure that all your emotional needs are getting met by the people that deserve your time the most.
Oh, and while you’re at it, make sure you get your will together this year.
New Years Resolution Tips #3: Begin with the End in Mind
Yep, still at the funeral, sorry, but the second part of this is to visualize what you want each of those people to say about you and about your life. What parts of yourself do you take the most pride in? Do you want them to say that you were an amazingly present friend, or that you were the most charitable person they knew? Were you the most trustworthy sibling, or the hardest working project manager? These are the things you want to use to help you set goals for the new year. For entrepreneurs, in your vision, do your pursuits help you to become one of the most generous philanthropists in your city? If so, then it’s time to set some big financial goals for your business and start thinking about what causes you might be interested in helping with (while you’re at it, go ahead and set a goal to get some new professional headshots taken!) Use that vision for motivation to work hard this year to build.
I have an incredible wanderlust and so one of my yearly goals is always to travel to one new foreign country a year. I am also a prolific reader. Reading centers me and brings me peace, joy and pride so I always try to read 52 books a year.
It’s super cliche’ by now, but as Stephen Covey says, you want to “begin with the end in mind.” That will tell you where you want to go this year. Then set those goals (make sure they are measurable and attainable!) and make it happen. Oh yea, and don’t forget to get plenty of photo documentation along the way.
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