Planning For a Remarkable New Year

The year is coming to a close, which means many are starting to think of the goals they want to make for the new year. Unfortunately most people don’t have much luck keeping New Year’s resolutions, and there are several reasons for that. A year is a long time to commit to something, and often the resolution is something big that can be overwhelming. However, there are little things you can do now to make sure you start the new year right and set yourself up for success.

Clear your desk. After a year of hard work, you’ve no doubt accumulated a lot of stuff on and in your desk both at work and at home. Go through your desk drawers and get rid of all the things you don’t need. When you declutter your workspace, you also clear your mind, allowing you to focus on what’s important. Give yourself and your work a fresh start for the new year.

Create simple goals. Start with goals that you can incorporate into your daily routine. This could include drinking more water, consuming less sugar, walking a certain amount of steps, reading uplifting material, writing your thoughts in a journal, or setting a time limit on social media. If even this seems daunting, you can simply choose a theme to stick to throughout the year. A theme can be a word or phrase that means something to you and gives you space to grow as a person in every aspect of your life. Examples might include: “connect”, “assist”, “discover”, “commit”, “relax”, “reflect”, “get moving”, etc.

Join a group. This could be a fitness club, a book club, a more informal group that plays pick-up basketball or video games, or whatever you’re interested in. Joining a group is important because we are social beings and need to be in and find community. This will also help keep you accountable and find others with similar goals. If you’re already in a group you love, make a commitment to get to know the other members better or contribute to the group in a more substantial way.

Be patient with yourself. If the beginning of the year doesn’t go well, don’t count the year out. Things are bound to go wrong some months, and go right others. Try to be positive, hold your head up high, and make every attempt to get back on track, following the direction you wish to follow. You can start over whenever you need, don’t let it be solely dictated by the calendar.