The start of every year is one of the most important of every year. Every January, it is important to start the year off strong. Whether it’s a new job, new house, or new year, I love a fresh start! I think there is something so exciting about getting a clean slate to create whatever opportunities you want. That’s why I’m such a huge fan of the New Year. We’re given 365 days and it’s up to us to figure out the story we want to tell.
Recently, I was doing some research on things that successful people do in January to kick the year off on the right foot. I found their tips so great that I just had to share them on the blog with you too. I know it can be easy to feel down after the holidays, holiday slump and all. Hopefully these will help motivate you in the months ahead.
Reflect On The Past Year
This is my favorite one. As much as we hear don’t look back at the past, I think it is super important to look at the past year and learn from the things that happened. I think it’s so important to reflect on both the good and the bad from the year past. 2021 was challenging for most of us. I know so many of you faced a number of struggles, so you may not feel like remembering back to the year you just had. But I think self-assessment and reflection are crucial to growth. Take time to think about the strengths and successes of 2021 and consider ways to build on them in 2022. What did you do well and what can you improve upon in the year ahead?
Set Intentions
Calling all my vision board creators! Have y’all created a vision board or written down goals for this year? I think narrowing down your intentions for the year into one word or simple images is a great way to stay focused and simplify your goals. I love creating my vision board for the year and setting it as my laptop screensaver and leaving it so I see it every day!
Accept Progress Over Perfection
Oh this one was calling my name! I preach progress over perfection constantly but this is something I deal with on a daily basis. It’s my way of thinking for everything from exercise to business goals to relationships. We are humans. The last time I checked, that means we were created imperfect. So when we push ourselves to strive for perfection, we will inevitably fail, become discouraged, and likely give up. That’s why I love the idea of making progress instead of trying to be perfect.
For me, this looks like an hour workout every day that makes me sweat and then listening to my body on the days that I need to do something not as rigorous. I try to find things I enjoy and will actually do instead of regularly forcing myself to do something that’s not my favorite. I think this can be applied to so many areas of life, and you can be so proud of the progress you’ve made along the way!
Create Tangible Goals
Most of us have a laundry list of things we want to accomplish in the year ahead. I try to be practical and only set goals that I know that I can actually realistically accomplish. I try to not bite off more than I can chew. It’s taken me a few years to really learn that coming up with fewer, more specific goals will set me up for success more than adding every goal under the sun to my list. If you’ve ever had to create goals for work, you’re likely familiar with SMART goals. I like to apply this same methodology to my personal goals and make them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Commit to Self-Care
This time of year, it is so easy to push ourselves to work harder and achieve our goals. And while this mindset is great and can be super motivating, it’s also important to commit to self-care. I know a number of people who stopped working through their lunch break at work and actually gave themselves 30 minutes for lunch each day, and they said they felt twice as productive the rest of the day. Carve time out for yourself, whatever that looks like, and I guarantee you’ll feel more motivated to actually work toward the goals you’ve set for yourself!
What are some of the things you do to help set yourself up for success in the year ahead? As always, thank y’all for stopping by and reading. I will see y’all back here next time.
