I have not made a New Year’s Resolution in several years... what it comes down to is that I really don’t believe in resolutions.
Resolutions give the idea of going all in, not allowing for mistakes, expecting absolute perfect execution, and if we slip up even once “guess we’ll try again next year.”
I prefer to enter the New Year with a set of fresh eyes, reflecting on the experiences, learning opportunities, shifts, and accomplished goals of the past year. This hindsight brings into perspective the goals that we still have for our futures, allows us to assess the goals that we did not achieve and determine if they are still aligned with our desires, and to set our sights on new dreams.
I LOVE this process, and so I allow myself to dive in over the course of about a week, flowing from reflection, to setting goals for the new year, whether that’s a new calendar year or just a fresh start along the way, to making out goal dates, to determining milestone goals and the paths to take along the way to accomplishing the goals.
Recently, I ran "Your New Year Goals Launch," and walked through the steps of this process, how to apply it to all areas of goals in life, and the best ways to use reflection to fuel an amazing launch into a new chapter of life... the program is available HERE.
This is the first of three times that I go through this process throughout the year... there is no set rule that we can only adjust our framework once a year... do what is best for you! I break my year into three uneven sections of time (January-May, June-August, September-December) and work through my short and long term goals at the beginning of each of those seasons.
Knowing what works for me and embracing that flow makes all the difference. Using a system that works, adjusting my game plan as life happens, and always checking in to make sure my goals align with the future that I am working toward in the *now* acknowledges and allows for the growth and change that happens each of the 365 days of the year, rather than relying on the magic of January 1st to set the expectation of perfect execution of a resolution for an entire year.
Every individual needs to work in their own "flow" working in the rhythms and timeframes that are best for them - before throwing yourself into a to-do list, be sure to take some time to evaluate your flow, then map out your work times versus refresh times in your planner (I recommend the Achievement Planner! I designed this tool to really uplevel your goals achievement all year long!).
When you start working and refreshing in your flow, you will see an incredible increase in productivity, as well as feeling more aligned, more eager to conquer the goals you set out to achieve, and less stressed and overworked!
If you are looking for a proven goal setting strategy, check out my 5 step Dream Goal Strategy, and learn the step-by-step process that I have used to:
move cross country mid-pandemic after my husband’s company downsized
go on my first Caribbean cruise at age 27
transition from working 16 hour days, 7 days a week to working a under 8 hours a day just 4 days a week, growing two businesses
fulfill my dream of working from the beach
improving my health and fitness without sacrificing time with family or growth of my business
continue my education through certifications and courses without entering overwhelm
adopt penguins through the World Wildlife Foundation while decreasing personal debt
Anything you desire can become reality with simple and effective strategies in place!