Welcome to a new year, everybody!
I think we find ourselves falling into several different categories moving into this new year.
Which one do you resonate with?
So ready for this new year! It’s going to be different than 2020, and things are going to turn around!
It doesn’t even feel like a new year with everything else going on.
I feel excited for a new year, but I don’t feel like I can turn to a new page yet.
Other (and there might be a lot of other emotions you’re feeling!)
All of these emotions have taken over my brain at some point since January 1st; it just depends on the day and time. There have been several practices that have grounded me in the midst of this transition, and I wanted to share them with you. I have to admit, I have been greatly influenced by this amazing woman named Rachel Hollis. I find her way of sharing wisdom therapeutic and encouraging, so I often listen to her podcasts and watch her inspirational videos. I’ll link her stuff at the end of this post, so you can see if you enjoy her as much as I do.
So, those practices I mentioned…
Calendar audit
This one can be a little painful the first time you do it. If 2020 is the first year you complete this audit, please give yourself grace and remember what this year was like (as if you could forget anytime soon)! Basically, you go back through your calendar - whatever calendar you use - whether it’s iCal, Google calendar, or a paper planner, and you categorize EVERYTHING into three categories.
1. Time, Money, or Energy Well Spent
2. Waste of Time, Money or Energy
3. The Good Life (what made life worth living this year)
For this one, you don’t list everything in the same way as the other two. Instead, create a list of practices that bring you joy and are what you do to “live the good life.” Go back through your calendar and place a tally by these things every time you did them.
The point of this practice is to help you be honest about how you truly spent your time in the previous year. From here, you can make goals foryourself and how you’d like your calendar audit to look the next time you do it.
Word of the Year
Words hold so much power. They can build up just as easily as they can tear down. Embracing the power of words can lift you up and push you closer to your goals in 2021. Every year, I select one word that encompasses my goals for myself in that year. It serves as a reminder of where I want to see myself headed and helps me realign when I start to veer of course.
No Resolutions
I'm sure you've heard this idea before - no New Year's Resolutions! I have found that when I set resolutions for myself I do not often set myself up for success. The goals I choose are typically immeasurable and not always obtainable in one year. At the first hint of discouragement, I find reasons to give up or stop pushing through. The more rewarding practice I have used in place of resolutions has been making dreams for myself and building goals out of those dreams. What kind of person do I want to be? How can I work toward that future throughout this year in measurable ways?
All in all, the biggest reminder I give myself in the New Year is that is more about the ongoing work than what you do in January. Continually choosing to move toward the person you want to be is much more effective than focusing on mistakes or failures from the past year. You can do this. Let’s rock 2021.
warmly,
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