1. Reflect on the Previous Year

A lot can happen in a year (especially last year)! It’s important to take time to stop and reflect on the year you just experienced. Think through what you liked about the year, how you spent your time and money, your relationships, personal/spiritual growth, etc. Ask yourself what stood out to you the most, which areas you were proud of, what worked - and what didn’t. Last year shaped you so it’s important to be able to accept those lessons and move forward.

2. Consider What You Want to Change

Whether they’re written goals or not, you’re starting the year completely aware of which activities, relationships, habits, etc. are working for you and which ones aren’t. What do you hope to change this year? Big or small, change can be good. A fresh start is here and you’ve got a whole year of new possibilities! If making changes makes you feel anxious, start small and work you way up. You have a whole year to experiment with, so give it a go! 

3. Identify What Matters to You

Take a moment to pause this new year and figure out what matters to you the most. Outline your core values, passions, and strengths as a building block to developing yourself for the coming year. What motivates you based on what is most important to you? What will you prioritize this year? By identifying what matters the most to you, you’re sure to start the year with a focus that will be fulfilling and personable to you.

4. Do Something That Excites You

Your passions are just the thing to inspire you and keep you excited in your life. So answer this question: what do you really love doing? What can you do this year to keep that passion as a part of your busy days? If you get in the habit of doing that one thing (or many things) that excite you at the start of the year, then you’re more likely to keep at it for the rest of the year. And who knows, maybe you’ll discover something new that you love doing along the way.

5. Celebrate, Every Day!

It is all too easy to be hard on ourselves at every turn - thinking back on everything we wish we’d done or thinking forward on everything we’re probably going to fail on. I mean, aren’t our brains predisposed to notice the negative before the positive? Make this year different by celebrating, every day! You can celebrate anything, like getting out of bed, packing a lunch, finishing that project, or going on a walk. Whatever it is, you deserve to have positivity and success at the forefront of your mind.