Another opportunity for a fresh start. That’s what January is all about right? Some people don’t like the pressure of starting in January, while others say why wait! I fall in the camp of tradition – I always set my new year goals in January and I love the fresh start of Mondays too. If you are like me, here’s how to set yourself up for a great year (if you are not, come back to this whenever the time is right 😊)
1. Choose a word/s or intention/s. I find it helps to have something to theme your year around. We’ll get into the details next but first think about the big picture. What is your purpose in life and then, what is your purpose for this year? Big questions I know but important ones too! It will give you something to strive for aswell as a direction to take. The best kind of compass to travel with!
2. Set meaningful goals. Forget going by what you think you ‘should’ do and set goals that mean something special to you. Your words or intentions can guide these goals. For example if your word is growth and you love travel, a meaningful goal would be to enhance your understanding of other cultures by travelling to at least one new country this year.
3. Create structure and integrate self-care. Once you’ve set up your theme and goals for the year, it’s time to break it down further. Mapping out key dates on your calendar and creating weekly and daily routines helps to reduce overwhelm and gives some flow to your life. Even if we dislike structure and think it stifles creativity, we still need it to succeed! And self-care should be at the top of the list when creating those routines. There are many different types of self-care which you can read about here for ideas: https://www.healthcoachinstitute.com/articles/7-types-of-self-care/
4. Gather your village and set your boundaries. To achieve what you’ve set out to, you need other people! Whether that is family, friends, co-workers or coaches! Different people will be able to help in different ways, the important thing is that they are there. And of course, being that support for someone else helps complete the circle. Bringing others in means you need to set boundaries aswell. You will need to learn to say no when you are at capacity or if what you are being asked to do doesn’t sit right with you. One of the exercises in my VA planner was coming up with 5 boundaries for my work. It was hard but I did it and I know I am going to stick to them.
Well that’s it for now, remember the acronym TGSP (Theme, Goals, Structure, People) and you will be well on your way to a great year!