SJennyThe calendar is about to flip into 2024, but you do not have to wait until the new year arrives to renew your focus or re-align yourself. I love spending the time in December to reflect on the year that has just passed, plan how to make the changes that can improve things, and pull out all that I have learned from my experiences … so I can celebrate my life and what I have accomplished! It never seems like much until you actually start writing things down.
10 Things I Do To Prepare For The New Year
- I re-evaluate my Values and make sure that I am living in alignment with them in all areas of my life. If I am not, I make a plan to ensure I am. I know that living in alignment feels liberating and energizing so I do not compromise here.
- I use a process called the Annual Life Review. I ensure I have my current year planner and my new year planner at hand because I will need both of them to refer to for information and planning. This process has you going through your year and seeing what works and doesn’t work so you have a better plan or habits in place for the new year. I also may revisit the Vision Quest Workbook for some activities if I find I am unclear in some areas. (also helpful for the “dream your future” approach).
- I book massages, dental, medical and other appointments that need to be on the plan. If I can’t quite book them all, I make a note in my calendar for when I am able to book them. I also put in all my other non-negotiables, like vacations and time off or important family events. I schedule regular Money Dates so that I stay on top of bills, savings, plans, expenses, and so forth. I will make space for 4-6 mini adventures and 1 major adventure to allow more fun into my life! (I am looking forward to this!)
- Once I know my values and I am clear on where I am heading, I choose a word for the year. This year my word is ALLOW. I had a pretty cool curve ball in the late fall of 2023 and my promise to myself is to remain open and to just allow things in that I may have previously deflected for various reasons.
I prefer this over resolutions because I fail miserably at resolutions. “Go to the gym 3 times a week” feels very different than choosing the word STRENGTH (for example) and then making the best choice whenever you have a decision to make. Salad or candy? Which one will make me stronger? Salad. Gym or couch? Which one will make me stronger? You get the idea. - Declutter – Life gets busy, and we accumulate things we do not need. This is a great time to walk about your house and dig into your closet, doing a first round on the easy-to-declutter items. There are two things I think about as I get deeper into de-cluttering. First off, “Do I use it, and have I used it in the past year?” (This is being generous!) If not, it can go. The second thing I ask myself when it gets harder is, “What is it costing me to keep this?” The answer can be time, space, energy, and opportunities to name a few. I like to feel like I have opened up spaces for new things to move in.
- Close as many open tabs as you can. This means I make a list of all the tabs that are open and I promise myself that I am going to close ONE TAB, and if successful (say painting the trim), then I return to the list of open tabs to grab a second one. I MUST complete one so I can totally wipe it off the list before I grab another one. This helps me not have a holiday list that just stresses me out.
- I do estate planning. I revisit my Will and Legacy Binder (Estate Planner) and update anything that needs updating so that should I ever need the information, I have it at my finger tips. Likewise, if someone has to deal with my “stuff and life” they have all the info they need. I also look at the finances and see what items on my credit card can be cancelled because they are no longer used. This year, my landline is on the chopping block.
- I change all my passwords. I have muddled them up so much over the last year that none of them make sense anymore, so I started with a new system and change them all.
- I take a digital detox. I step away from tech and spend some time outside or inside if it is really cold, feeding my soul. A great book, some movies, the things I do often get the time to do in my regular M-F life. It feels so lux, like a staycation. I make sure to spend time with family and friends.
- I look at my life from above. Who in my life is causing an energy drain? How can I manage those relationships better? What faulty belief systems do I have that are keeping me stuck? What is not working well? This is where I may need a little help to see things from a fresh perspective. At this point, I may “call a friend” so we can bounce some ideas off one another and dream big (and be witnessed) as we declare what we want from the new year.
This is a starting list. I find that keeping the list short helps you get some of the items done. You can also plan quarterly check-ins where you look at your finances, health, career, and environment ( indoor and outdoor, depending on the season), etc. When you do a little maintenance work often, you do not get so grossly bogged down in the muck.
I’m ready for 2024. I am ready to leave some of the heavy stuff behind. I am looking forward to being uncomfortable in an exciting way, not in an oppressive way. I am ready for more. More fun, more love, more laughter, more space and more goodness. EXPANSION.
May your 2024 be all that you dream it to be, and may you take courageous and inspired action to make it happen!
