Have New Year Goals? Check This Out First.

I’ve been a list maker and a planner since I learned to write and with the New Year fast approaching I was excited to dream, envision and organize my thoughts.

Many of us feel the same and move forward into planning mode without considering what I believe to be, the most essential step.

In our hustle culture that values production, we rarely take the time to pause and gain perspective.

Our lives seem to be on autopilot, ticking off the daily list of to-do’s, and it often doesn’t occur to us that we can indeed design our lives.

Learning to pause in the moment is the key to a good life.

When we take the time to pause and assess what we’ve just been through, (whether it’s a lovely vacation weekend or a painful divorce) we have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and recognize our wins.

Here’s an overview of how to begin.

ASSESS
Record what made you proud.
List what didn’t go as well as you’d hoped.
Recall what you learned through those challenges.
Identify what you want/need to let go of.

ENVISION
List what you want to experience/achieve in the upcoming year.
This is the time to dream. No filters allowed.

CLARIFY
Choose the most important goals you will focus on in the coming year.
Identify why these are essential for you now.

ENERGIZE
Schedule things that energize and renew you.

FOCUS
Identify resources you already have in place that will help you rise after a fall.
List additional resources you may need to keep the momentum going. (enrolling in additional classes, hiring a mentor or coach, adjusting your physical environment to support your new goals)

By taking time to pause and gain perspective, I have a feeling you’ll see just how powerful your year has been and how many possibilities are waiting for you in the year to come.