New Year, Intentional You

Are you ready to enter into the New Year with purpose and determination? Maybe you have multiple goals or one specific change in mind. Whether you want to ask for a raise in 2017 or you’d like to spend more time with your family, now is the perfect time to reflect on the past year and contemplate the New Year ahead.

Below I share my favorite way to enter into the New Year with an open mind, a full heart, and lots of determination. This process is my success formula to reach personal goals and change habits, but feel free to customize it for your needs.

Use this time to get clear – what is most important to you right now? Who do you want to be in the New Year? Forget about New Year’s resolutions, let’s set intentions!

To get started, find a quiet place to take a notebook and pen and set aside 20 minutes for yourself.  At the end of the five steps below, you will have created a list of actionable goals with specific steps to achieve each one. I promise you will be impressed with your results.

1. Reflect on the past twelve months. What accomplishment are you most proud of? Write down the first one (or several) that come to mind and then pause and take a moment to pat yourself on the back. Way to go!
2. Write a list of five to ten adjectives that describe who you want to be in 2017. The list should clearly articulate how you want to show up for all situations in the New Year. How do you want to be seen at work, with family, and friends? Is it confident, loving, and open? Or maybe brave, driven and humble? This is the most important step to creating a successful and fulfilling New Year – be honest!
3. List three to five concrete goals for 2017. What is it that you want to achieve over the next twelve months? What will leave you feeling proud and accomplished at this time next year? Do these goals align with who you intend to be?
4. Under each goal, write out the first one to three actions, or steps, that you will take to get started on the journey to completion. What can you do in the next two to four weeks to tackle each goal? I encourage you to create a deadline for each action item.
5. Here is the secret to your success: share your list of goals and action items with your spouse, a friend, or co-worker and post it on the front door! Choose someone willing to hold you accountable to your commitments. Choose wisely – you should feel comfortable sharing your wins and challenges with this person and ask that your advocate commit to monthly check-ins to measure your progress.

Once you’ve completed the five steps above, review each goal and set the intention “I am committed.” The beauty of this exercise is that you are setting yourself up for success. If you approach each goal with confidence, love, and openness (insert your adjectives from step number two here) then no matter the outcome, you can be proud. Give yourself permission to try, to succeed, and to find lessons in your mistakes. The best we can do for ourselves each day is to honor where we are and who we are in each moment. Now go out there and step into the New Year with confidence and the capability to make it your best year yet!

Need an advocate to hold you accountable to your goals? I’d love to hear from you! Connect with me here.