Written on January 10, 2020
It’s finally the start of a new decade! Of course, if you’re anything like me, the idea of a “fresh start” is exciting. Each year I get together with my friend, Anna Gillen, and we indulge in a major reset of both our minds and our environments. After a few years of going through this pattern of setting goals and utilizing the new year to “reset” my life, I feel as though I’ve acquired some serious restart skills. If you’re looking for a way to refresh yourself and your mind and get motivated for the year to come, this is your guide to just that.
Step 1: Reflect on your regrets.
What you’ve learned from past mistakes and what you’d like to change about ways that you’ve acted or made decisions are two of the most important things about recognizing what you want to do for yourself in the future. How you can shift your life for the better is something that can only be realized through reflecting on times when your life wasn’t the best. Another large part of this is thinking about what you want for the next year to come. By looking at the big picture that you envision for your next year, you’re able to better understand what goals and tasks need to be completed to arrive there. After you think about the year to come, it could benefit you further to look into what you’d like for yourself in terms of the next five to ten years as well.
Step 2: Think about goals you’d like to set.
Think about a general idea of the goals you’d like to set for the year. Unlike “resolutions,” goals can be set and modified for easier completion at any point. By attaching the idea that January = a time to start fresh can be helpful, but it also often eliminates the idea that you can set goals and start fresh whenever you’d like. Try not to focus on what you can change for the year, but try to think of goals in small sections and what you want to build towards while knowing that things can shift and change throughout the year.
Step 3: Write it down and categorize.
Actually set your goals! They don’t always have to be perfect, but they should be manageable and SMART. At one point or another, you’ve probably had to write SMART goals in school or through something else. Although they may have been tricky to think of or not-so-fun when we were younger, there’s nothing more satisfying than completing a goal that challenges you as we grow into our adult selves and figure out whatever the heck the future holds. A goal that checks all the boxes to be considered “SMART” is the best way to make them achievable. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. For instance, creating a goal for yourself like “lose weight” sounds simple and easy from the start, but you will never feel motivated to complete it if it isn’t specific or timely, and you will never be able to feel as though you accomplished something if it isn’t attainable or measurable. Something more along the lines of “Go to the gym at least 3 times a week” ensures that your goal can be completed and accomplished.
I recommend splitting your goals into categories in order to see the areas in which you’d really like to improve and grow. The categories that I always focus on are:
- Education
- Physical and Health
- Relationships/Friendships
- Finances
- Personal Development
Of course, your categories can change and be more specific to you, but I believe this is a great place to start.
Step 4: Think about what to DO.
Alongside goals, it is beneficial to think of things you want to accomplish or complete during the year. Things to DO like traveling somewhere, drinking a certain amount of water each day, or even read a specific amount of books over the year. These things aren’t necessarily goals, but they can add a lot of excitement to the year and can cause you to branch out of your usual routine or lifestyle. Generally, they will bring improved wellbeing, enjoyment, or new habits that can bring the year some “flavor.” They are also incredibly fun to plan out.
Olivia Wodogaza 