A NEW YEAR’S GUIDE: HOW TO MAKE IT YOUR YEAR

This year, I want to work on making 2023 my year. 2033 was an amazing year filled with ups and downs and many milestones along the way. Graduating from my second Bachelor’s was a huge accomplishment for me, which I am so grateful for. For me, this is the year that I want to put my energy into my side hustle- my blog! Whatever your goals and aspirations may be, if you want to make 2023 your year then this blog post is for you! With us being so close to New Year’s, I’ve come up with a list on how you too can make 2020 your year.

SPEND YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVE RIGHT

This year, I’m making a huge change in how I spend my New Year’s Eve. With two of my goals for 2020 being to work on my blog and to save money, I’ll be staying in for New Year’s this year. Rather than go out to a bar, spend money on overpriced drinks and wake up feeling ill, I’ll be cooking a home cooked meal in with my boyfriend and spending a little time on our side projects instead. I want to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on 2020, so I’m making sure that my night aligns with that.

Plan out your New Year’s Eve so that it aligns with your goals for the New Years. Is one of your goals to prioritize family time? Spend the night ringing in 2020 with your family. Whatever you do, make sure it reflects the way you want to spend the rest of your year, too.

CREATE A LIST OF PRIORITIES

What are the things that you prioritize most in your life? Sometimes life can become so chaotic and busy that we need a little reminder of what we want out of our lives. Is your career on the top of your priority list? Maybe it’s your family, your health, or your time spent outside. Whatever your priorities may be, make a list of them somewhere you’ll be able to look back on them easily.

For me, my blog and creative projects are my priorities this year. I’ve written them down on a list so that I always know what it is I’m working towards. I like to keep mine on my desk in my room so that I consistently have a clear idea of what I should be making time for.

WRITE OUT YOUR SPECIFIC GOALS

Setting goals is a great way to keep you on track, but this only works if you set actual, specific goals. If your goal is to be healthier in the New Year, that’s wonderful! But, it doesn’t really say a lot about what your actual goal is. Instead, set a goal to meal prep for work every week, or to cook three new recipes each month. If you want to pour your heart into your blog this year, make a goal of reaching out to 3 brands a week, or to write two post each week. Setting big and vague goals will leave you without the practical steps needed to make a positive change.

FOCUS ON WHAT WORKED

I’ve talked about looking back on last year and letting go of things that no longer serve you, but let’s talk about the good side to that. Reflect back on what worked for you this past year. What are some things you did that you’re proud of? What’s a work ethic or habit that you cultivated that genuinely improved your life? It’s important to not only think about what to let go of, but to focus on what we’d like to keep with us in the upcoming year. Of course we’ll be reflecting on the changes we want to make for the New Year, but let’s not forget about the good we’ve accomplished.

OPTIMIZE YOUR STRENGTHS

Do you truly know what your strengths are? We can spend so much time hyper-focusing on our flaws and what we’d like to change that we miss our strengths altogether. I know that I love to write and could write for hours, so I’m going to read all I can on improving writing, on writing skills and blogging. There is a world of information out there that you can use to gain insight and to tap into your strengths and talents. Think about what your strengths and talents are and cultivate them this year.

Do you have any plans for New Year’s? What are some of your goals and aspirations for new year? I hope you all have a wonderful New Year’s!