It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

 Hi Friends!

    It's New Years!  And this is my absolute favorite time of the year.  There is so much potential in New Years.  It's when the whole world gets to take a deep breath and start fresh.  At New Years, we all have new hope and new goals.  And this year especially, that feels particularly needed.  We have all lived through a pretty crazy year that has disrupted our lives, and for some of us derailed our dreams and our finances, and at the very least delayed our vacations.  This might have been a year for you where you were just hanging on, just hoping to make it through, and if it was, that's ok.  But what I want to tell you today is that you can move on from here and make next year your best year yet.  Here's how...

1.  Don't Keep Dwelling On the Past

    I believe most of us experienced some hurts or major disappointments this year.  Maybe it was homeschooling your kid, losing you job, the death of someone close to you, or missing special holidays or family vacations.  And honestly, it can be so easy to get stuck in the hurt and disappointment and keep reliving it over and over.  But living bitter, angry, and with "if only" playing in your head will not move you forward.  These thoughts will cause you to stay stuck and mired in your past.  I experienced this for a few months this year, and here's what I did to let it go.  First, I got it all out on paper.  I wrote down what I was upset over, how I was feeling, all my disappointment, hurt, and frustration that I had bottled up, I got it out on the page.  Next, I accepted that those things had happened, and I could not change them.  Lastly, I chose to forgive.  I may not have felt it, but the moment those feelings started to creep in, I combatted them by saying out loud, "I forgive _______ for ________."  For major hurts and disappointments, this may not be an immediate process.  You may have to practice it more than once.  But working through your hurts is far better than allowing them to continue weighing your down and holding you back every day. If you are hurting from disappointments this year, I encourage you to try this process out so you can walk into the new year with a fresh mindset and not hung up on the past. 

2.  Get Your Goals On Paper

    If you have read my blog for a while or spent any time around me, you will know that getting your goals on paper is something I harp on.  Why?  Because this step is so crucial to you achieving your goals.  Want to know why a majority of people give up on their new year's goals before the first month of the year is even over?  Because they don't remember them!  They get a great idea of all the things they want to accomplish, but they never write it down, and if they do write it down, they don't keep it in front of them.  These two steps are so crucial.  Your mind goes toward what you stay focused on (hence the reason you want to stop dwelling on the past hurts.)  If you put your goals on paper and put them where you can see them every day, you will be propelling yourself so much farther ahead towards achieving those goals in this new year.  

3.  Get in Motion

    Have you heard the expression, "Dreams don't work if you don't"?  You can have the biggest, best dreams and goals in the world, and you can write them down and look at them every day, but if you never take a step toward them, you won't achieve them.  Terri Savelle Foy says "You have to put legs to your dreams."  Just as important as writing down your goals is writing down the action steps you will take toward your goals, and then doing those steps!  If you are trying to be healthier, what action steps will you take?  Drink 8 cups of water a day?  Eat a vegetable at every meal?  Do a ten minute workout a few times a week?  Whatever your goal is, write down the steps you will take to achieve it.  And follow through!  

    Bottom line is, you don't have to remain stuck in the past, wallowing in the hurts and failures of last year.  You have a chance to start fresh and new, and while all the difficult things won't magically go away at the stroke of midnight, you can choose to go into next year with a renewed mindset, a written set of goals, and an action plan.  Happy New Year Friends!  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W.