Sunday starts a new year. This day comes with hope and celebration of seeing a new year of change and opportunities.
But once the merriment winds down, steps on how to achieve set goals and resolutions for the next year begin.
A little bit of worry on whether the set plans would be actualised might set in but an obsession over the occasional slip will not help either.
Below are the Top10 in-exhaustive ways to prepare for the new year.
From the Home Office in ZigZag Oregon Here are the Top Ten 10 ways to prepare for the New Year
10.Appreciation
I mentioned this yesterday, The past year is gone and the New Year provides a new opportunity to achieve greater goals. A thank-you gift, perhaps, a handwritten or typed thoughtful note, to loved ones, acquaintances, co-workers and bosses for being a part of the past year further stating the hope for a better relationship in the new year. “Put your gratitude into action and give a token of appreciation to your loved ones and support network,” A manifestation coach and self-help author, Kenneth Wong advised.
9. Start on specific goal
Today is the best day to start on the specific goals and resolutions already made in the past few days. For example, a resolution to engage in a healthy diet would mean starting at the New Year’s dinner or party you would be invited to or even host. an author and educational consultant, Kendra Cherry, advised having a specific and realistic goal as well as a concrete plan towards achieving those goals over the year.
She added, “Taking on too much all at once can be daunting. It can be particularly difficult because establishing new behavioural patterns takes time and sustained effort. Focusing yourself on one specific goal makes keeping a resolution much more achievable.”
8. Right attitude
A counselling psychologist, Tosin Togun, said having the right attitude was important for the New Year.
She said, “This involves leaving many things that have made us sore behind. Every New Year comes with diverse opportunities and many people would come right with them but what would sustain one at the peak of these opportunities is having the right attitude and this involves, forgiving where you need to and letting the past be in the past. This also does not mean that one should discard the good skills and relevant people in one’s life.”
Togun added that the baggage of the previous year should be taken off and emphasised on the need for improvement in the New Year.
“Take off the baggage and ensure that what doesn’t work in 2022 would work in 2023. What this means is that one needs to evaluate to see what one is not doing right and improve on them,” she noted.
7. Display planned calendar
By now, calendars and diaries for the New Year are already in one’s possession. The activities, international days, national holidays and celebrations are already marked. In the same way, one can mark personalised holidays, birthdays, events and activities for the year and display them at a personal but enclosed spot where one can keep track of them.
Wong further advised, “Accomplish more in the New Year by using an agenda. Agendas are great tools for you to plan your days so you can set goals, stay organised, and stick to a schedule.”
Using a printable agenda was also advisable for those who might have trouble committing to using an agenda.
6. Take it one day at a time
Taking on too much too quickly is a common reason why many New Year’s resolutions fail. Starting an unsustainably restrictive diet, overdoing it at the gym, or radically altering your normal behaviour are sure-fire ways to derail your plans.
Instead, focus on taking tiny steps that will ultimately help you reach your larger goal,” Cherry stated. Taking small steps each day might seem like a slow start but these incremental changes have the potential for long-term success.
5. Avoid fear, repeating past failures
The opportunities in the New Year, if well maximised, is enough to make up for the failures of the past year. One should not let the failures and inability to meet up with the past year’s resolutions bring fear and wariness of fulfilling the hopes and dreams for the New Year, rather it should be a learning point to making the right choices and decisions.
Cherry further noted, “Another strategy for keeping your New Year resolves is to not make the same resolution year after year. If you do choose to reach for the same goals you’ve tried for in the past, spend some time evaluating your previous results. Which strategies were the most effective? Which were the least effective? What has prevented you from keeping your resolution in past years? Consider altering your resolution slightly to make it more feasible. By changing your approach, you will be more likely to see real results this year.”
4. Contact people you want in your life this year
Today, being the first day of the year, it is not too late to reach out to the persons one would want to partner with or work with.
An author and writer, Kevin Daum, stated, “No one reaches the pinnacle of success on their own. It’s possible you already have exactly the right people in your life to get you there, then again maybe not. Now is the time to take stock of those in your world and make the necessary changes. Get the email chain started today with at least three people who are going to help you excel.”
3. Get Support
Having reliable support can make one stay motivated and on track with the goals and resolutions of the New Year.
“Camaraderie makes sticking to your resolution more fun, too. So, ideally, find a like-minded pal or loved one to join you in your goal. Explain what your goals are to your close friends or family and ask them to help you achieve your objectives. Better yet, enlist the help of others by joining a group that shares your goal,” Cherry stated.
2. Renew your motivation
In the first days of the New Year, one feels confident and highly motivated to keep to the plan because there might be no challenges or temptations that can serve as a threat to those goals. However, when those challenges creep in, one can become de-motivated and uninterested in achieving those goals.
To this, Cherry advised, “When you face such moments, remind yourself exactly why you are doing this. Think about (or write a list to keep handy) what do you have to gain by achieving your goal? Finding sources of inspiration can keep you going when times get tough.”
And the #1 way to ways to prepare for the New Year
1. Track your progress, reward yourself
“Keeping track of progress can be a big help on the journey,” Freelance writer and speaker, Amber Tresca, said. Short-term goals are easier to keep and encourage one to stay motivated. One can note each achievement one makes and then focus on reaching the bigger ones.
Tresca added, “Small rewards along the way can help in giving a sense of achieving goals. This doesn’t mean that it’s okay to eat an entire box of chocolates if the resolution is to eat more healthfully. Instead, celebrate successes with something enjoyable that does not contradict the resolution. After sticking to a promise to eat better, for example, perhaps a reward could be going to a movie with a friend.”
Put these 10 steps into practice and see yourself continue to grow in 2023!
Have a safe and Happy New Year weekend,
David
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