SETTING UP YOUR 2021
November is a wonderful time to plan ahead for the next year. It’s an opportunity be clear and creative for the upcoming year before the bustle of Christmas starts. Here are a few tips to set yourself up for success and plan for your next year …
STEP 1: REFLECT ON THIS PAST YEAR:
They say that hindsight is 20/20. (I’m sure you may be officially done with that number, however, I think this expression is here to stay!). This idiom gives a lot of insight because we can often see things, or glean meaning and purpose for what we have lived through when we are looking at it in reverse (rather than when we are caught up in the middle of it).
Spend some time looking at 2020 as a year in your rear-view mirror.
What were some of the best things that happened this year?
What new experiences did you have?
What were some of the goals that you accomplished?
What challenges did you face?
What lessons did life teach you and what have you learned?
How were your relationships this year? Did you form new friendships or re-kindle old ones?
STEP 2: EVALUATE YOUR PRESENT - Look at where you are at in your life right now:
Tracking - Are you on track with where you want to be in your life at this point? What are you doing well at and what needs growth?
Clarity - Are you clear on what you want, who you are, and where you are going? What areas do you need more clarity in?
Accountability – Do you have a system, a friend, or group that you currently are or can be accountable to?
STEP 3: CREATE YOUR 2021 VISION:
How will 2021 be different for you? What would you like to see happen this year?
By creating your year in advance you will go through 2021 with greater purpose and meaning. You will also have a vision and motivation for achieving that vision that lasts all throughout the year. Plan to stretch yourself this year, to grow, and do some things that are out of the ordinary and out of your comfort zone. Let this be a year of no regrets where nothing is left on the table.
A Clear Target – Know specifically what you want! If you were to look back as if it is New Year’s Eve, 2021, what would you like to be celebrating about this past year?
Reconnect With Your Values – One strategy of goal setting is to be clear on what your values are and then create goals that center around those values. You have a much greater chance of success for your goals when they are connected to what you deeply value.
AREAS TO CREATE YOUR 2021 VISION IN:
LEARNING – What new things would you like to learn in 2021? Would you like to take a course in photography, another language, wine, or design? Are there new recipes or a renovation that you would love to learn how to do?
FITNESS / NUTRITION / HEALTH – When you look at 2021, how do you see your best vision for all of these areas? Do you have some health markers you would like to improve? What type of nutrition and activity will make you feel and perform your very best? Are there things you want to give up or add in this area?
FINANCIAL – Five areas to tackle in the financial arena are: giving, investing, spending, saving, and earning. Create a vision in each of these five areas. Perhaps you would like a higher return on investment this year and may need to find something that will produce the returns you want. Maybe you would like to spend differently, more in some areas and less in others. Or perhaps you have a bucket-list item you need to start saving for. What do your ideal finances look like in 2021?
CAREER – What are the three most significant skills or areas of knowledge you can grow in this year that would have the biggest impact in your job or business? Or would you like to branch off into something new?
SPIRITUAL – What specific areas of spirituality would you like to grow in? Is it in having regular disciplines, communing with like-minded spiritual people, developing an unshakeable faith, or in hearing God’s voice?
FUN & RECREATION – What are the fun things you will plan for in 2021? What types of trips, recreation, or hobbies will you invest in this year? How do you want to have fun???
RELATIONAL – Which specific relationships would you like to focus on and develop? Are there communities that you would like to be a part of or play a greater role in? What areas of connectedness would you like to grow in?
CONTRIBUTION – In what ways will you use your gifts and strengths to serve the people around you and better your community? How will you contribute in 2021?
They say that without accountability there is no motivation to change. Consider investing in your year with a group of people who are as eager as yourself to grow and make this the best year yet! Stay tuned for the opportunity to be a part of the “KNOW THYSELF” coaching program …
Live life to the fullest! Carpe Diem!
