The New Year opens the door for a new beginning, a new chapter! You might have heard of this a million times and probably have been telling this to yourself, too. And once again, you might have been convincing yourself that the New Year is the best time of the year to kick start things – with new goals and aspirations ahead – it is an exciting time to make changes to yourself and your life.

Congratulations because you've made a great decision to start afresh and gain some energy in all aspects of your life that you might not have given enough attention to in the past year. In today's blog, I'll help you make the changes you desire internally and externally so that you can start your New Year with a fresh and better mindset for a better life!

Visualise and set specific goals

You can't achieve any goal, big or small, if you don't set it. But it's not just any goal – it must be exciting to you.

Most of us have a New Year's resolution at the start of the year, only to end up quitting by February because our goals are vague – it is one without a plan of action.

For example, "I want to feel my image." Or "I want to improve my image, " or "I want to lose weight this year." These goals are too vague. It is because only thinking about a goal without a specific action plan is only a dream. It is to say that a goal without action is just an illusion. This type of goal-setting won't help you achieve success.

What to do is to follow through, plan, and commit to the SPECIFIC ACTION to take in order to realise your goals. 

Visualise your goals, plan for actions to take, and measure your performance. Doing so, you're more likely to make any of them happen. 

Have you read my previous blog post about creating your 2023 vision? You may click here to learn how to create a vision that gives you a direction that helps define the short and long-term goals that guide you into action.

Would you like to learn how to effectively set goals and milestones for 2023? You may click here.

Declutter

No clutter in your life works in your favour. Start with your workspace. Do you always waste time looking for files or papers you need to be signed or completed? Do you feel foggy that you can't focus because you have cluttered computer files? Or do you feel overwhelmed with the number of tasks on hand? 

Start cleaning up and decluttering! Begin by organising your desk, your computer, and your mind! The New Year gives you another opportunity to get organised. Doing so, you'll find it easier to manage your life and time.

Organising everything will keep you focused on what's important. And that's also where prioritisation comes in when it comes to tasks.

Prioritise the things that matter. So as you see, decluttering is not limited to keeping your desk and PC clean for optimal function, but it also goes with your mind, which must know how to give attention to your priorities and eliminate the unnecessary work that doesn't serve you.

Manage time

Following our last point on prioritisation, avoid dealing with everything at once. Instead, commit to only one task at a time. Limit or, better yet, turn off distractions like social media, and stick to the task at hand. Learning how to manage time better will eliminate your struggle to downsize your day's tasks.

Prioritise your to-do list based on urgency and importance. Tasks deemed to be both important and urgent must be done right away, while those not important and not urgent must be set aside to do the last.

Set a time limit to complete tasks, improving efficiency and focus. So if you'll find an issue with completing the task before the time comes, consider delegating one of the tasks or a part of it to someone else.

Ultimately, organise. Write down project deadlines and consider which days to do a certain task. Plan ahead – know what to be done for a specific day. Consider writing your to-do list the night before the workday to gain clarity on the tasks that require your attention.

Start living

Take a break from the person you were in the past year. Become the better version of yourself with new good habits! Start getting out of your comfort zone and start living. Think of the things that would make you feel more excited to move forward.

So if you were living a sedentary lifestyle in 2022 after the pandemic, considering adjusting your routine and incorporating physical activities into it is a good start. 

Think about taking an afternoon walk after work or preparing home meals instead of ordering food online. Whatever those bad habits you want to change to MAKE A CHANGE in your life, do it!

For this next chapter in your life, be kinder to yourself and start writing good stories about your experiences in your journal. Build towards your long-term goals, like living a healthy lifestyle, and start living the life you desire and that one that your future self will thank you for.

Allow yourself to change

It's time to stop judging and criticising yourself for all the shortcomings you've had. And it's also about time to accept and allow "YOU" to change, one of the keys to a fresh and successful year. Accept your OLD VERSION with arms wide open, and from there, build up new habits to change it for the better. 

Your mind might resist any change you want to implement for yourself, and for a time, you might also ask yourself, "What am I doing?"

There are also times when you might feel guilty and challenged to let go of your bad habits. However, it's best to remember the "Why" or your purpose for making changes when doubts, questioning, and criticism get in your way of committing to change.

Then, commit to letting go of those habits that do not serve you and don't get you closer to your goals. Allow this to sink in – Healthy, positive changes you're making will make you happier and increase feelings of contentment and fulfilment. Silence those thoughts and be courageous enough to overcome them. As deep inside, you know so well that it's time to change and that any changes you start making today will impact your future self – your BETTER self.

Let go of the fear of failure

You can't escape the fear of failure, and no one can. When tackling new goals, it's normal to fear that something will eventually not turn out as planned. Be prepared, and again, visualise! You might want to hang post-it notes of the things you need to do in places you can easily see. 

In short, map things out to get a clear picture of how and where to start. So, when setting a new goal for a fresh start in 2023, plan ahead and prepare for any worst-case scenario. Thus, you should also have a plan B or contingency plan!

Relax

It's definitely exhausting to fall into the trap of overthinking as you're planning to have a new start for the New Year. However, this will put you at risk of burnout and fatigue, which could lead to a lack of focus later and won't help you reach your goals. Refuel and relax to improve productivity and allow your mind to breathe. This will help you come back happier and more energised to take on the new challenges of 2023 with a fresher perspective.

Relax and trust that you've got what it takes. 

And finally, reflect and take action!

Review the past year and think of things you could have done differently and that you can change this year. Don't focus on your shortcomings, setbacks, and disappointments. Instead, take the valuable lessons and use them to direct your path moving forward. Accept and allow yourself to change and grow, and don't forget to celebrate your wins!

This is the last day of 2022, and each year is a gift that holds hope for new adventures. May your New Year be filled with exploration, discovery, and growth. I wish you lots of love and laughter in 2023 and success in reaching your goals! Happy 2023!

With gratitude,