New goals, 5 ways
Want to make a New Years resolution but don’t know how to start? I’ve used various methods to beginning new goals, and the one you choose isn’t as important as just getting started, and to stop procrastinating. Here are 5 different ways to start the change engine before January 1st:
1. Tic-tac-toe goal board
This method works great for categorizing steps to a complex goal, or for working on many goals simultaneously. Draw a tic-tac-toe grid on a piece of paper. Create up to 9 separate goals or categories to work on. Go deeper and add at least 3 steps to each category. This simple board fits a lot of goal meat into one page, and isn’t too overwhelming to create. You can use this organizational structure to track your progress on different facets of wellness throughout the year.
2. One imperative
If you are tractor-beaming on a very specific goal, this is a good way to go. Start with a mind map diagram centered on the one thing you want to work on. Brainstorm all the ways this goal touches your life, along with possible ways to make it a reality. Make sure to exhaust your list of associations and leave no idea behind. Show how different components of your actions affect each other. This will give you a map to trying anything and everything possible before even thinking about giving up. After you’ve made your diagram, pick a few change ideas to implement immediately.
3. Dream board
Did you ever do this as a kid, where you took a physical bulletin board and pinned up the pictures, notes, and knickknacks that reminded you of your dreams? You can make a physical board or commission a space in your house for displaying ideas and inspirational pieces. Looking at these will help you stay on track and keep your goals at the forefront of your mind.
Dream boards can also be digital. Pin images, webpages, videos, and articles that will motivate and prepare you. The more visual, the better. It’s like a catalog for selling yourself success.
4. Journaling for change
Dedicate a notebook or digital file to making changes in your life for the better. Open the first page and start writing about what you want, where you want to be, and how you might get there. By the end of your first writing session you might have an idea of what to do next.
Commit to checking in with yourself at regular intervals and writing about your progress. When you are feeling stuck or confused go back and read about what you’ve accomplished so far and what mistakes you’ve already made. This reflection gives objective insight into your own life and you can learn from your own experiences.
5. Brand your year
Pick a theme for the changes you want to make this year and build your efforts around it. The theme can be a phrase, a song, an object, a single idea, an emotion. Think of the ways you can express this theme in your actions, environment, relationships, and write them down.
Anchor your brand for change by connecting the physical element with the ideological. What you wear, eat, read, watch, and do should align with the feelings and thoughts you want to cultivate. Set this year apart from the others by giving it an identity—one that you can be proud of.
No matter how you decide to commit to your goals, congrats for being the kind of person who wants to live life to the utmost. Happy New Year and best of luck 🥂.