As we welcome the upcoming year and close out this past year, let's take some time to reflect beyond the typical New Year's resolutions. This new year, find a comfortable space as we delve into a journey of self-discovery together. We will look back on the past year, celebrate our accomplishments, acknowledge areas of growth, and cherish the moments and experiences that have shaped our journey. As we plan for the future, this reflective exercise will help us treasure the past and steer toward purpose and meaning.
This post also includes a free New Year's Goal Setting Worksheet and goal setting tips.
New Year’s Reflection and Goal Planning Activity
So, are you ready to dive into the activity? Keep in mind the upcoming activity is in intended to be at a high-level, while providing you the opportunity to explore and reference various tools for a more in-depth experience if you choose.
Grab a comfy spot and your journal while we review the following four steps below:
Step 1: Look back.
Use the questions below to help you reflect on highlights from the previous year:
1. What are you most proud of?
2. What challenges did you overcome?
3. What new experiences did you gain?
4. What are you most grateful for from 2023?
5. What new positive relationships were formed, or current relationships strengthened?
Step 2: Continue the momentum.
Was there anything you learned or experienced last year that you want to continue or build upon? If yes, describe.
Step 3: Look forward.
Use the questions below to think about your future and opportunities in the upcoming year.
1. What do you want your life to look like in 1, 3, and 5 years from now?
2. Is there a specific goal you want to accomplish this year? Or personal growth area you want to develop further? If yes, what is it, and why is it important to you?
If you are confident in the goal or growth area you want to focus on this year and don’t need to reflect on it further, move to Step 4: Action Planning.
If you're not certain what your upcoming goals are or if you want to ensure your goals and time align with what’s most important to you, proceed to the categories section below.
Categories: It’s important to prioritize our dreams and goals based on what’s most important to us. We simply can’t do everything, and we shouldn’t expect ourselves to.
Therefore, rank the following categories below from 1-8, 1 being the most important and 8 being the least important, based on what you want to focus most on this new year.
Legacy/character
Passions
Dreams
Relationships
Health
Religion/spirituality
Career
Finances/financial freedom
Other
Next, based on what you ranked as your top category(s), write down the specific goal(s) you have within that category.
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
For assistance taking a deeper dive into reflection and action planning on the 8 categories above, get my free Living Intentional Planning Guide.
My simple yet impactful tool will help you live a more intentional and purposeful life based on what’s most important to you. This guide helps you define what living each category looks like to you and what to start/stop/or continue to bring it to life. It also leads you through action planning and drives self-accountability. In addition, you will receive a free completed example of this tool!
If you use the Living Intentional Planning Guide, you do not need to proceed to the categories section of Step 3 or Step 4. If you do not use the Living Intentional Planning Guide, proceed to Step 4: Action Planning.
Step 4: Action planning
Next, based on the specific goal or category you selected in step 3, answer the questions below. You can do this process for each individual goal or just the one that’s most important to you at this time:
1. My goal for this year is to:
2. I want to achieve this goal because:
3. I will achieve my goal by completing the following mini goals:
4. I will hold myself accountable for accomplishing this goal by:
Click here to get it free!
Goal setting tips:
1.Keep it SMART - SMART Goals help clarify your ideas and create an effective plan for success.
Specific – what do you want to accomplish, why, and how are you going to get there?
Measurable – how will you know you reached your goal and what smaller milestones do you need to set in between?
Achievable – what skills do you need to acquire and is the timeframe realistic?
Relevant – how does this goal support your long-term goals and values?
Timely – when do you want to have this goal completed, and what needs to be done daily, weekly and monthly to accomplish your goal?
2. Write your goals down on paper. Research has proven that people are more likely to accomplish their goals when they are in writing. The physical act of putting pen to paper can enhance your memory retention, making it more likely that you'll remember and make progress on your goals.
3. Post your goals. Hang your goals up where you can see them or create a vision board to serve as a visual reminder and to keep you motivated. I also like to put my goals on my phone calendar to keep me on track. I typically block out a certain time frame in the day on my calendar to work on them.
4. Share your goals. Telling a friend or family member your goals increase your chances of succeeding by creating a sense of accountability. In addition, having a support system can make the journey more enjoyable, and it provides someone to turn to during difficult times.
5. Be flexible. Sometimes our goals can change, and that is okay! Life is dynamic, and circumstances can change unexpectedly. Being flexible with your goals allows you to adapt to new situations, challenges, or opportunities that may arise, fostering resilience and enhancing the likelihood of overall success.
Above all, if you are feeling overwhelmed about starting your goals, think of one micro step you can take right now to make progress toward your goal! For example, if you want to eat healthier this coming year, but you aren’t sure how to get started, research healthy snacks and then go to the store and pick up your favorites on the list. It might seem small right now, but this IS forward progress!
Good luck on your journey and be sure to subscribe to be a part of my community at ElevateRadiate.com. Follow me on social media at Elevate Radiate by Alissa so you can receive all my new posts, videos, tools, and resources.
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