You experienced the countdown, firecrackers, text messages, phone calls, food, family, friends, drinks, jokes and laughter as you leaned into the first days of the new year. Yet, the anxiety and reality have set in as you flip through the first page of a new chapter in life, trying to document an action plan and carry out your first move toward a successful year. There may be no specific plan or a set of new year goals. You want to take things one day at a time without bowing to the pressure of the “new year, new me” stereotype. Nevertheless, no matter how much you argue about the box you do or don’t want to fit into, one thing is constant — we all hope the end is better than the beginning.
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Everyone wants a successful future; this is why these 15 new year goals might help, but it’s also important to ask yourself a few key questions. What yardstick will you measure your growth by? Which parameters did you set? What target do you have in mind? How do you know the second week in January is a step ahead of the first week? Where do you look when you feel lost and off track? In a world where 24 hours feel like it is not enough, how do you ensure that while focusing on one part of your life, you do not lose focus on other aspects? Setting holistic new year goals for a well-rounded life can help you answer all these questions and provide insight or control over your year.
1. Get your finances in order – start a monthly budget
Knowing the current state of your finances goes a long way in helping you make conscious decisions. Do you have an idea of how much you actually owe? What is your credit score and history record like? Saying I want to be rich and famous is rather vague and ambiguous, but a statement like, “I want to have, say, $50,000 in a combination of assets and savings” makes your goal measurable. Think about a money goal for the whole year. Next, divide this figure into 12, and you have a monthly goal. Break the monthly goal into four, and you have your weekly goal. The next set of questions you need to ask yourself are the most important ones. Do I need to get a higher-paying job? Besides working full-time, what else can I do to add to my weekly income? What expenses can I cut down on to boost my savings?
2. Prepare your meals and save
Food is a fundamental necessity of life. However, in alignment with cutting down costs, you may quickly realize, if you are paying enough attention, that food is one of the human needs that swallows up a lot of finances without you even noticing. Regardless of the cost, food is fuel for the body and mind. You need to be conscious of what goes into your system. Here are two reasons why you need to prepare your meals. First, unless you are a chef, preparing your meals with intention can remove the mental stress involved in your work. In cooking your meals, you stimulate your brain creatively to think of something with a positive output other than your work. Cooking your meal is always cheaper than buying takeout. You can control and determine the nutrients in your food, saving you the cost of spending on health-related deficiencies in the long run.
3. Eat healthy food and consume more vegetables
Eating healthy food starts with consuming more vegetables in your diet. Vegetables are long known to be great boosters as many are medicinal and natural herbs that can keep you active all day. Beyond eating vegetables, know your vegetables. A good vegetable diet could help with stress, digestion, and more.
4. Take care of your mental health
One of the benefits of keeping and tracking your new year goals is that it helps you stay on top of things and work on purpose when life throws you a curveball. Getting hit by life’s pressures can shape how you think or react, leading to mood swings, and all of this becomes stress which could affect your mental state. However, being mentally resilient and prepared to face whatever situations get thrown at you can come in handy. Talk to someone when you need to, take frequent breaks or some days off work, and relax.
5. Workaholic? Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep daily
We established earlier that time is scarce, and 24 hours is no longer enough to hit specific targeted goals. Make it a priority to work smart and be compassionate with yourself. It is necessary to take time off work for relaxation as it has been proven to increase productivity in the long run. Create a work structure, time yourself, and give sleep its adequate time slot. From getting a whole night’s rest to taking quick naps during the day, try to get seven to eight hours of sleep per day. Your brain and body will thank you.
6. Become a morning person
At this point, you are probably asking yourself, did we not just agree to get more sleep as one of the new year goals? Getting enough sleep does not include sleeping in every morning. Having an early dinner and going to bed early is underrated. If you can cross that hurdle, becoming a morning person should not be a problem. The idea is to imbibe a new habit that lets you win in life. Becoming an early morning person gives you room to take advantage of the quiet and serene part of the day where you have little or no distractions. This might become the most crucial part of your day if well utilized. You get room to stretch your muscles, keep a fit body, meditate and work on your computer.
7. Pray every day for guidance
Find the hope and belief for every day that enables you to draw inner strength. Form a habit of communication with the higher being that can give you a solid sense of security while providing you with a purpose for the day.
8. Start a gratitude journal
In the early hours of each morning or at the end of every day, you can have the liberty of a quiet reflection steeped in gratitude. Think of something you are grateful for, write it and say it in your prayers. This will help you stay positive throughout the day and in the days ahead. While this might be an initial struggle, it gradually becomes easy. It also helps your communication with people and gives you a positive outlook.
9. Make a new friend or deepen an existing connection
When it comes to communicating with people, it might be about time you start expanding your network. Join an online or in-person community. Drop your phone and say hello to someone in transit. Find out something new about your colleague at work. Be optimistic and receptive. Wear a smile, stay positive, link up with people and be intentional about it.
10. Start that new business venture
“Your network is your net worth” is a famous statement. Everyone says this, but almost all of us are guilty of not leveraging our network. This might be a good time to start a new business (aka side hustle). Talk to friends and family to help share the idea and let them hold you accountable to start. Take baby steps. Be consistent. Create a plan feasible enough to ensure steady growth of the venture. Create awareness about your product or service. Like watering a plant and watching it grow, you might watch your side hustle develop into a full-time business. Just show up every day and be intentional about growing that business.
11. Hone or learn a new skill
The only constant thing in life is change. It often comes in the form of innovation and personal or professional development. No matter how good you are, there is always a new way to get the job done or a new technology to adapt that will make life easy. Leveraging an existing knowledge gap will either hone a skill or ensure you stay relevant in an ever-changing career and business landscape. Whichever way this pans out, it will be positive, as we can all agree that no knowledge is wasted. Learning or honing a skill could be directed toward fostering growth and not wasting any time on mundane activities. Almost every piece of knowledge you gain will be advantageous as it reduces time spent on non-specific learning. In the end, your learning activities will convert into gainful knowledge that can be applied towards getting results in tandem with your growth.
12. Improve your literacy by reading more books
The man who reads has lived a million lives! One of the best ways to learn is to read. It helps the brain, soothes the mind, and keeps you on track as you are constantly surrounded by knowledge and the motivation to stay in check. If you want to communicate better, read books on communication. If you’re going to start a side hustle, read books on starting a business. Reading the right kind of books makes your path feel clearer, with less fear and more bravery to take the next step. It also helps you foresee any hurdles or challenges that might cross your way in the future so you can tackle them head-on.
13. Stop the bad habit of procrastinating
Procrastination is one of the biggest hurdles you might face in everything you are planning for the new year. It comes in different forms.
“Oh, I am busy with work,”
“I need to read that book first,”
“I can not start until I raise X amount,”
“I need to set things right first,”
… and so on.
It is certain that every excuse for procrastination can be defended in a way that makes a lot of sense until time passes and you say to yourself, “I could have actually started and gotten the task done despite that hurdle.” You don’t need to be perfect, you just need to start, and then figure it out along the way. Creating a structure or designing a system to get things done no matter the challenge can reduce procrastination. Show up no matter the challenge and remember to just do it!
14. Embrace spending more time in nature
Be in sync with your environment, visit places, and see the world for what it really is — a great piece of art and the mother of all creations. Relax at a park, or go on an adventure into the wild (with a guide). Spending time with nature could give you all the creative boost you need and it also makes for a very relaxing experience.
15. Set things in motion and keep moving forward!
This goal cannot be over-emphasized. It will help you resist the urge of stagnancy this year. Stay active with all your plans and pursuits. Apply for the dream job, enroll in the certificate program, ask for help when needed, and render assistance when you can. Ensure you keep moving forward in life no matter what.
Now that you have some new year goals in your mind, it is important to know that everyone measures success with a different yardstick. So, be happy about the little wins and celebrate every milestone. Finally, know that discipline and consistency will make achieving each goal a little easier. I am rooting for you, champ. Happy New Year!
Which one of these goals will you commit to working on this year?
I’m a seasoned communications and marketing consultant with a penchant for all things stylish and chic. Follow me on social media and subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates on industry trends and much more!
Love this list here.
Author
Hello Titra,
I am so glad to hear this! 🙂