Are you fired up to make this your best year yet?

Every year, we try to do better than we did the previous year. It’s natural to want something more. Perhaps this means you’re thinking of changing careers. Or maybe you want to start that side business you’ve been thinking about. Whatever it is that you want to do, now is a great time to step things up a notch so you can make this your best year yet.

When January rolls around, we’re ready for a fresh start. Some of us might even have a little bit more motivation as we look forward and feel excitement for what the year may bring. Continuing that motivation is difficult, but if we set our intentions and make it part of our daily routine to take action on the things we desire, we make reaching our goals much more possible.

Over the holiday, I did a lot of reading and a lot of planning. I wanted to make this year count and to make some major headway toward some of my larger goals and desires. In doing so, I came up with a handful of things that I think can help you or anyone to make this your best year yet.

Make This Your Best Year Yet

  1. Try to remember what happened in the past couple of years that you feel you could have done better. What kind of things do you think held you back from doing that, from getting what you wanted or the result for which you were hoping? The idea behind this is to sit back and try to recognize things that might keep you from reaching your goals for this year. When we’re trying to make changes for the better, it’s important to be able to recognize patterns in our behavior that could pose problems. The first step toward making a change is recognizing patterns before they have an impact. This allows you to make a choice the next time something comes up. You can fall prey to old behavior patterns, or you can make a choice to take a new route and keep on track.
  2. It’s time to become a forever learner. In the past, people graduated high school and went to work. Most jobs did not require a college degree. Many of these jobs practically guaranteed job security for life. The point is, people didn’t need to learn more back then. It wasn’t necessary. But, life is different now. You have to keep up with modern skills. The old ways won’t cut it. So keep learning, always. Make a point to find some way to push yourself at least once a month or once a week if you can manage it. I don’t mean that everyone should go back to school or that everyone needs a degree. My point is simply to continue finding ways to grow and increase your skillset. I love to read. I read all kinds of books from authors related to marketing, business, energy, bodywork, self-help, even cooking and nutrition. I love to learn and for me, books or online webinars or courses are a quick and easy way to continue growing.
  3. If your job has become mundane, find ways to make it exciting again. Try to take on new challenges and responsibilities. Ask if you can transfer to another department that holds intrigue for you. When you use the previous tip to learn, it will be easier to find ways to charge up your job. Sometimes taking on a large project related to improving a work process or a system at work can also make a job interesting again. One of the lines from the 2005 animated movie “Robots” comes to mind. Mr. Bigweld always said, “See a need? Fill a need.” So find a need at work, and come up with a way to fill it. Challenging yourself at work can be a great confidence booster as well.
  4. Considering finding a job somewhere else. This isn’t an easy decision and one that deserves a great deal of thought. But, sometimes making a change to a new company can give you the boost you need. I’m not suggesting that you jump ship every time there’s a lull in your job. But, if you can’t seem to break free from a rut, sometimes, as scary as it may seem, changing your place of employment could be the answer.
  5. Start a new online business. Even if you don’t want to leave your current job, you could venture out and start your own online business. This can be done in conjunction with your day job. It’s actually quite easy to create an online business. The work required to make it profitable is the hard part and it will take some getting used to. But, it’s not impossible, and people do it all the time. There are plenty of options when it comes to creating your own business. Try brainstorming what it is that you’re good at and what you like to do. I like to help people and I enjoy sharing my experiences with others so that’s what all of my online businesses do.
  6. Go on more vacations. If your company lets you carry over vacations, start using the days instead. Getting out of the perpetual work mode is good for your health and for your mind. You need to recharge your batteries, and vacations are a great way to do that. Just a little bit of downtime, can be like a reset for the motivation meter. Vacation give us a breather so that we can dive in again. Use the time to enjoy your family. You can always find a job, but time with your family and loved ones should be cherished. Kids grow up, move out and become distanced from you by miles. Enjoy the time while you can. Your health and your ability to take action toward your goals will both benefit from the breaks.
  7. Get out of debt. You cannot strive for a better year if you have the heavy weight of debt hanging over your head. You’ll constantly obsess about your situation, and this will lead you to make bad financial decisions. You won’t be able to save money when you are in debt, either. So make some changes in how you handle money and how you spend it. Make this the year that you get out of debt or at least make some significant progress toward reducing your debt. And while you’re at it, help your kids (if you have any) learn healthy habits for managing money. Make it a family affair. If they want something, help them learn how to save for it. Dave Ramsey’s book “The Total Money Makeover” changed my life when I read it back in 2005 or 2006. I was a single mom at the time and I diligently applied his methods to eliminate my debt.

 

Take Action Today

Here is an example of some things that I came up with for myself. You can use this same list if you feel that it applies to you or you could come up with your own list. The goal is to come up with a few ways that you can start taking action NOW. Not next week, not, next month, but right now. List out three things you can do right now. When those are done, create a list of 3 more and so forth. Never stop taking action. Your goals are within sight and you can reach them if you keep taking action.

ACTION 1

Commit to going to more of your kids’ events. Create a calendar and mark the dates of the events you believe you can attend. Try to keep this commitment at all cost. It’s important to your kids.

ACTION 2

Once per quarter, take a long weekend to travel with your family. Due to the short time frame, make it a trip that you can easily take by car. But, choose someplace different each time. You will connect with your family, and you will all learn at the same time.

ACTION 3

Create a plan to get out of debt. This may require creating a budget, which you should do anyway. You may also need to work a side job for a short period. Luckily, there are many part-time jobs that can be found online. This helps you make money and gives you flexibility.

Additional Resources

  1. Your Best Year Ever:

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Best-Year-Ever-Achieving-ebook/dp/B0741CYBHK/  

  1. New Years Resolution Journal

https://www.amazon.com/New-Years-Resolution-Journal-Out/dp/1541026373/  

  1. Real Simple Organizing in the New Year

https://www.amazon.com/Real-Simple-Organizing-New-Year/dp/0848719425/  

  1. Let It Go: Your Guide to a Simpler, More Serene Life

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZB8FDK/  

  1. 365 New Words-A-Year Page-A-Day Calendar 2019

https://www.amazon.com/Words-Year-Page-Day-Calendar/dp/152350336X/

  1. The Total Money Makeover – A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness https://www.amazon.com/Total-Money-Makeover-Financial-Fitness/dp/159555078X