Since I was a child, I’ve always been particular and liked to have rituals. Even the most ordinary things can feel special with just a little more effort like plating your takeout on beautiful thrifted plates for a restaurant dining experience. The transition into a new year can sometimes be overwhelming and over the years I’ve worked out my own flow of practices.
On NYE or earlier:
- Year in Review
I currently use a system that I created based on my own preferences but you can find lots of journaling guides options online. I recommend doing a review from the perspective of what was great, what needs improvement and what were helpful things each month to make the annual review much easier.
- New Year Manifestations
Have you found that your New Year goals never seem to last past January? It’s been suggested that goals have an “I will” mindset which places the goalmaker at further distance from the goal. On the other hand, manifestations place you in the middle of the intended reality. For example, rather than saying “I will lose 20 pounds so I can wear a bikini by summer”, a manifestation would be “I exercise 3 times a week and have the confidence to wear a bikini in the summer”. Trying reading out the two aloud – notice the difference? The first comes with stress to perform while the later feels like the wheels are in motion already. But manifestations are not without fail – they have to be made realistically and with concrete details.
- Budget Tracking Tool from The Measure of a Plan
The website offers a range of personal finance tools for free and I’ve used their Budget Tracking Tool for the past year. It’s great for those of us looking for something beyond just basic bookkeeping as it offers analysis and comparison options. I review my actual spending each year and adjust my budget accordingly along with expected income for the new year. If my manifestations require tools or support, that gets worked into the budget as well.
On New Year’s day:
Although there’s plenty of calendar apps, I’ve found that physically writing down things is better at keeping track of plans and keeping a higher level perspective. I’m obsessed with the agendas from Fringe and Nota. They offer the best monthly grid spread and weekly planning page designs plus great paper quality and cover designs.
- Quiet time
I often have schedules on New Year’s Day but time is always set aside for myself. With a killer playlist and fresh pot of tea, my manifestations are broken down into mini bites for monthly/daily reference. Then I crack open the crisp clean pages of my new agenda and ceremoniously write down all my grand plans.
And there you have it – all simple actions really and not expensive at all. But the practice of doing it will set you up to tackle the new year with confidence.
Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash
