Simplify Your New Year Goals

Why am I talking about new year goals and goal setting in April?

Because 3 years ago I realized that January no longer felt like the right time for me to focus. There are too many things pulling at my attention and traditional societal pressure to "go hard" at the beginning of the calendar year began to feel...exhausting.

If you are feeling like you are overwhelmed with traditional ideas of new year's resolutions, planning and feeling discouraged in your creative life, the first thing I’d like to offer is to consider changing when your year actually starts and then...

Here are the 3 things to simplify your thought process for creating new goals for the new year.

1. Complete something.

Is there something you are so close to completing (even if imperfect) that you have been putting off? It may seem small, but I can assure you that if it is still lingering in your consciousness, there is some value in completing it!

You may not be able to foresee all the benefits of it being complete and maybe that's what has held you in a state of procrastination with it. For me, my manuscript for Living a Life of Creativity, the second chapters are back on my radar as the one thing I really feel needs to be completed this year! It's been a personal project that has so much potential to be a huge help to others. I have added some deadlines to some actions, and I am going for it. It's already 70% complete!

2. Learn something.

Is there something you'd like to learn? Consider some free or low-cost online classes and earn a completion certificate. Think of something you might be good at and start there. Or think of something you aren't good at and take an intro course to see if you have the resilience to continue learning it.

Whatever you choose, it could open a new door or ideas you haven't considered. I have decided to go ahead and complete some courses in Bookkeeping. This way, as I continue to share personal experience on how I maintain and routinely budget check, I can also feel additionally confident that my approach to the subject is additionally backed up by some studying up!

It doesn't have to always be an online class, if reading on a subject is more appealing, go ahead and read up and learn something!

3. Try Something.

You might be thinking, but I try things all the time already! That's exactly what I said until I really asked myself if I tried anything that might be a little more challenging for me? Something new? That's when I looked at how I currently work and realized that much of my efforts have been within the same framework, within the same model of work.

I decided to start a completely new business altogether. Your new thing may not be a new business, it may be a new dance class, art class or group session.

My point is, learning something is great, but actually doing something is where change is. We'll never see anything different if we don't try different things. 

Additional Resources:

Tips for Letting Go of Old Goals

Simple Tips for Achieving Goals

How to Make a Mindful Resolution