We can all agree that 2020 has been the worst year witnessed by many Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, or Gen Z. From natural disasters to riots, oh and a pandemic, people who witnessed 2020 won’t be affected by any regular 21st-century problem anymore. As we leave this disastrous year behind, it’s important to get ready for what’s coming next: 2021!

Many of us didn’t even get a chance to accomplish last year’s New Years’ resolutions. Some of us even had to take a step back because of the pandemic. However, as time progressed, we got used to the new normal -because as humans, “getting used to” is one of our superpowers- and now we can navigate back to goals, and personal priorities!

Last year, in 2020, we all had an “excuse” but for 2021, there are no excuses -yet! -. So, make the best out of this year and remember that there is never going to be a better time to commit what matters to you! To make this easy for you, here is a guide to keep you on track every day, every week, and every month of the year. Remember, there are no excuses!

1- Start the year with a clear vision

As the year ends, we see wellness professionals presenting a lot of goal-setting activities for the new year. It may sound cheesy at first, but it works! Having a clear vision of your desires, goals, and dreams for the new year, really takes you one step closer to your goals.

The purpose of creating a vision of your goals is to make these goals familiar with your mind. The more you envision, “act as if” or pretend, the more familiar your mind will get. There are many powerful ways to envision yourself accomplishing all of your goals successfully. A few of my favorites are writing down in detail, creating a vision board, and visualizing.

If you prefer writing down your goals and dreams for the next year, make sure to write them in the present tense to get that “as if” effect. Write as many details as you can. The more you think about the details the more you get into that mind frame.

If you are a visual person and prefer a vision board, make sure to place the vision board somewhere you frequently visit such as the kitchen or entrance. Again, include as many details as you can. The details can be words, colors, quotes, pictures, people, or whatever your dream includes! Or if you are like me and like to use your imagination, just turn on some calming music and have a seat in a quiet spot. Just close your eyes and start imagining how your life will be next year this time, when all of your goals and dreams are accomplished. Imagine all the details. Make sure to think only on positive terms. If you realize that you start having negative thoughts such as “this is nice but I cannot do it”, just observe these thoughts and let them go.

2- Develop a morning routine

You’ve probably heard of establishing a morning routine from a variety of resources. There are many reasons why developing a morning routine can be very powerful. For one, in the morning, we usually have so much more energy compared to any other time of the day. Also, our brain waves are naturally calmer since we are transitioning from sleep to being awake.

Slow brain waves and high energy are a great combination for being motivated and setting clear goals. Develop a morning routine for yourself that you practice as soon as you wake up. Whether it is 5 minutes goal setting, 10-minute meditation, a breathwork exercise, or journaling, it is a powerful way to set the right tone for the day. Whatever you are practicing, make sure to include a review of your goals for the day.  You can ask yourself a question such as “What do I want to accomplish today?” or you can give yourself a positive affirmation such as “I feel like today I will hear great news”.

The mind will set goals unconsciously whether you like it or not. Instead, you can consciously direct your mind to where you’d like to go. Morning intention setting and creating positive expectations will automatically shift your attention to positive things that are happening all around you.

3- Develop a weekly self-review

Say you come up with clear goals and a perfect vision for yourself for the next few months, what happens when life gives you lemons? No matter where we set our eyes on, life continues and issues come up about work, family, health, or life in general. These stressors may push us further away from our goals or postpone our action plans altogether.

Weekly self-review will help with releasing tensions and stressors which stirred negative emotions. Pick a day that means the end of the week for you. It would be Sunday for me, it may be Friday for you or Monday for someone else. Make sure to add this appointment with yourself in your calendar so you don’t forget it during daily chores.

Choose your preferred release method. A few ideas can be meditation, self-hypnosis, breathwork, or mindfulness with a focus on release. You can focus on releasing an emotion, a memory, a person, or anything with every exhale. Realize what thoughts pass through your conscious awareness as you silence your mind. Were you aware of them before?

This weekly exercise will help you detach from the negative feelings and it will help you realign yourself with your goals. We constantly need energy and motivation in order to move forward. By releasing the negative and focusing on the positive, you will find the necessary motivation within.

4- Develop a monthly goal review

Between work, chores, and all the other things we have to do, days go by very quickly. If you don’t pay attention to whether if you are on the right track with your personal goals or not, soon you may realize that months passed before you accomplished anything you were dreaming of.

A monthly review of your progress allows you to take an objective inventory of your accomplishments and also helps you see what’s missing. You can start by writing or drawing accomplishments achieved during the month. What did you do that was out of the box? What were the times that you felt accomplished? What got you closer to your bigger goal? Also, think about what was missing? What can be done better and how? Following your intake, a meditation or breathing exercise can help you stir your imagination as well!

Final words…

The real purpose of all these small routines is to remind you that although life happens every moment and sometimes chaos comes with it; you matter, your goals matter and it’s important to take care of what matters to you. These small habits will help you be on track throughout the year. As you work through them, you may also realize how much you changed, improved, and got closer to your goals even without realizing it!