What's a goal that you'd like to achieve in the next year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
In December we’re constantly reminded that a brand-new year is quickly approaching. Across social media, we’re inundated with messages like, “ <em>you still have X number of days to make this year count!</em>” or “ <em>don’t wait until midnight on December 31 to make a change</em>!” And while those statements are true, it’s important to mindfully set ourselves up for success in the new year.
As we prepare to say goodbye to 2024, here are five ways to set practical goals with intention for 2025.
<strong>1. Make time to reflect</strong>.
Before you even think about making a long list of (unrealistic) goals or planning that vision board party with your girlfriends, take some time out of your busy schedule to pause and think back over the last 12 months. The best way to do this? Grab a pen and paper, put on your favorite playlist and jot down a good ol’ fashioned gratitude list. Revel in the things you did achieve and give yourself credit. Give thanks for the blessings as well as the shortcomings. Take stock of where you grew both professionally and personally and how you would like to “level up” in the next three, six and nine months. To help guide this exercise, be inspired by words from Alex Elle, GG Renee and Alina Marie, who all have shared helpful writing prompts to encourage mindfulness.
<strong>2. Write it down. </strong>
This should go without explanation, but there is power in putting an ink pen to a fresh piece of paper and writing out your thoughts, dreams and aspirations. From my experience, it’s an exercise of manifestation. But it also has been scientifically proven that if you are able to see what you aim to accomplish, you have a higher chance of successfully achieving it.
<strong>3. Keep it simple. </strong>
When I made my list of goals in the past, I wanted nothing more than for them to be tangible, deadline-driven and easy to remember. Instead, breaking my goals down into very specific metrics, I developed a mantra for the following year and then made a list of five things I wanted to focus on doing more of that year. Under each of my five categories (write more, travel more, create more, learn more and speak more), I listed one to three very specific actions I wanted to achieve (e.g., create my own newsletter and send it every week). What I found was that this method in particular allowed me to be stubborn about my goals but flexible with how I brought them to fruition.