New Year new me eh? With January coming to a close, let me ask: how’s that working out for you? It’s common to start the new year out with lofty ambitions of becoming a more fabulous version of yourself. The one that is dressed flawlessly, always on time, and consistently posts their Sunday night meal prep pic for the Gram. Try as we may, it just does’t always happen that way.
While I have never been the New Years resolution type, I am definitely a person that hits the reset button at the top of the year. I like to take a look at how things went in the previous year and set my intentions for how I am going to move forward. It’s more than just checking my bank account and jumping on a scale. It’s about making sure I am using all of my resources to put my best foot forward.
So maybe January didn’t turn out the be the life changing metamorphosis that you thought it would be…{Shannon Sharpe voice} that ain’t no problem!
Here’s five things that I do, in my personal life, to ensure my top of the year goals will not be set in vain.
1. Daniel Fast: The Daniel fast comes from the Bible Daniel chapter 10. Here Daniel chose to abstain from choice foods, while focusing on eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, etc. This is something I do corporately with my church. Doing it together helps because I know we are all along this journey together. But this is certainly something you can chose to do on your own. Spiritual fasts are intended to bring clarity and closeness to God, but can be difficult at first. Not sure where to begin? Make sure you click this link and subscribe a 21 day plan, including scripture references and meal plans http://bit.ly/danielfast2019 from Chef Ashley Shep.
2. Financial Fast: A financial fast is where you abstain from spending money excessively for a set period of time. Some churches do this corporately, but this is something I chose to do on my own. My personal guidelines are that I am allowed to replace any items I use on a regular basis (lotion, mascara, deodorant, etc), but I am not allowed to make any impulse or excessive purchases. That means a trip to Target is just that… a trip to Target. Not a lap up and down every ailse to check for something cute or on sale. It means, for 30 days, I walk in, buy the toilet paper, and walk out. My goal is to develop self discipline, gain awareness of what I truly need versus what I want, and to block out the clanging that impulsivity brings in order to truly hear from God. For a great resource visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMpgPq1EGO4 where leading financial teacher, Michelle Singletary, will serve as your accountably partner for a 21 day financial fast.
3. Organize my space: While spiritual clarity is important, so is clarity in my physical space. One simple thing the I do is flip the hangers around in my closet. I physically hang the hangers facing me instead of away from me. Once I wear the item, I hang it back in the closet, the regular way. This serves several purposes: on a practical level, it ensures that I wear every single item in my closet and not just my favorite starting five. It also allows me to reorganize my closet so I can start the year with a clean slate. On a deeper level, it forces me to have to touch everything single item I own, which makes me aware of what I have. This encourages me to discard items and be a blessing to others. In the long run, it prevents over consumption and over spending.
4. Set goals in my Black Book: Yes, I map out my goals and write them down in MY Little Black Book. The truth is, I created the Black Book because I needed a way to see my inner thoughts, in a structured plan, that I could follow. I needed to prevent myself from being so easily distracted by the pretty birds that fly by. First, I start with a blank sheet of paper and write down everything I want to do, no matter how big or how small. Second, I group it according to category (home, physical, relational, etc). I determine what I’m going to do according to the size of the goal and how many steps it will take to accomplish it. And finally, I write my goals in my book, starting with quarterly, then monthly. I revisit the goals weekly and make adjustments as needed. Need a copy of the Little Black Book: Dr Glenna’s Secret to Starting and Finishing? Visit www.GlennaAndersonMyshopify.com
5. Create a new vision board: The purpose of a vision board to give you a physical place to house your thoughts and ideas. It allows you put your internal dialogue on paper, and visit it as often as you need to. At the top of the year, I review my previous vision board and celebrate myself for the goals I was able to achieve. Second, I decide if there are any goals that I want to continue to pursue. Perhaps something I made progress or movement on, but not quite completed. Finally, I block out a day where I can listen to music or chat with friends while we cut out pictures and words that personify my vision. I physically put together my board and hang it in a place where I will repeatedly pass it and review it.
Change is challenging, but always worth it in the end. Even if you missed the mark for January, it's never too late to hit the reset button and start fresh. Try one or two of these things and let me know how it helped to propel you into that shiny, polished version of yourself.
