Living Your Best Year 2023

Although most of the world sees the new year as a time to make massive changes in their lives, it’s the daily choices that lead to lasting change.

That’s why New Years' Resolutions are so ineffective. Instead of destroying old habits this year, and focusing on lofty resolutions that are hard to stick with... how about trying to focus on new energies.

How do you want your life to FEEL? What do you want your life to LOOK like? Imagine you’re already whole, enough and capable. Start there. You’re not lacking, you’re getting clear on who you really are.

First of all, unlike resolutions that most of us make every year... intentions are not goals attached to external outcomes. They help you align with what you most want from the inside out. They inspire how you approach situations and decisions. Your intentions are more about WHY you’re doing whatever it is you are driving towards. This year, you can start and finish strong by making strong long-term intentions and better choices each day. Here are some tips for making sure this is your best year ever.

Break It Down: whether you want to save for a dream home, start a business or get healthier, you need to recognize it’s going to take time. Our desire for instant gratification can lead us to give up before we even really get started pursuing our goals. Chose the one big thing you want to have by the end of the year and then break down the steps you’ll need to take to make it happen. Then break them down even further. Come up with small tasks that you can complete daily in only 10-30 minutes. That will not only help you see the goal as a journey (so you don’t give up too soon), but it also makes the goal easier to tackle.

Track Your Time: we’re all busy. But many people use busyness as an excuse for keeping the status quo, even when they say they want to change. One simple way to find “wasted time” in your schedule is to track it. For at least three days, keep track of what you do all day long. You can use an app, spreadsheet, or a simple notepad to keep track. You’ll soon start to notice you spend more time watching TV, playing games, and checking social media than you would have thought. Once you are aware of this wasted time, chose you instead. Use that time to reconnect with nature, enjoy a hobby, or spend more time with family. Whatever your goal is this year, choosing to spend your time working on it each day will make sure you end the year where you want to be.

Redesign Your Life: Most of us sleepwalk through life more often than we care to admit. If you want to live a happier, more fulfilling life, take stock of what makes you happy. What brings you joy and makes you feel alive? Now, redesign your life to make sure those things are a part of it. Look back at your time-tracking list (from above). What obligations and expectations can you modify or delete entirely, so you live a life full of joy and purpose? Make a conscious decision to choose to live life to the fullest every day.

Take Stock to Start Your Year on The Right Foot: Too often we charge in when it would be better to assess where we are first. It can be painful to look back to see our mistakes and shortcomings. And yet, it’s the best way to determine what we need to do to make significant changes in our lives. Before you prepare to start the new year with loads of new resolutions and goals, take some time to reassess your life in these different areas.

Obligations: Ever wish you had more time for what was genuinely important to you? Now’s the time to make that change. And the first step is by looking at all the things you’ve taken on that no longer feel important. Consider each committee, sponsorship, extended family and friend obligations that no longer feel fun. If they feel like a burden, it’s time to unload them. That may feel challenging. After all, no one wants to let others down. But this is your life, and it’s time to choose yourself instead of others’ wants.

Finances: If you wish you had more money but can’t or don’t want to work more to get it, take a careful look at your finances. Quite often, little wants turn into needs. Scan through last year’s bank statements and make a note of any recurring payments. You may wince when you see how much you’ve spent on unnecessary things throughout the year. Having occasional treats for you and your family is okay. But if “shopping therapy” has become a burden, now’s the time to fix it. Make a list of all the ways you could cut back without feeling deprived. For example, could you eat out two nights a week instead of four? Is it essential that you shop for clothes every month? How much could you save if you took your lunch to work three days a week instead of getting take-out? Do you find it fun to have four bazillion TV channels?

These are just a few ways you can trim expenses, so you can save for things that matter to you instead.

Dreams and Goals: Many people cite not having enough time or not enough money as the reason why they stay in dead-end jobs, don’t pursue their passions, or make real changes in their lives. If that was you and you’ve taken the advice and reevaluated your obligations and finances, those excuses should no longer be holding you back. So, what do you want really? To go back to school and start a new career? Turn your side hustle or hobby into a business? Purchase and cook homemade, whole foods that support your health and wellness? By choosing to make those two changes in your life, you’ve now opened up a whole new world for yourself. Grab it, and don’t look back!

Four Changes That Can Transform Your Year and Your Life:

Sometimes, making changes that you want to see in your life feels nearly impossible. It takes a willingness to step outside your comfort zone to make significant changes that will transform your world. If you want to start your year out right, these subtle changes can be the beginning of a happier, healthier life.

Listen to Your Intuition: We like to think life is linear and rational. But more often than not, we make blind decisions based on what we know at the time. But what if you started following your intuition more often than your brain? Often, the right choice is the one we don’t fully understand at the time. Your intuition can lead you down a path you least expect, but that can change your life in exciting ways. Worry less about connecting the dots and spend more time riding the wave.

Understand Your Why: You want to make changes but find year after year, you have yet to make it happen. One reason for this is that you don’t understand why you want to make the change. Or you understand it, but you focus on how hard it will be to make the change. Look at the big goal you have and ask yourself why you want it. Will it free up time, make you healthier, or make retirement more comfortable? If the answer is yes, you should keep your thoughts on how much better your life will be when you’ve made the change, and then take action. Always start with your “why.”

Take Action: Often we humans wait until the time is right to do something meaningful. And for this reason, many of us have regrets later in life. What do you genuinely want? If you can answer that question automatically, it’s time to take action. Any action. It doesn’t have to be the “right” action. But making that first step will lead you to discover the right next steps to take that will lead you to where you want to go.

Stay Shortsighted: Have you ever thought you’d like to make a significant change in your life but then thought yourself out of it? When we look too far into the future, we can get overwhelmed and end up doing nothing. Ask yourself what the first step would be to make that change. Then the next step. And the next one. Most successful people didn’t know where exactly they’d end up. They just knew they wanted to change their lives, and so they did, step by step. Don’t let the fear of the unknown future steal your happiness today by keeping you stuck. Go forward, grow and be all that you can be in 2023!