The Best New Year Goal Setting & Reflecting Exercise

The time has come for a special ritual!

Here’s a powerful New Year exercise that I dive into annually. It’s nice to look back on a year remember some important moments that may have otherwise been lost in the shuffle. A lot has happened!

Who knows, you may be inspired to dream bigger than ever.

We know it’s important to have goals, and we know it’s powerful to write them down. There is a very real magic that happens when we put pen to paper…

Here we go!

Step 1: Reflect

Take a look at your past year’s calendar or planner to jog your memory. I looked at my calendar and recalled several things I had completely forgotten about!

1. List five words or phrases that represent the last year for you. What did you experience? (No judgment.)

2. List 10 things that you are proud of from last year. What did you overcome? What did you explore or create?

3. List the challenges and lessons that came from the last year. What was tough and what did you learn?

4. List the most fun and joyful memories– everything big, small, and in-between. What lit you up? What made you smile?

Step 2: List it Out

1. Create the following three sections on a new piece of paper:

A. Relationships: All kinds (romantic, family, friends, colleagues). What does success look and feel like for you in those relationships or friendships?)

B. Self: Mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional. What do you want to be possible with regard to how your feel? Is there something you want to heal or learn more about? Do you want to find support?)

C. Purpose: This could be with regard to anything that feels aligned for you. Nurturing, career, side-hustle, creativity. What is your passion? What do you want to pour yourself into? What do you want to achieve in this area? What helps you feel purposeful?

2. Review your lists.

– What do you want to accomplish and by when? What do you want to promise to yourself?

– What’s not working? List what you want to prune or cut back. Are there new boundaries that need to be set?

Step 3: Dream (I love this part!)

1. Name your new year. Write at the top of a new piece of paper, “202x: The Year of ___________.”

2. Now jot down all of your dreams and ideas — let them flow! From the super small to the pie in the sky, get them all out and onto paper.

3. Review your list of dreams and highlight or circle your top 5.

4. Pick one and just for fun.. double it. (Boom!)

Find a special place for your lists’ safekeeping.

Spoiler Alert: Looking back on these goals is a powerful, eye-opening experience.

When I first reflected on my goal lists, I noticed that what I wrote down often did happen (although not right away). It blew my mind! Previously, I wrote down that I wanted to visit three new countries, that I wanted to attend a retreat, that I wanted to launch a new website, read 2 books a month and sure enough, I did do those things — and I did not remember having written them down!

What does that tell me?

This works.

So, start dreaming!

Here’s to your best year yet! I’m with you, I support you, and I know we can make it great.

Xoxo,

Vanessa

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