Well, maybe…but probably not.

While New Year’s Eve is traditionally a time for celebrating and making plans for the year to come, it’s not a magical event that transforms you into a brand-new person. Before you announce your resolutions and everything you’re giving up come January 1st, spend some time reflecting on your progress over the past year and think about realistic changes you can make throughout the next year.

Five Areas of Reflection As You Enter the New Year:

1) Physical and Mental Health. How was your health this past year? Are you taking steps to improve or maintain it? Are you aware of what steps you should be taking? Schedule a physical exam and follow-up on any areas of concern that come up. Consider scheduling a counseling appointment to address mental health concerns. You don’t have to wait for a crisis to see a therapist. Big life events, anxiety, increased stress, changes in mood, and feeling lost or without purpose are just a few examples of reasons why people go to counseling.

2) Spirituality. Did you feel a connection to your Higher Power over the last year? Did you take the time to cultivate that connection through prayer or meditation? Did you feel at peace with yourself throughout the year? Have you discovered your purpose, and are you walking in your purpose? Be intentional about working on your spirituality. Schedule time to disconnect from the daily grind, and reconnect with God.

3) Relationships. Are your friendships and romantic relationships mutually beneficial? Are you hanging on to people because of the length of time you’ve known them even if they add no value to your life? What kind of conversations do you have with your friends? Do you spend time with genuine people who want the best for you? You don’t have to make a list of people to cut off every year, but give some thought to the people you surround yourself with. Time is valuable. Spend it with people that make you feel loved and appreciated, and foster your growth.

4) Career and Finances. How do you feel about your current job? Do you still feel like your chosen field is a good fit for you? What’s your plan to make sure that you don’t end up miserable or burned out at work?

For the most part, we go to work to make money. If we didn’t care about money, we’d just volunteer our time and services right? With that being said, don’t let your hard work go to waste because you don’t know how to manage your money. Write out a feasible plan for saving and investing your money. Schedule a meeting with a financial advisor at your bank—whether you’re just getting started or have been working on this for a while, it won’t hurt to get some more tips.

5) Personal Goals & Self-Care. What areas do you want to improve solely for your benefit? Do you need to work on effective communication? Patience? Anger management? Do some soul searching and identify what you want to work on. Hint: paying attention to areas like mental health and spirituality will help with this task.

And last, but not least, how do you take care of yourself? Find some hobbies, take day trips, read books just for fun, get a massage, pamper yourself if need be—but whatever you do, make self-care a priority. That’s the first step in becoming the best version of yourself.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more areas to explore and reflect on. Hopefully this list will help get you started.

Don’t forget to celebrate the fact that you made it through another year! Happy Holidays!

-S.M. Grady

© 2019 S.M. Grady

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Check out Success Starts with Self-Care if you need some help getting started in that area!