Find your joy in a new year

Want to have a great 2020? Your feelings will tell you which goals are truly yours. Work on those.

New year, new you?

Nope, try again.

New year, better you? That’s for you to decide. 

I think it’s crazy how every year we aspire to be a reinvented person. Don’t get me wrong, I commend your ambition, but what’s wrong with who you are right now? As soon as January hits, you forget all the good you did this previous year and only focus on what you didn’t achieve.

Before I go any further into new year’s goal setting, take a minute and celebrate the amazing things you did in 2019. Can’t think of any? Let me celebrate for you! You’re here, you’re alive, you’re reading this article and you’re striving for personal growth. That all deserves to be celebrated. 

Sure, no-one is perfect and we have habits we need to break, but that doesn’t mean you need to throw away all the great things about you. 

This new year, I challenge you to revive your usual resolutions. Here’s how:

Reflect on the areas of your life that you think “need” to change this year. Focus on how those thoughts make you feel and why you feel you need to change. Will this goal be important in a week? A month? A year from now? How will you feel when you achieve it? When you focus on the feeling around a goal, it helps you to prioritize.  If it’s important, remember that feeling and keep going!

Think about why you didn’t achieve this goal in previous years. How is 2020 going to be different? Is your goal a bigger priority now? Do you have more time? Did the stars align and made 2020 the optimal time to shine? 

Approach your goal with a new mindset and attitude. Focus on your happiness and goals that bring you joy, rather than your wants. Set goals that fit into improving your overall life. Yes, looking hot in that red dress is a strong goa. But focusing on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, you’ll pursue the dream with joy.

Focus on the habits around your goals, rather than the goal itself. Start small. Instead of saying “I’m going to save more,” start with the habit of saving $20 a week and level up from there. 

If you determined that this goal will improve your life and happiness, it’s time to tackle it head-on and make a plan. Small actions every day will create a big impact by the end of the year.

For example, say you want to read 30 books this year: set time in your schedule every day to read. Make it a priority by creating a “reading” appointment in your calendar. Figure out how many pages per week you have to read to achieve your goal and start there. Make a list of the books you want to read, so you’re not wasting time trying to decide later. Put thought into how you can make your goals manageable and it will push you closer towards success.

You deserve to feel your best all year round, not just in January. This year, I challenge you to continue to work on your personal growth all year. Find your “joy goals” and bump them up.

You are worthy of your dream life. It’s time to see it shine through you.

More Inspiration: Check out this cool article on how to influence others in a positive way.

Author: Jessica Clerke is the digital editor for Optimyz Magazine and Silver a part of HUM@Nmedia. She’s a regular contributor to the publications and is based in Nova Scotia.