Tuesday's Ten: 10 Presumably Proper Steps for Entering a New Year

1. Recall
   You are about to put 365 days of your life behind you. Think back on the highs and the lows and remember how they brought you to the point that you are at this very moment Did you make any resolutions last year? If so, what were those?
   

2. Reflect
   Did you carry out any of last year's resolutions? What were your failures and successes from the past year? What did you try this past year that you should continue to do in the coming year? What are the lessons you learned that you do not want to forget? What are areas of your life where you have room to grow?
   

3. Think Practically
   With all that in mind, consider what are the most practical ways that you can improve yourself and your life in the coming year? I like to think of 12 - one for each month, and then organize them in order of those that will take the greatest amount of time to achieve, to those that will take the least. That way, I can build upon a new one each month, starting with the most time-consuming goal, like mastering a new skill.
   

4. Think Big(ger)
   Beyond practical goals that seem well within reach, chose a few that will blow your own mind when you achieve them. You can expand upon an existing goal. For instance, a practical goal might be to lose weight, but a bigger goal might be to drop at least five dress sizes. You should dare to dream boldly. Make up your mind to publish a book or transition into a new career. I like to choose up to 3 of these.
   

5. Plan to have fun
   Chances are that a lot of your goals for the new year will involve a lot of hard work and discipline. All work and no play is no way to spend your year! Start looking at upcoming concerts, anticipated movie premiere dates, vacation destinations, and the like. Pencil all of these into your calendar. None of these are set in stone - you’re just keeping them in your sights and on your mind so that you can plan for them and be encouraged by the chance to look forward to them. Bonus: you can start dropping hints about such things to friends and family for birthdays and anniversaries.
   

6. Get Real
   Do your research and learn how to go about accomplishing your goals effectively. Most people have to do a little more than just decide to succeed - they have to learn how. As you start looking into the strategic ways that you can go about succeeding, think of how to apply it to your life specifically - do you need to adjust your schedule to suit the plan or tailor the plan to fit your schedule? Budget for the things you’ll need. Remember all the productivity apps and calendars you downloaded? Or all of the fancy planners that you purchased? Now is the time to start making use of them.
   

7. Get Ready
   Now you have a plan in mind and a plan on paper (or your phone - or whatever), you need to take the next step in preparing. Clean everything - start your new year in a clean and clear space. Your living (and working) areas should be as your mind should be - clear. This is as practical as it is symbolic. Once your space is ready, buy all the things you’ll need to start accomplishing your goals (as time and finances allow). Once you invest money into your goals, try not to let that go to waste (like that gym membership you paid for and didn’t use last year).
   

8. Assemble your team
   You are going to need people in your corner to encourage you when the going gets tough. And you are really going to need a couple of accountability partners to help you stay on track. Don’t wait until you’re ready to give up to seek support. Choose your team now and let them know your plans before you begin. If you are lucky or like-minded, you may find that their goals align with yours and you can walk alongside one another quite directly as you embark upon whatever your journey to personal growth may be.
   

9. Celebrate
   It’s a new year - do not forget that in your haste to make the most of it. So what if it’s just another turn of the earth around the sun? You lived to see it! Many people did not. In addition to the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it miracle of entering a new year, this is a perfect time to renew your drive to be your best self. Take it and run with it.
   

10. Sleep
    You have a long 365 days ahead of you (God willing) and not a moment to lose. You are going to need so much rest. Go to sleep while you actually have a day off. Sleep early. Sleep well. Rest up and dream of everything that you want out of this next year.