checklist for intentionally approaching a new year (9 ways)
written by Jasmine Irven
The time between the holiday season and the new year can be confusing - is it still time to relax or should you be already working towards your goals for the new year? Do you give yourself grace and stick to your “bad habits” for the rest of the week and start fresh on January 1st, or should you already be shifting?
Honestly there is no wrong answer here. The holiday season, while busy and chaotic, can also be a great opportunity for rest and relaxation, and if you want to continue that theme for a little longer, please do. In fact, please carry those themes into your entire year.
However, I also know that it can be exciting to start planning for the new year. I talk a lot about this idea that each day should be an opportunity to reset (and that you don’t need to wait for a new week/month/ year to make a change in your life if something is calling to you).
BUT
I also recognize the promise of the “blank slate” that is a new year.
And so I’d like to encourage you to create some space and time over these next few days and into January, to really prep for the new year, so that you can approach it with mindfulness and intentionality, rather than stress and anxiety surrounding all the things you want to accomplish.
Here is a little checklist you can use to intentionally approach a new year:
1. declutter and clean your physical space
Your physical space can have a huge impact on your stress levels and emotions. Clutter can cause distraction, and cause you to lose touch with what’s important to you. Plus, the more things you have the more time you likely spend on tasks like cleaning, picking out an outfit, etc.
Try to embody the phrase, “less is more,” when it comes to your physical space. Look through your closet, your drawers, your cupboards and shelves. What gives you joy or has meaning? What serves a practical purpose? On the opposite end of the spectrum, what are you holding onto for no reason?
When you are able to intentionally go through your items and recognize which ones serve a purpose and which don’t, you’re able to create more space for the things that matter to you.
Then, do a deep clean of your space. Whether it’s a room, an apartment, or a full house, I can guarantee you’ll feel better entering the new year if you’re doing it in a space that feels clean and clear.
2. declutter your online presence (unsubscribe and unfollow)
I have a love hate relationship with social media and all of the tools we have for digital connection. I love that they allow me to meet and connect with others and learn about new ideas, but I also recognize that a lot of my stress and discomfort comes from the comparison that I experience when I’m on these platforms, looking at all the things I “could” or “should” be doing.
So, as we enter a new year I would invite you to do a social media audit. Go through your social media accounts. Do you need to be on all of the platforms you’re on? Do you enjoy being on them? Do they serve a purpose? If not, consider deleting your account.
Or, if deleting your account seems too extreme, go through and look at those who you are following. Consider: is this person still in my life? Am I following this account because I want to or because I feel I need to? Do I enjoy the content on this account? Does it align with my values? Unfollow or mute those accounts that cause more harm than good.
I also like to do a similar process with my email! I don’t want to enter the new year with my inbox filling up daily with emails encouraging me to make purchases I don’t need, sign up for courses I don’t have time for, or that simply distract me from my more important tasks and my true values. For the past little while, every time an email lands in my inbox that doesn’t serve me, teach me, or that I don’t enjoy, I unsubscribe from it immediately. I’ve also used platforms like unroll.me in the past which work relatively well!
3. clear your devices
In addition to starting the year with a clean physical space, I love starting with clean devices.
For me that looks like clearing my computer desktop, moving all the photos from my phone to my Google Photo account and harddrive, and organizing folders on my laptop and moving anything I no longer need either to the trash or my harddrive.
It also includes changing my phone screensavers and computer desktop background to something that welcomes in the new year!
4. disconnect from the online world (so you can reconnect with yourself)
As I mentioned above, while social media has its benefits, there can also be a loss of self when we are consuming more than creating. While I need to be connected to some extent for work, I am also working on creating some stricter boundaries on my social media usage and screen time in general that allow me to focus more on MYSELF and my intuition, rather than allowing myself to be influenced so heavily by the thoughts and messages of others.
This time of year especially can be full of noise: people sharing their own lessons learned from the year, their goals for the new year, the “proper” way to set goals, etc., and while to some extent it can be helpful (as I hope this post is for example!), in inspiring you to take action in your own life, it’s also important to really step back and ask yourself how these things apply to you. What they mean to you. What your goals and intentions are for the new year.
Get quiet, disconnect, and give yourself time to connect with your intuition so you can move forward in a way that makes sense to you.
5. journal and reflect
Once you’ve disconnected, I’d invite you to journal and reflect on this past year. What did you learn? What lessons and key takeaways did you find making their way into your life?
In order to move forward with greater clarity, it’s important to recognize your starting point. Where are you at currently and how do you feel about it? What did you accomplish (big and small!) throughout the year? Where was your energy spent? What things did you want to accomplish that you didn’t? Do you still want to do these things or have you changed your mind?
Get clear on how you’re currently feeling, and get grateful for the year prior and lessons learnt, so that when setting goals and intentions for the new year you can choose things that are genuinely relevant and meaningful to you.
6. set intentions and goals for the new year
Speaking of which, once you’ve reflected, take some time to look ahead. How do you want to feel this upcoming year? What’s been on your heart recently that needs your attention and energy.
Set intentions or goals for the year ahead. Not goals that others have for you or themselves, but things that are actually aligned with you and the life you want to create.
Don’t overwhelm yourself on this step! Start slowly.
7. begin to reset your routines
Once you’ve created some direction for your year, begin to recognize how you can better align yourself with these goals and intentions. Focus on the daily habits that will lead to the fruition of these goals.
Regardless of your goals, having more energy and less stress will likely be very helpful to you in your journey. So, begin treating yourself with the respect your mind, body, and soul need to feel energized: breathing deeply, sleeping soundly, eating nourishing foods, and moving your body in ways that feel good.
This isn’t about making drastic changes overnight, but about seeing how you can incorporate small, simple and approachable habits into your life that will nurture these parts of your life. Why not start today?
And p.s. I’m not saying not to finish off those holiday cookies or that bottle of wine! It’s about listening to your body. It’s about balance. It’s about making choices that feel good.
8. complete any end-of-year admin work
I actually love admin work but I know it’s not everyone’s favourite. However, I do know that you’ll likely feel A LOT better once you have some clarity around these aspects of your life for the new year.
Some examples of admin work that may need to be done:
Making appointments (dentist appointments, doctor check-ups, salon appointments, car appointments, coaching, etc.)
Signing up for new courses or programs that excite you
Deleting events in your calendar that are no longer relevant, don’t bring you joy, or don’t work for you and beginning to arrange your schedule to better reflect how you want to spend your days
Reviewing your finances and setting a budget for the new year and/or making an appointment to review your investments
Sending out final invoices and reviewing your income from the year
Going through your mail and throwing out anything you don’t need
9. make space for self-care
Especially if you’re still off work, use this time to begin making self-care a part of your daily routine! Try something creative, allow yourself to nourish areas of your life you’ve been neglecting, learn something new, cultivate a new habit or hobby that excites you, sip coffee or tea slowly, cook more meals at home, go on a walk, take a bath.
Do whatever it is that allows yourself to feel loved and cared for, without expectation.
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
