It’s hard to believe 2016 is almost over. And what a year it has been! 2016, for me, will definitely go down in the books as an amazing year of transition, relocation, love, learning, and a lot of fun! I hope the year has been good to you as well. I started thinking about 2017 and realized I’ve yet to set my resolution goals. As always, I will have a resolutions post up the first of the year. It’s the one day of the year I really open up about life, love, struggle, etc. giving you a true glimpse into my day to day. 

Today I thought I would share my recommendations for New Year motivation. Ways you can plan for success and envision where you’d like to be a month from now, three months from now, and even a year from now. So let’s get started!

Look at 2016 – Congratulate yourself! First and foremost, however challenging your year has been, congratulate yourself! No matter how small, there’s always something to be proud of. Making a new friend, learning a new skill, returning a kindness, helping someone up when they were down, eating healthier foods, etc. etc. etc. – you get the idea. I’m probably not one to talk because I am very hard on myself and everything I do. It’s rare I sit down and tell myself “good job” or pat myself on the back for achieving new goals. But I think it’s really important to give yourself some credit and to not be so hard on yourself for the goals you didn’t achieve or the places in your life that need improvement. Take a look at what you’ve done and what you have – I’m sure someone somewhere is wishing for what you’ve already got. 

Make a list. After you’ve given yourself some kudos and a nice big hug 🙂 it’s time to make a list! I loveee making lists – seriously, I think it’s a minor sickness.  Think about the things you want to accomplish or the things you wanted to achieve this year, but just couldn’t fit in. Your list can include items for work, items for life, items for love, travel, personal appearance, education, etc. The world is your oyster! Once you’ve exhausted your brain and your list is done, try putting them in order of importance. This will help you to prioritize. 

Speaking of prioritization, watch this video…

Set your goals. Now that you’ve had a chance to make a list, and possibly edit it, it’s time to set goals to match your aspirations and desires for 2017. Keep in mind, these don’t have to be lofty ideas like building a billion dollar empire or losing 100 pounds. Small goals are still goals all the same. For example, I really, really want to start getting up earlier in the mornings and I want to get to a place where it isn’t incredibly painful to do so. Not necessarily life changing, but it could give me extra hours each day to accomplish new things and to get work done early. Your goals should also include a reasonable timeline. Will it take two months to learn to ski? Or will it take 12 to find new love? Goals are ever changing because life happens and it happens to all of us. Be kind to yourself if you don’t complete a resolution on time or if you miss the mark altogether. I don’t know if this needs to be said, but I recommend writing or typing these and keeping them close by for quick reference. 

Make a plan of execution. Now that you’ve made a list and you’ve created goals, it’s time to think about the execution. Let’s use weight loss as an example, since that’s a very common resolution. If your list states you want to “lose weight” and your goal says you “want to lose 10 pounds in two months” your plan of execution would say things like “eat a balanced diet, incorporate fresh foods, buy a gym membership, walk during lunch hour, etc.” And once you meet your goal(s) it’s not a bad idea to incorporate rewards! A massage, a day off work, some shopping, etc…

Buy a fun outfit to ring in the New Year. So here you are – with a list, some goals and a plan of execution…now what!? Other than getting excited about all your planned accomplishments, I think it’s time to celebrate the end of a year and the beginning of all things 2017 – this might involve some new shoes. Go on girl, go get yourself some New Year’s Eve attire! Hey, if it means buying a new set of pj’s and a set of wine glasses, I’m all for that too – you do you. If you’re thinking of wearing something a little more fancy, last week I shared a post with a beautiful black lace dress. And for some additional options, I’ve included linked photos below!