How to Prepare for a New Year (2023)

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How to Prepare for a New Year

The end of the year is upon us and with many of us on a holiday break, now is a good time to get still, reflect and think about the year ahead. Before rushing off to make goals for the new year, taking time to get some pre-work done is essential. Prework is defined as work done as preparation for some other activity. Prework Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster.

In this post I will cover my tips on preparing for 2023!

1. Make a list

If you are anything like me, it is easy to have so many thoughts in your head at once. Which may lead to analysis paralysis where you don’t get anything done. A rule of thumb before any planning session with yourself or with a group of people is to do a brain dump. Verbal to visual has a great video to guide you on how to do an effective brain dump. Check out the video! 5 Ways to Declutter Your Brain – YouTube

Questions to consider for your brain dump:

·        How are you feeling?

·        What is bothering you?

·        Where do you need clarity?

I personally love brain dumping by writing in my journal. Writing has always been my modus operandi for navigating life. My method is similar to Morning Pages (Morning Pages | Julia Cameron Live.) It’s a great practice.

Journal Recommendations: Morgan Harper Nichols has the BEST journals via Fringe Studio. I’ve been a fan of Fringe Studio for a while, and I can’t recommend them enough. You can find them also at Target for a cheaper price here: New Beginnings Journal

2. Reflect

Now that your mind is clear, it is time to reflect on the good. A great practice is pulling out your phone and going through all the photos and screenshots you took of the year. It is a helfpul reminder of all the great things we might have forgotten. Here are a few things that I’m reflecting on from my iPhone storage:

• Consistency with my Peloton Bike

• Solo road trip to Waco Silos

• Saw John Mayer & JoJo in concert

• Ran my second 5K

• Visited a new city in Texas (El Paso)

• Visited Napa Valley and Minnesota for the first time (hello Mall of America and cheese curds!)

• Got to experience the New York Ballet (Solange Knowles is so talented)

• Learned how to apply false lashes (this is a big deal HA!)

• Received a promotion/raise

• Facilitated a conference call with over 300 women leaders (the nerves were SO real)

• 41 countries viewed CD this year (whoa!)

• The list goes on…

If you have felt defeated by things that didn’t work this year or mistakes you made, this practice helps to get a WHOLE view of your year. There isn’t anything wrong with reflecting on the good. In order to help you out and I have linked a worksheet. This is also a great introduction to my workbook/guide that will be available for download in January 2023.

3. Do a life audit

Make a list of different categories where you can reflect on. Here are some examples:

·        Faith/Spirituality

·        Finances

·        Relationships

·        Career/Business

·        Self-Esteem / Confidence

Now that you have a list going ask yourself, “What is working and what isn’t working?” This is a great practice to think through before goal planning. This will also help to refine and define specific areas that may need some tweaking.

4. Declutter your home

Growing up my mom was big on getting the house together for the new year. As I have grown, I finally understand why. Due to the lull and slowness of the winter, it’s a great opportunity to declutter the places we have overlooked throughout the year. Life gets busy and some things we couldn’t handle any sooner than now. Take time to take stock of your apartment/home and go through each room/closet. Decide what to keep and what to toss!

5. Write yourself a letter

There is something powerful about marking a moment in time where you can look back and remember all the ways you have grown. Feel free to include some of the previous steps in your letter writing. This may be helpful in getting those juices flowing. Also, make a declaration for the future.

Here is an example:

Dear self,

This was quite an eventful year for you. You stepped out of your comfort zone and tried new things. From being consistent with your workouts, traveling to new places and stretching yourself in the best way. Moving into the new year I want to focus on deeper connections, getting back into a women’s group (church community group) and learning how to make several streams of income for my future. I’m declaring that God will open doors I thought impossible in 2023 for myself and those that I love. It’s time to step it up a notch.

Love,

Me

I understand that a new year doesn’t automatically change things, but that should never stop us from striving to do better. I hope this write up will be helpful as you begin to think about your 2023 goals. So, tell me something good! What happened to you this year? I would love to hear it.

All my love,

DES

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Left to right

• Focused Planner (If you like planners with NO frills this is for you)

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• Life Planner (For the woman who LOVES to plan you will love their staple product)

• Checklist Journal (For the woman who isn’t interested in having a planner but likes checklists, check this one out!)