I love the start of a new year, it always feels like a fresh start with so many possibilities! I have a few rituals and tasks I always do this time of year to prepare for the coming year. Here are 6 things I do to kick off the new year.

Choose my word of the year

This has been my third year with this practice and so far I have really found it helpful. At the start of the year a find a word that represents what I want to incorporate into my life. It might be something that I feel like I desperately need or something that I just want to manifest to work towards my ideal life.

This year my word is “intentional”. I am hoping to be more intentional about my decisions, where I spend my money, the type of work I do, etc. I hope this word will remind me to stop and think about what my goals are, and what I need, and to be more mindful. I typically post my word around my desk area, sometimes write it in my planner or incorporate it into my other start-of-the-year exercises.

Create a Vision Board

Another start-of-the-year ritual includes creating a vision board. There are so many ways to do this, I choose to create mine using a canvas, paint, magazine clippings, and stickers. I first start to collect messages and images that are meaningful to me by cutting them out and saving them in a bag. I will also add other things I may have collected through the year that speak to me such as stickers, wrappers, pieces of paper, etc. I then paint my canvas and arrange my clippings. My word for the year is usually included in my vision board somewhere and helps drive the overall theme.

Reflect on the Previous Year

At the start of the year is when I usually look back on my quarter 4 goals and see how I did. What was I able to accomplish? I keep detailed analytics on my accounts and notes on quarterly goals so this is helpful. I also keep a monthly wins document hanging in my office so it is a nice time to reflect on all of my wins over the past year. As part of my reflections sometimes I complete a “Start, Stop, Continue” document where I think about the habits and things I want to start this year, what I want to stop focusing on, and what I want to continue doing in the next year.

I also take this time to create a book of my favorite photos from the previous year. I take photos throughout the year but often don’t do much with them. I now use Chatbooks to make a book of photos each year and have a nice collection of them to go back through when I want to remember past events and trips. It’s always fun to look through all of the pictures from the previous year and pick the ones you really want to remember.

Set SMART goals

I love goal setting and the start of the year is a great way to set goals for your year and quarters. I tend to do backward planning when setting goals and always make sure they are SMART. Smart goals are goals that are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-sensitive. I like to look at my overall goals for the year and then start to divide them up and work backward. What do I need to do each quarter to make those goals? What do I need to do each month to meet quarterly goals, etc? I also schedule regular check-ins so that I can review my goals monthly and quarterly to make updates and see how I did.

Cleaning

I like to clean my spaces and my mind to make room for the new year. This often includes going through my home and collecting items for donation, decluttering my office space, deep cleaning high-traffic areas, and meditation to release whatever I may be holding onto from the past year. I also usually do a good smudging of my home.

Gather my tools

One of my favorite things about this time of year is getting a new calendar! I love all planning tools so I usually gather whatever I need to prepare for conquering my goals. This may include updating office supplies, buying a new journal, posting new positive affirmations, etc. It may also include purchasing a new workout outfit for all my fitness goals. This year it included posting my updated positive affirmations calendar on my desk, posting my word of the year and manifesting goals on my desktop computer, and getting some new office pens.

As a fun freebie, I created this desktop wallpaper that features a positive affirmation, calendar, and space for you to organize your files. It has helped me stay positive and makes me happy to look at it when I sit down at my desk. I hope it helps you too!