If you’ve lived as long as I have, you’ve participated in every kind of year end recap or New Year intention exercise. Which, for the record, I love doing all of them! This year I’ve gathered some of my favorites to share with you. Plus I’ve included three books that have inspired either the mindset or the activity. Feel free to adopt one or all of them. Whichever you decide, do read the books! Here’s 5 Practices to set your intentions for a bright 2021.
Practice 1: Accept and embrace today
Life and business is an Infinite Game according to Simon Sinek in his book The Infinite Game. An absolute must read for any entrepreneur. What this means is there’s no one finish line to life (other than death but that’s not what I’m talking about) and no set rules. You don’t achieve one thing and then that’s it you’re done. There’s only ahead and behind. Same with your business. You don’t arrive at a finish line in business. You adjust goals and evolve with the times.
If you’re going into the new year waiting for the pandemic to be over so you can get back to the life you had before, you’re missing out on the life you have right now. Accept today as it is and build from where you are right now.
Practice 2: Your Word
For the last several years I picked one Word that encapsulated my year’s intentions. Then I established my goals and priorities that served that intention. Pick a Word for the year, or the season, or the month. Whatever will motivate you and keep you focused on what you wish to manifest.
Practice 3: Keep it or leave it
What will you do more of, what will you discard? This is a fantastic way to recap the year. You likely had to make some pivots in your life and business and may have been surprised that some things turned out pretty great. What worked? What will you carry forward? How about the things that didn’t turn out so great? It’s ok to discard things or activities that no longer serve you. What didn’t work or no longer works for you that you’ll leave behind?
Practice 4: 5 Daily Habits
In Atomic Habits, author James Clear says “Getting 1% better every day counts for a lot in the long-run.” Doing the small daily tasks will compound over time resulting in massive change later. Think about the daily habits that would help you spiritually, physically, and mentally. What are 5 small things you could do each day to be 1% better? Here’s several options for daily habits to get you started.
- Break a sweat for 30 minutes or 30 minutes of physical movement.
- Daily meditation
- Daily gratitude
- Drink Xoz of water
- Read for one hour
- Write for one hour
- One Retail Social Academy lesson
- Wake up early or bed by 10 or get 8 hours of sleep
- Eat 3 servings of veggies or give up one food for X days.
- Practice spanish/piano/violin for 30 minutes
Practice 5: Dreams and goals
I love to strive for and hit a goal. What I’ve learned over the years, however, is that a goal should serve a higher purpose. It ought be a stepping stone to a greater dream. Rachel Hollis says “A goal is when you stop hoping for your dreams and actually start working toward them.” The following is inspired by Rachel’s 10-10-1 in her book Girl Stop Apologizing.
Perhaps there’s one or two or more dreams that are still burning inside you but you keep getting sidetracked. These are the dreams that if you looked back in another 5 or 10 years you’d regret not having achieved them. Write them down. Now pick one you’ll start working toward now. Write down the 3-4 milestones you must do in order to reach that dream. Put them in order. Then list out the steps you need to take to hit the first milestone.
Now set your first goal of the year. It could be a one month, three month or twelve month goal. But it’s the first goal you must achieve on your way to the first milestone toward your dream.
Did you enjoy these 5 practices to set your intentions for a bright 2021? Comment below with your Word or a Dream you’re committed to make happen next.