My 14+ Steps to Help You Plan Your Most Successful Year Yet
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call me crazy but I LOVE THE START OF THE NEW YEAR
January needs a re-brand.
So often I feel like we’re so focused on the holidays being over & the daunting feeling of returning to our inbox that the beauty of this time of year is overshadowed.
This is the perfect time to go deep, get serious about your biggest hopes and dreams and set intentions for the year ahead. But sometimes the process of intention setting can feel a little daunting. I vividly remember a few years back googling “how to set goals” which I’m sure I’m not alone in doing.
Since then I’ve read countless books, listened to allllllll the career podcasts & cherry picked my favorite tools to help me set myself up for success for the year ahead.
Whether you’re reading this in January, in the middle of the summer or at the holidays I’m a firm believer that goals and intentions can be set at any time of year (but I prefer to start my year focused so I do this in January).
Here are the 14 steps I take to start my year on the right foot.
**I am by no means an expert and this list may not work for everyone. Take the parts of the list that work for you and tweak the other parts that don’t. I’m just sharing my process and hopefully, there’s something that can help you!**
STEP 1: CLEAN & DECLUTTER YOUR MOST LIVED-IN SPACES
I truly don’t feel like I can do my best work or feel on top of my life if my space is cluttered. So one of the first things I do before I set goals or intentions is a DEEP clean of all my spaces. This can often take a few days so I suggest tackling a different area each day to avoid burnout.
If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide on how to get your house in order I recommend this book. I personally aspire to have my life and home as organized as anyone who is a practitioner of the Home Edit and if you are someone who likes a little guidance, I love their workbook to get you started.
Here are the places I clean to give you an idea of where to begin:
My closet - which allows me to look at the items I’ve worn over the past year and determine if there’s anything I can donate, sell in a live sale or list on my Poshmark. While my closet is NOT nearly where I’d like it to be, my best tips are using bookshelves like this one for shoe storage & I swear by these hangers to maximize space on my racks.
My bathroom - I go through my drawers, toss old products, and clean out my linen closet which becomes a pit of things I’ve tossed in there just to get them out of sight. A few years ago I bought this stacking acrylic thing to organize my makeup, this fancy lazy Susan for my skincare & these dividers to keep my drawers organized.
My room - I clean out my dresser (I love these for my undies & sock drawer), I clean out my nightstand drawer & use this to keep the top of my nightstand organized.
My office - I dust my shelves, clean out my desk drawers (I used these organizers), organize my business cards & use this to keep the top of my desk clean. I also like this for my pens.
My car - this is the easiest to clean. I like to make sure i have all my reusable bags in one neat spot in my trunk and clean out the dreaded center console.
PS while I’m doing all of this I like to listen to an audiobook that I listen to every year. Some of my top choices are linked below.
STEP 2: MAKE TIME TO GET QUIET
With all the chaos of our day-to-day lives, no matter when you do this practice, finding some time to remove distractions while you do the next few steps is key. I suggest doing this on your days off in a quiet place in your home & letting anyone you live with know what you’ll be up to.
If you want to take this a step further you can book a Getaway House. These are tiny cabins located about 2 hours from most major cities. They are designed to be retreats for travelers looking to disconnect from their phones, and inbox, and get back to nature and away from distractions.
I use my Getaway to read, escape my inbox for a few days, turn off social media & set intentions for the year ahead (this has quickly become my secret to success for the year ahead).
CLICK HERE AND USE MY CODE ALLEPIERCE FOR $25 OFF YOUR STAY.
This video dives deep into what Getaway House is all about.
STEP 3: READ YOUR JOURNALS, NOTEBOOKS AND PLANNERS
Before you can plan for the year ahead, you have to know where you started from. If you keep a planner or notebook or even a journal, take some time to look back on the previous year. You’ll get some great insight into where your head was at, highlights and lowlights & some ideas on what you can work on in the coming year.
This is my favorite planner, use code ALLEABROAD10 (10% off entire purchase, expires 3/31/23)
STEP 4: DO AN AUDIT OF YOUR PAST YEAR
This was something I started doing in 2021 and I really love this practice. The questions I ask have morphed over the year and come from a wide range of sources but the concept is what’s important. I find it really helpful to look back on the past year and honestly evaluate the different areas of my life.
I don’t feel like I can accurately set intentions or goals for the year ahead without understanding where I’m starting from.
I bust out my journal, put on some peaceful music, and let my pen flow (again I usually do this when I’m in my Getaway House to avoid any distractions).
Here are some of the questions I ask myself in my annual audit:
YEARLY OVERVIEW: I always start with a general reflection on the year, any overarching feelings, things I want to remember, highs, lows & BIG wins. I just write for as long as I feel like it.
EMOTIONAL CHECK-IN:
How did you feel at the top of the year?
How did you feel during the year?
How did you feel at the end of the year?
In one word how did you feel about the year?
In one word how do you want to feel about the year ahead?
KEY MOMENTS:
I write down any big wins or key dates from the past year in a bullet list so that I can remember
I also write down important people from the past year and how they impacted my year
GOALS:
I write down all of the big goals or intentions I hit
Then I write down the goals I didn’t hit and put stars next to the ones that I’m still working towards and release any that aren’t in alignment anymore
TRAVEL AUDIT:
I go through each destination/trip I took and give it a rating out of 10 & write down what I loved about the trip and what I didn’t love.
STEP 5: REFLECT ON YOUR WINS & THINGS YOU’RE STILL WORKING ON
After you finish your audit, take some time to read it & reflect on where you’re at. Are there any goals/intentions you want to still work towards in the new year? Anything you want to let go of? Take some time to really feel good about all the previous wins of the year before.
PRO TIP: Something I do throughout the year is write down my wins on a tiny piece of paper and toss them in a jar. Then at the end of the year (or when I need a confidence boost) I read over all the things I wrote down. This is also helpful for this end-of-year reflection practice.
STEP 6: SET INTENTIONS FOR EACH AREA OF YOUR LIFE
I like to let this flow freely. I do a bullet list of all the goals, ideas and intentions I have for the new year.
Some of mine for 2023 include:
Hiring someone to help with Gals Abroad Getaways administrative work
Make progress pitching my TV pilot
Make time for adventure & fun each week
Live abroad for 1 month this summer with friends
Offer quarterly Gals Abroad Getaways meetups
You get the point.
After I have my list, I like to organize these intentions into the different categories of my life: health, career, personal, fun, travel, finance, etc.
You’ll come back to this list in step 8 & it will be helpful for the next step.
STEP 7: LET GO
I started a new ritual this year. I initially heard about this practice on a podcast and then I kinda made my own version of it (after consulting google too haha). I’ve heard many people do this and I gotta say I felt totally witchy doing it lol.
I write down a list of all the things I want to let go of in the new year & all the things I want to call in. This year I did 23 of each because 2023. I make two separate lists, put each thing on its own piece of paper and then place all the things I want to release in one bowl & all the things I want to call in in another.
I start with the things I want to release and one by one set them on fire (PLEASE DO THIS IN A SAFE PLACE). I was at my Getaway Cabin which comes with its own outdoor fire pit so I bundled up and sat outside while I did this ritual. As I individually dropped each paper into the fire I took a moment to think about the energy I was releasing.
Then I took the items that I wanted to call in & did the same thing. But this time I really tried to feel what it would be like if that were my reality.
This is the blog post I used as a reference & you might find it helpful too!
PRO TIP - write these on a separate list to reference later in the year.
STEP 8: TIME TO GET CRAFTY
IT’S FINALLY TIME FOR THE VISION BOARD.
You’re probably thinking FINALLY…. but here’s the thing, if you want to set realistic intentions that will actually become your reality, searching random photos in magazines and on Pinterest just ain’t gonna cut it boo boo.
So, here’s my step by step process for making a vision board.
Here’s what you’ll need:
A board - this is the one I use, it comes in a pack of 5 so you’ll be good for the next five years (lol)
scissors - I like these gold ones cause I’m boujee
Your cut-out images - (we’ll get into those below)
Glue - I use a glue stick lol
An uplifting playlist
Light a candle to get you in the mood or if you’re witchy some palo santo for calling in positive energy
HERE’S MY STEP BY STEP VISION BOARD GUIDE:
Use the intentions you set to help guide you on your image search - I mostly use Pinterest for this
Take the photos you collect from Pinterest and put them into a black Canva doc.
If there are certain works or specific goals you don’t have images for, use the tools in Canva to make text boxes and incorporate those into your pages
I neatly organize everything in college form and then email the doc to my local FedEx to have them printed on nice paper (this is extra but I find the quality and color better than my printer at home).
BONUS STEP - you can take some of those images you collected and make a background for your desktop that you can look at each day (an example is the image above)
Cut out your images and start to arrange them on your board. I kinda try to group mine but also just go with what I feel looks best.
Glue your pieces on the board.
MOST IMPORTANT STEP - put this board somewhere you are going to see it every day. It doesn’t help if you make the board and forget about it. You need to see it every day. I have mine just above my desk so I can glance it at every day when I’m working.
STEP 9: USE A HABIT TRACKER
One of the new tools I’m implementing this year is a habit tracker. I’m trying out a few different versions to see which is easiest for me to record.
Boiled down, habit tracking is keeping track of patterns and checking off a time you completed a new habit.
Studies show that people who track their habits successfully build new habits because the more they repeated that new behavior the more motivated they are to stick to their goals.
I’m testing out a new productivity planner that has its own habit tracker page - LOVING this planner.
If you’re more into sticky notes I’m also trying to put these in the places where I’m doing the habit to check off
And if you’re looking for an app on your phone - I really like this one.
STEP 10: CREATE AN ACTION PLAN FOR ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS
"A goal without a plan is just a wish." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
BOOM - THAT’S THE TRUTH RIGHT THERE.
Now, I’ll admit that this is an area I have yet to master. I’m the queen of trying to do too many things with to-do lists miles long.
That said, what’s been helping me, is coming up with monthly goals in the various areas of my life and working backward.
To help me organize this I like to put them into Google docs with a checklist that I can reference and add to as the year goes on. This is good for those who don’t have an office and are on the go constantly.
For those that have a physical office - I LOVE using a GIANT two-sided whiteboard (shoutout to Glo Atanmo for introducing me to this). I divide the board into 6 squares one for each part of my life: Gals Abroad Getaways, Hosting, Social Media, Admin, etc., and write down the big goals I have for myself that month. This way those are staring me straight in the face each and every day I walk into my office.
STEP 11: GET A FANCY PLANNER
There is no way that I would be able to keep track of ALL THE THINGS if it wasn’t for a planner. I’ve been a planner gal since my High School days and I have to admit there is such a giddy feeling that I get each and every time I get to pick out my planner for the year.
Call me old fashioned but I don’t like to keep a digital planner (I have appointments on google cal but it’s not my fav). Instead, I write down my daily tasks, and appointments and schedule out my physical planner.
Also, I find that if I love the design, look and feel of my planner I will be excited to look at and write in it lol.
This is my favorite planner, use code ALLEABROAD10 (10% off your entire purchase, expires 3/31/23)
If you are more of a digital person - you do you - I do not have any good tips for you though haha. Google will be your BFF on that one.
STEP 12: GET INSPIRED & FIND A GURU
Wow, you’ve done a lot…haha. Planning out your wildest dreams is a lot of work, isn’t it?! But this should be SO fun.
That said, all these goals, intentions, and new habits can be DAUNTING. This means if you don’t have a plan to stay inspired or keep going, getting off track can be really easy.
So I suggest finding your “guru”. By that I mean, someone you find inspiring who can help guide you on your journey. There are an infinite number of options when it comes to coaches on the internet and I will say a few things about this.
Proceed with caution. I find that often times these self-help gurus can feel like they’re collecting a paycheck and getting you to sign up for x, y and z and before you know it you’re caught in an MLM scheme.
Try out a few before you commit or invest
Take their advice with a grain of salt unless you are working with them on a one-on-one basis and they have intimate insight into your life, goals and business.
The number one coach I recommend time and time again because I have personally taken her classes, downloaded her books and been coached by here one on one is Glo Atanmo. NO ONE can compete with the amount of time, energy, and love Glo pours into her students. I know her personally and can 100% say she is THE REAL DEAL.
STEP 13: CREATE A DAILY GRATITUDE AND MANIFESTATION PRACTICE
This was a big unlock for me during the pandemic when I had plenty of time and seemingly not a lot to be grateful for. I was VERY wrong.
The act of writing out what you are grateful for at the start of every day is such a powerful mindset tool. It can instantly shift your mood and remind you of all that you have in your life even in the darkest moments.
The journal I used when I started my practice is this one. I like how straight to the point it is and makes starting this new habit easy to keep up with. (It’s also made by the same company as my productivity planner).
When it comes to manifestation - my guru is Gabby Bernstein. I’m currently doing her 21-day manifestation challenge and love the little daily actions she gives you. If you’re new to manifestation I suggest reading this book.
STEP 14: SCHEDULE A TIME TO REVIEW YOUR GOALS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
THIS IS SOOOOOOO IMPORTANT AND WHERE MANY OF US FALL SHORT.
At the start of any year, we are all so motivated to do ALL THE THINGS and crush our goals. But then come June, where do we stand…? How many of us actually take the time to check in on our goals and review how we’re doing? Probably not often enough…
I’ll be honest, I just started a quarterly goal check in practice last year and it was pretty sobering.
That said it’s a lot easier to course correct on a goal in June than on December 30th.
So set a plan for yourself to check in on your goals. I’d like to get to a point where the last day of each month I do a check-in with myself. Check-in on how I’m feeling about my goals, what I need to work on etc. Maybe you do this weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly. Just find time to check in with yourself.
I like to give myself a letter grade for how I’m doing in each area of my life that I set goals and come up with a plan on how to improve moving forward.
BONUS - CREATE YOUR YEARLY BUCKET LIST
THIS IS ANOTHER FUN ONE!
I actually call mine my adventure list. This is where you write down all the fun and random things you’d like to do this year. This is purely for funsies and a good way to keep track of how much fun you’re having in the year to come.
If you’re looking for ideas, here are a few:
Any restaurants you want to try
Travel plans
A big purchase you’re saving for
A spa treatment
A new town near you that you’ve been looking to explore
A road trip with your besties
Treating your loved ones to a nice dinner
The world is your oyster - WRITE IT ALL DOWN!
Something fun I plan to do this year with my list is print out each item on a little piece of paper, crumple it up and put it into a jar. Then at the beginning of each week, I’ll pull out a piece of paper and that will be my adventure day activity for the week.
WOW, THAT WAS A LOT, HOW ARE WE FEELING?!
I know I hit you with A LOT haha but this is truly the process I take each and every year and I LOVE doing it. I hope that you’ve found some helpful ideas to help you plan your most successful year yet. And if you have, please let me know in the comments below!
XX ALLECAT
