December is a great month.
I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year. All of the holiday parties, family gatherings, Christmas church services, Christmas movies, traditions, celebrations, and so forth.
But it’s also honestly the best time to set up the next year ahead. We can be tempted to try to get going in January with resolutions, but realistically, after New Years plans all happen, we can quickly ‘fall behind’ and not really end up getting started or getting momentum. Taking the time in December to review the previous year and set up how you want next year to look is the best way to make sure you hit the ground running and keep momentum in the new year.
I know it can be a hectic and busy time of year, but I know you can set aside even just an hour or two to do this. What I suggest is to spend the first half of your time reviewing your 2021. What were all of your accomplishments? What great things happened? What went well? Then, review the places where thing fell short, what you learned from it, and what you want to do better. Next, spend the second half setting your goals and plans for the next year. I always start with my mission, purpose, vision, and values first, and build my goals from there. Remember goals should have a specific target date for completion and be measurable. Don’t forget to then make at least a rough schedule of the year.
Next, I’d also encourage you to then plan out your first week of the year. In 2022, The first full week of January starts on Monday, January 3rd. Plan out this week how you want it to look to meet your goals and set yourself up for success. That way when you get there, all you have to do is execute that week and get into your desired habits right away.
Still feeling lost in this? Let me know! I’d love to help walk you through this or give you an outline to follow.
Wishing you all the best Christmas season and hope you enjoy all of its blessings.
Jason
