You hear me? Yes.
It’s not New Year, New Me.
The challenge we have is this: a lot of people come into the New Year with several goals and several ambitions. I used to be one of those people. I’m very aware of the importance of having goals to attain. However, how often do you look back at the goals you created in previous years? What did you achieve? How did you achieve it? Did you write it down? Did you capture pictures? Did you print pictures? Did you create a booklet of memories?
Always rushing through the process. Always rushing through life.
I want to encourage everyone who wants to start the year aggressively, attaining goals, to look at where that got you last year. Did you achieve your goals last year, or are you consistently creating new goals with minimal outcomes?
For those of us who never stop soving
If you’re like me, someone who loves to pick up new hobbies, wear new hats, find new challenges because we’re wired in a way where, as long as we achieve, as long as we accomplish, that’s when we find value, I encourage you to do something different this year.
Go back to the previous year. Find something you didn’t achieve that you really wanted to achieve, and make that the same goal. Make that the same vision. Make that the same mission.
We evolve as humans. We evolve as individuals. There’s a 5-year plan, a 10-year plan, a 1-year plan, and then there’s what God actually has destined and designed for you.
As we enter this new year, I encourage you to take stock of your accomplishments and truly sit in them. Be happy. Be gracious. Be thankful. These are the deep inflections of reflection that we often miss.
A word to my corporate people
This goes to all the corporate people, too. The corporate hamster wheel is a little bit more aggressive. It’s one where you do have to have goals to achieve the next promotion, the next pay rise, the next level.
But I’ve always found that finding fulfillment outside of the things that bring you reward, like monetary reward, is truly where true impact exists in lives.
Redefining what matters
So as we navigate this new year, I encourage everyone to think about:
- What brings me peace?
- What brings me joy?
- What allows me to maximize my life?
- How am I redefining balance?
- How am I redefining wellness?
Am I carving out time for long walks? Or am I taking calls on these walks, therefore limiting the time for me?
Practical guides to add more wellness to your life
1. Protect Your Mornings Before you check your phone, before you check your emails—give yourself 30 minutes of uninterrupted time. Journal, stretch, sit in silence, or enjoy your coffee without the noise of the world.
2. Audit Your Goals Pull out last year’s goals. Not to shame yourself, but to honor what you actually accomplished versus what you thought you needed to accomplish. Celebrate the wins you didn’t even plan for.
3. Create Space for Nothingness Schedule time in your calendar for absolutely nothing. No agenda, no productivity metrics, no outcome. Just being.
4. Document Your Joy Not just your achievements—your joy. Take photos of moments that made you laugh, conversations that filled you up, experiences that reminded you why you’re alive.
5. Walk Without Purpose Take walks where the only objective is to walk. No calls, no podcasts, no productivity. Just you, your thoughts, and movement.
6. Set One Intention, Not Ten Goals What’s the one thing that, if you focused on it this year, would fundamentally shift how you experience your life? Start there.
7. Practice Saying No To opportunities that don’t align with your peace. To commitments that drain you. To the version of success that someone else defined for you.
A little word as you move through this year…..
This year, I’m not interested in being more. I’m interested in being present. I’m not interested in doing more. I’m interested in doing what matters.
And I’m encouraging you to do the same.
Look back before you leap forward. Celebrate before you chase. Rest before you run.
Because the goal isn’t to keep moving. The goal is to move with intention.