Ways to Reflect and Set Intentions for the New Year

It’s a New Year!   I’m not a huge fan of traditional New Year's Resolutions, but I do believe in self assessment in January. I enjoy thinking about what worked and what didn’t.  I encourage my clients to think about how they can assess and adjust to what is happening in their lives and think about what they want in the New Year. Whether you are a vision board person, a journaler, or have another way of putting your ideas for the New Year in front of you,  I think it’s helpful to see what you want and be able to reflect back on it.  

I love making vision boards because I'm a visual learner and enjoy seeing what I want. But you can totally turn this into a journal entry, a list in your notes app, or a brain map. I usually think about my new year in three areas: personal, relationships, and career.

Personal:  What do I want for myself this year?  Get specific. Self care is great, but what does that mean for you? Is it taking more time to read?  Incorporating movement into your life?  Taking a break from movement?  Getting out into nature more.  Travel. Taking time to think about what helps you to feel centered and at peace.  Do I want to incorporate more spirituality into my life?

Relationships:  How do I want to improve and grow the relationships in my life?  Do I want to be more present?  Do I need to reevaluate my boundaries with others?  Do I need to engage more with the people in my life and be more social?  Or is it time for me to pull back and create more balance between being social and being with myself?  Do I want to try new ways to meet other people?  Joining a book club, hiking club, cooking class, a local organization?  

Career:  What worked last year and what needs to be changed?  What can I delegate to others?  What is a dream I have for myself?  How can I succeed in the environment I’m in?  What do I need to change?  Can I treat my work as something separate from my identity?  How are my personal struggles affecting my ability to be productive at work?  

These are a few of my journaling/ vision board ideas for taking inventory and creating ideas for yourself in 2025.