As we come into a new year, new expectations, goals, and intentions are often contemplated. What resolutions have you set for yourself going into 2023? Before examining what ways you seek to have this new year serve you, have you reviewed your past year? In this reflection, you may find that your goals moving forward now look different. A difficulty that I run into is not truly understanding HOW I want my goals to look. I can sit and identify WHAT I want my goals to be, but never how I expect them to appear throughout the year. This leads to early abandonment of these goals as my intention is no longer connected.

Goal-setting can be both very exciting and intimidating. It builds a feeling of hope and anticipation. Anticipation can quickly wear away or guide the mind to frustration–frustration that the goal is not being accomplished fast enough. Patience and boundaries can work to combat this feeling of frustration and the sense of failure.

But in what ways can we maintain a constant connection to our visions and ultimately manifest our goals?

Again, it begins with a true reflection of what past years have supplied, what you need, and what are the expectations for the upcoming months.

After identifying what the intentions are for 2023, the next key is putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. Whichever is your preference. Seeing your intention can serve to be a reminder of what you are working toward.

We must pinpoint realistic objectives that serve to achieve the overall goal. For a money management goal, this may look like:

Examine all bills and create a budget

Review the budget at the beginning and middle of every month

Reallocate XX dollars to savings, emergency funds, etc

In finding attainable objectives, having an affirmation can renew our spirit or connection to the goal. At some point, reflecting on the progress of our goal is necessary and may reveal that alterations are needed. And that’s okay. Our intentions may no longer speak to that goal as they once did.

We have to get comfortable with saying ‘No’, even if it is to ourselves. Sometimes, we get in the way of our success/progress. If we can get comfortable with telling ourselves “No”, we must do the same to others. Setting healthy boundaries is important in moving forward and preventing stagnation. The new year will definitely be a year of changes. How big/small these changes are and what they may look like are dependent on your intentions and vision.