new year goals – Positive Woman Connection

Have you noticed that there’s just a little emotional lull after the excitement of the Holidays? Maybe it’s the thought of putting away all those decorations or perhaps it’s the reality of jumping back into the regular routine of life. Whether or not you experience a little January blues, there are certain steps we can take to begin the new year with a positive perspective.

Pray – Starting each day, devoting your work, your family, your activities, and your concerns to God can create a sense of both peace and strength. Praying reminds us that we are not alone. We have a Heavenly Father who sees us, loves us, and cares for us. He comforts us through the storms of life and calms our hearts amid confusion. He guides us in making wise decisions. Praying, even if it’s just a few minutes a day, helps us maintain an eternal focus and reminds us of His presence.

Plan – Creating a plan for the year directs us and keeps us focused. It allows us to feel purposeful as we start our year. Certainly, we cannot plan out every little detail, and we know that all too often plans will change. But plans give us a sense of direction and allow us to think about where we are headed. Start your planning by looking back at the past year – what worked, what didn’t work and what can you do differently? Then consider what you want to accomplish in the coming year mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, socially, and work-wise. Revisit these goals at the first of each month to help you stay on target.

Push Forward – Positive change doesn’t just randomly happen, we must take decisive steps to move in a new direction. If you want to spend more time with certain people, then you have to be deliberate about reaching out to them. If you are feeling lonely, push forward and find a place to volunteer and serve. Volunteering often opens new doors to meeting people and helps you feel more purposeful in life. If you want to be better about finances, put together a budget and set a regular time when you will review your financial statements and budget. Pushing forward means getting out of our comfort zone and choosing to take actionable steps.

Pray, plan, and push forward – three simple concepts that can help us have a positive perspective for the new year. Stay hopeful and stay connected to both God and others. And remember, “There’s more in store in 2024!”

Check out my new book, Positive Connectivity.

Steps Photo by Robin Schreiner on Unsplash

New Year

The start of a new year allows us to reset and rethink our actions and attitudes. It’s a great time to stop and consider our hopes and dreams, as well as what we may want to change or do differently in the coming year. Resolutions or setting goals may not be your thing, but a few positive habits added to your daily routine can potentially last a lifetime. Here are seven doable daily habits that will help your attitude and your overall well-being in 2018.

Focus – It’s easy to focus on the negatives in life, but it takes a deliberate effort to look at what is good, true and right. We can change our focus by creating new habits such as writing in a gratitude journal every morning as we enjoy our first cup of coffee. Another way to turn our thoughts toward the positive is to read and memorize scriptures from the Bible. Choose one Bible verse to memorize as your focal point for 2018 and review it every day.

Fuel – Consider the types of foods you are putting into your body – is it life-giving fuel or will it have a negative effect on your health? Food not only affects us physically, but it also has an impact on our mind and emotions. Start a habit of a healthy breakfast to set your day in motion. Instead of strict diets plans that rarely work, think in terms of more and less. Determine this year that you will eat less of the unhealthy foods, like sugar, white flour or processed foods, and you will fuel your body with more of the healthy goods, like greens, whole grains or berries. Make your motto, “Eat clean in 2018.”

Fitness – Exercise is a stress reliever. A brisk walk or work-out can do wonders for you both physically and emotionally. Discover ways you can add exercise to you daily routine five to six days a week. Begin small with something that you enjoy and gradually increase your time and intensity. As your find a time and place each day that you can exercise, commit to it for at least 21 days to form the habit of fitness. Have an accountability partner to help you stay on target.

Faith – There is great comfort in knowing that we are not alone – that the Lord loves us and is with us. As we grow in our faith through prayer and reading the Bible, we begin to sense that there is a bigger picture, a more eternal one. Our faith gives us hope through trials and gives us strength through difficulties. Set aside some quiet time each day to spend alone with God, seeking His guidance and wisdom as well as giving Him your cares and worries.

Fun – All work and no play makes Jack or Jill a little dull and boring. Create opportunities for laughter in your life. Whether it is getting together with friends and laughing about old times or watching a funny video or doing something that generates a good chuckle. Every day you have the invitation to look for the sunny side of life and enjoy a bit of fun despite the challenges. Never laugh at the expense of another person, and also remember to not take yourself too seriously either. Certainly there is a time to laugh and a time to cry, but I think we miss a whole lot of opportunities for laughter. Allow it to be a part of your daily routine.

Forward – Pay it forward and look for ways to invest in the lives of other. Every morning, ask yourself a simple question, who can I bless today? When you turn your heart and thoughts to serving the people in your community, you move your focus off of your own challenges and begin to experience the joy that comes from contributing to something bigger than yourself. Serve one another through your kind actions and loving deeds and make the world a better place one day at a time.

Forgive – If you want to live a happier and healthier life, learn to let things go. Keep short accounts, do not hold grudges and learn to forgive those whom you feel have wronged you. Forgiveness is not an invitation for someone to hurt you again. You must set wise boundaries. Forgiveness is choosing to let go of the right to hold something over another person. Most likely, every day you will encounter situations that call for grace and forgiveness on your part. Make it a habit to continually live with forgiveness.

As you practice these seven simple daily habits , you will discover a fresh new joy and vitality for the year ahead. Make it a great 2018!

Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash