Since as far back as I can remember, New Year’s resolutions have been a thing. When I was a student, teachers used to ask me: What are you going to change this year? What are you going to accomplish? How are things going to be different? Then, when I entered the workforce, managers would ask employees variations of those questions when everybody got back to work in January. But did answering those questions ever get me anywhere? I don’t think so. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started to be more intentional about my New Year’s resolution planning. Over time, it evolved into a guide that I’m sharing with you today. (Gain complimentary access to the guide here. Preview the guide in the post below.)
Overview
This handout is designed to help you reflect on the previous year and set focus areas for the future. You don’t have to worry about setting explicit goals (unless you want to!), and can spend more time coming up with a general focus area you want to work on.
The nine categories included in this document represent important areas in anyone’s life but feel free to modify them to better reflect your individual priorities and focus areas.
- Health and Wellbeing: Being healthy and happy
- Personal Growth: How you improve and grow as a person
- Career: The job or work you do
- Money and Finances: How you manage your money and pay your bills
- Fun and Recreation: The activities you do for fun and to relax
- Physical Environment: Where you live or work and what it’s like
- Significant Other / Romance: A special person you have a romantic relationship with
- Family: The people you are related to, like your parents and siblings
- Friends: People you are close to and like spending time with
Part 1: Year’s End Reflection
This section consists of a self-reflection table and questions. In the table, take a moment to reflect on each category and identify both positive and constructive feedback for yourself. This exercise is meant to help you take a balanced and honest look at your experiences from the previous year and use that information to inform your goals and plans for the future.
After completing the self-reflection table, move on to the questions. These questions are designed to help you delve deeper into your experiences from the previous year and think about how you have grown and developed. Consider what themes came up in your self-reflection table, what your major accomplishments and successes were, and what challenges and failures you experienced. Think about how you grew and developed personally and professionally, and about the areas where you need to improve and the steps you will take to do so. Finally, consider your goals and aspirations for the coming year and the action steps you will take to achieve them.
Part 2: New Year’s Resolution Planning
Next, we’ll move on to the New Year Planning section. This section consists of planning questions and a planning table. The planning questions are meant to help you think about your most important goals and objectives for the upcoming year. You will also reflect on the key areas where you need to focus your time and energy and the potential obstacles and challenges you may face. Consider who the key stakeholders are who can support and assist you in achieving your goals. Then, think about the specific actions and steps you will take to move towards your goals and achieve them.
The planning table is meant to help you identify both essential and ambitious focus areas for yourself. Essential focus areas are those that are necessary for maintaining your current level of functioning and well-being. And ambitious focus areas are those that stretch beyond your current capabilities and push you to grow and improve. By identifying both types of focus areas, you can create a well-rounded plan for personal growth that balances your need for stability and support with your desire to challenge yourself.
Be Deliberate With Your New Year’s Resolution Planning!
I hope this New Year Personal Planning Document is helpful in reflecting on the past year and setting focus areas for the future. Remember to be honest and thorough as you complete each section, and don’t be afraid to modify the categories to better reflect your individual priorities and focus areas. Best of luck in the new year!
Time to Commit
What do you visualize your life could look like in a year if you are intentional with your planning starting now?
Opportunity
Get your hands on my New Year’s Resolution Planning Guide today!
