Feeling Behind Already? Here’s How to Start 2025 on the Right Foot

Is it hard to believe we’re already a full week into the New Year?

Is it just me, or is there always an inevitable panic that sets in after the holidays?

We’ve been so rushed with shopping and gift wrapping, family, and a busy social schedule… is it any surprise we feel unprepared for the year to come? Suddenly everyone is talking about their grand goals, and you still haven’t quite figured out how to close out the last year.

While it’s a good thing to start your New Year off right, using these five tips will help you’ll feel prepared in no time.

Take a Hard Look Back

It’s not often where you’re encouraged to stare in the rear-view mirror. On the other hand, there comes a time when looking back is absolutely necessary. This is one of those times. Here’s where you want to review your last year. What did you accomplish? What feels unfinished? Where were the improvements? What held you back? What are the regrets you carry? What do you feel especially proud of?

An exercise I did last year that has made this step easy, was to start a ‘One Good Thing’ or ‘Gratitude’ Jar. I set a reminder in my phone for every Sunday, reminding me to add one good thing from the week to my jar. So week’s it was celebrating a milestone, some weeks I celebrated an accomplishment, and one the hard weeks I simply wrote down something or someone I was grateful for in my life.

One of my mentors recently said, that we have to learn to be our own cheerleader when we're self-employed and I immediately thought of this exercise! It's a great way to train yourself to look for the good things and to celebrate every small step in your journey, which makes reviewing the past year simply and fun!

Finish Things

What haven’t you closed out yet? It’s time to clear the decks for the new year. You might not have to finish everything you’ve been working on right now, but carefully examine your old or ongoing projects. Are there any things you could delegate? What about projects that are really no longer necessary? Know that it’s ok to let go of things that are no longer important, especially if those things no longer serve you!

Add in a Dose of Realism

Look at the goals you made last year. Were they reasonable? Or did you not aim high enough/ What about the things you want to do this coming year? Is this a year to relax and just maintain or a year to go full out and see what you are capable of?

It might be time to scale back into the realm of possibilities or it might be time to truly challenge yourself with a big, hairy, audacious goal. Whichever one you’re called to, you can start by breaking down the big, crazy things into smaller steps you can actually accomplish.

What's Your Focus?

Look again at your goals. Are they all over the place? Find the common denominator (if there is one). If not, maybe it’s time to reflect and figure out what you’re really after or what truly makes your heart sing. Having substantial focus makes you much more likely to accomplish what you set out to do. Knowing this focus before the year begins is also half the battle, as each morning you can visualize this goal, then ask yourself, ‘what’s the next right step I can take toward my goal today?’ Do this one exercise each morning and see how much you accomplish this year!

Take Care of You

This one should go without saying. If you’re not healthy, you’re not going to get anything done. Make yourself a priority as the year begins by setting up healthy habits, so you have the energy to do what you need to when the time comes.

A lot of times big problems can be overcome with small changes, so ask yourself, ‘what foods, people or habits do I need to remove from my life to hit my goals this year? And what foods, people or habits do I need to add to my life this year that will help me hit my goal easier and faster?’ Sometimes this simple inventory followed by intentional action can make all the difference.

 Congratulations! If you’ve followed these steps, then you’re now the one feeling prepared for the New Year, and it’s the rest of the world who will be looking at you feeling envious at your calm as you enter into your best year ever. Yay you!

If you’re ready for more tactical steps for achieving your 2025 goals, now that you’ve clarified your path and created your vision, grab a free copy of ‘The Ultimate Goal-Setting Workbook – Your Roadmap to Unleash Your Dreams’!