Ways to conquer the new year

For many, the beginning of the new year provides a chance to reflect on the past, wipe the slate clean and it’s an opportunity to make positive changes to your life. You may even want to set career or personal goals and resolutions for the upcoming year, but like many of us you start the new year off with your long list of resolutions and then, after a week or two, or even after a few months, something throws you off course. Resolutions are one thing but being resolute is in a whole league of its own, and thankfully, being resolute and determined to achieve what you want is something you can absolutely do. It’s all about mindset, which is why we’ve identified several ideas that will help you to conquer the new year with the best possible state of mind…

Start each day positively

No matter how the previous day ended, each morning is a new start. Get up and spend a few minutes getting yourself together and focusing on your thoughts. Practise some yoga or exercise so that you can feel fully relaxed and to give yourself a rush of endorphins to boost your mood. You could also keep a journal or diary where you write down positive thoughts and memories – this is perfect for flicking through and re-reading the previous things you’ve written will certainly lift your mood.

Change your mindset

Getting into a positive state of mind before the new year allows the brain to see more possibilities than a negative mindset. This will keep you going and enable you to look at the positives of all situations, helping you to visualise your goals and to ultimately reach them.

When determining your new year goals, you first need to decide what you want to do and why you want to do them. When you determine your WHY, you will have an emotional connection driving you to see those goals to completion. The goal is the stepping stone to get you to your why!

Of course, we all have our bad days and that’s okay, but generally try to think of the positives in any given situation. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, give your mind a break. Do something unrelated to your goal that will help you to relax.

Build your confidence

For some people, self-confidence comes naturally but for the rest of us we must work at it. Often one’s self-confidence stems from their accomplishments, large and small, but it also works the other way around – if you work on your self-confidence, the successes will result. Believing in yourself is one of your most powerful allies and doing something outside of your comfort zone will help build your confidence.

Schedule time for self-care

We all have responsibilities and obligations that won’t allow for hours of self-care every day, but you can still make it a priority by scheduling time for yourself like you would anything else. Whether that means going for a walk, getting a massage, reading quietly by yourself, or taking a warm bath, mark it down and make it happen. Self-care isn’t just a break; it is essential for physical, emotional, and mental health.

Be prepared to fail

At least once in your life, you are going to fail at something, but you can't fear failure because failure is the only way you can move forward and reach success. The most successful people experience failures because they’re constantly pushing themselves to the next level. But it also means they’re constantly battling issues with confidence and they question themselves every step of the way. There is always room for improvement, no matter how great you are, but sometimes you won’t know which areas need improvement unless you fail.

Create a goal board

Goal boards serve as a visual representation of everything you hope to achieve, whether that’s long-term or short-term. Having a visual reminder hanging in a space where you will see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night is critical to staying focused and motivated. The creative process of designing your goal board is also very inspiring and motivating and helps start you on a positive note towards achieving your goals.

How are you going to conquer the new year? Let us know in the comments.