5 Steps to Reset Your Thinking in the New Year

5 Steps to Reset Your Thinking in the New Year

With the new year almost upon us, many of us will start reflecting on the past year and thinking about how we want to shake things up come January.  

Maybe you want to learn a new skill or take up a new hobby, or maybe you want to make some improvements to your health and wellbeing, or maybe this is your year to tackle a new job.  Whatever your aim for 2023, we want to see you fulfill your intentions, so we’ve rounded up the best advice we’ve ever gotten when it comes to personal growth.

1. Make self-reflection a year-round activity.  Reflecting on your year is a great way to learn about yourself and consider where you’ve been so you can consciously decide where to go next.  But this shouldn’t be restricted to a once-a-year-event.  Regularly reflecting on your life and your intentions is scientifically proven to increase your self-awareness, which aids in decision-making and gives you the chance to make adjustments to your plan based on what you learn, so you’re more likely to continue on your path of growth.
2. Create a plan.  Getting where you want to go doesn’t happen with willpower alone.  All too often we set ourselves up to fail by focusing on the outcome we want without coming up with a plan for how we’ll get there.  Try building a weekly or monthly plan that centers around a single step that gets you closer to your ideal outcome over time.  For example, if you’re trying to improve your physical health, one month might be dedicated to creating a better sleep routine and the next month might focus on increasing your physical activity.
3. Start small.  Set yourself up for success by setting up weekly or monthly goals that are “too small to fail” and build on those month over month, building up your new habits and routines as you go.  So if you want to finally kick your sugar habit, the best approach is to build a plan for how to decrease your dependence on sugar over a period of time, rather than committing to quitting cold turkey. Over time, you’ll find you’re not only able to achieve more, you’ll be less stressed too, allowing you to enjoy the results even more.
4. Reward yourself.  Take the time to give yourself the positive reinforcement you deserve when you hit one of your small milestones.  Celebrating the small victories activates the brain’s reward centers, releasing dopamine which makes you feel good and makes you want more.  This means you’re more likely to come back and continue to build towards your greater goal, making you much more likely to fulfill your intentions.
5. Lean on others. The community around us holds incredible power to influence us.  When used for good, this can be a powerful tool to help you drive personal growth.  Try sharing your intentions with others and regularly check in with them to share your progress, your setbacks and your learnings.  Look for ways to encourage one another to keep pursuing growth, even through life’s ebbs and flows.