The Ultimate Guide to New Years
“The beginning is the most important part of the work, the point at which the learner is most receptive and the foundation for all that follows is laid.”
If you’re like most, you’ve set your sights on 2026 and are already moving beyond thoughts about 2025. But before you plunge head-first into the New Year, take a moment to do the following:
REFLECT: What were the top 3 moments of the year? What was an answered prayer that made the greatest impact on you and your family? Do you have any regrets, either from not being able to accomplish a task or from making a misstep? Who deserves your gratitude, that is, who supported you the most this past year? Spend plenty of time here.
RESIST: It’s easy to get hung-up on the regrets, to look past your positive efforts and focus solely on what you were unable to accomplish. Remind yourself that you are capable of so much more, and then take a minute to think objectively about the situation: determine what you could have done differently, and what you simply need to let go. Spend no more than 5 minutes on this point.
RENEW: Each of us are uniquely made by a God who loves each person deeply and created every individual with talents that those around us need and enjoy. Lean into the skills and gifts you’ve been given, ponder your phase of life and the places in which you find yourself, then begin to design a gameplan for how you intend to live out your purpose in 2026. Spend 15 minutes brainstorming, 15 minutes making a rough draft, then tack it up in a visible place (like your bathroom mirror) for a day or so, that way you can make adjustments as needed.
FRAMEWORK EXAMPLE:
BRAINSTORMING SESSION
Serve others more
Make space for creativity
Prioritize fitness
Balance family needs
Put aside $6,000 by January 1st, 2027
Plan a family vacation
ROUGH DRAFT
Serve: Reach out to church leadership to ask who might be in need
Creativity: Choose one day each month to spend time freely
Fitness: Decide which area of your health needs the most attention
Family: Plan 3+ nights per week for family dinnertime together
Saving: Determine how much to save each month
Vacation: Take a week in January to research a destination
TAKE ACTION:
Serve: Have an opportunity chosen/assigned by January 10th
Creativity: Make a list of activities you wish to do in 2026
Fitness: Book a free consult with a coach to start a program
Family: Implement the dinnertime together with your family this week
Saving: Move allocated funds from checking to savings by January 15th
Vacation: Design a budget for your chosen trip, keeping in mind saving goal
New Year’s resolutions can be helpful as long as they are within reach and reason. So, forget about the nay-sayers and get after that gameplan!