1. Take some time to reflect on the year. Set aside at least an hour in a quiet place to make a list of what went well and what didn’t go so well. [Learn more about this in detail in Todd Henry’s Die Empty, Unleash Your Best Work Every Day]. This is an awesome read that I finished recently.

Give your self some props for what you accomplished! For what didn’t go as well, make a list of what you can do to improve in these areas going ahead. Don’t think of these as failures but as valuable learning experiences.

  1. Take Care of Yourself. Think about what ways can you take care of yourself so you can have more energy to accomplish what you want to accomplish next year. In what ways did you take care of yourself that you can do more of, and what areas could you make a change that would help you feel more focused or centered?
  1. Make a gratitude list of all the people who helped you during the year. Considering writing a thank you letter to one or several.
  1. Pay off your bills any over due taxes, parking tickets etc., as many as you can. This won’t feel good at first, yeah I know, but after the initial sting it feels better than still having to pay them plus the interest half way through they new year and have this weight holding you back.
  1. Clean out clutter piles and any clothes you haven’t used that year. Spend 10 minutes a day to pick a pile or an area and continue the habit through out the year for a clutter free life. Your brain will thank you for it!
  1. Clean up your email, delete, file away and unsubscribe to anything you don’t read.
  1. Forgiveness is the key to an open heart. Mend any relationships that need to be addressed where ever possible.
  1. Plan a vacation and or a number of fun things with specific dates in the year ahead so that you have something to look forward to all year. This is a great way to tell your body, mind and spirit that you will take care of it when the going gets tough.
  1. Tackle something your afraid of, or make a plan to do it in the New Year. What your afraid of is usually what you need to lean into and what makes you feel alive. Walking into and through your fears is one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself. And if you don’t do it, the world is missing out on your best self. We want to see what you’ve got!
  1. Stop doing at least one thing on your regular to do list (or several) so you can have room to learn, grow and have space for all the possibilities the New Year will bring.