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I don’t make New Year’s resolutions.

Someone asked me about my resolution at a recent New Year’s Eve party. I wasn’t looking to be a contrarian. I learned long ago to only share my dreams with people who will help me achieve them (and I just met this guy).

Instead, I shared a polite yet shallow answer: “lose weight.”

Curiosity made me wonder why we feel compelled to have a resolution ready when the ball drops.

So I asked him, “What about you? How did you come up with a resolution?”

He was honest and shared that he didn’t think about it much or have one.

So I came clean and told him I do five things at the end of every year to help me grow in all areas of my life.

He said, "OK, now you HAVE to tell me about your five things!”

So here they are for you to start 2024 as best version of YOU:

1. My retreat. I get away from the hustle and bustle of life to a place where I can think. I have an addiction to Brain.FM that I tap into when I am writing and thinking through things. Its scientifically proven ambient noise helps improve deep focus. I use noise-canceling headphones and take my Rocketbook to jot down notes. It’s like when Chevy Chase is locked in the attic during Christmas Vacation. It’s a time for quiet reflection.

2. Six and Twelve. As an Air Force veteran, your six is what’s behind you, and 12 o’clock is what's ahead of you. If you visualize yourself in the cockpit of a plane, it's an easy way to think about the world around you in relation to the hands of a clock. It’s also an easy way for me to do a retrospective on my life.

Details:

• I start by looking at areas of my life similar to the Wheel of Life (Wheel of Life - Take the Free Assessment). My core areas are Health, Wealth, Work, Play, Growth, Connection, Faith, Environment, and Purpose.

  • Looking back at the previous year, I jotted down one plus and one minus in each area, checking my six. For example, I might note (- didn’t stick to a budget, + made a good investment) in my Wealth category. It’s a simple, fast, and thoughtful way to review what worked and what didn’t.

  • No, I use something I created called my Intention Designer when I looked forward. I teach it to my SPARK students, too. Here’s a quick snapshot, but I like to dream big about what I want to do across these categories. But that’s only part of the process.