2020 was a doozy….I know we can all agree. And although maybe some fun was had, or maybe you accomplished some amazing things that you are proud of, I think there is a collective sigh of relief that 2020 is over. Anyone else excited about ringing in 2021?

However, just because the clock strikes midnight doesn’t mean that anything is going to change. It will feel good to put 2020 behind us, but unless we ACT, 2021 will start to be as blah as the year before.

So I know that I wanted to ring in 2021 with intention. And I thought I’d share what I plan on doing with you so that you can do the same!

It’s not too late to do some reflection. In fact, I recommend doing this at least once a month. This process may take some time out of your day, but it’s simple and profound.

Here’s what you’re going to do. Grab your notebook, journal, planner, or whatever it is that you typically use. Write down these five categories:

Mental Health

Physical Health

Finances

Self Care

Friendships

These are the categories that EVERYONE should consider, but there are also other categories that may be important to you.  So if you have others, go ahead and right those down as well. Here are ideas:

Motherhood

Marriage

Relationships (parents, kids, siblings, etc)

Romance

Spirituality

If any of those apply to you and are important to you, include them on your list. 

Now all you need to do is simply take time to consider and reflect on each category. Ask yourself questions like, 

“How do I feel about my friendships? How was my mental health during 2020? Did I take time to take care of myself this year?” etc.

Then you are going to write down a number from 1-10 for each category. 1 being poor and 10 being amazing. Consider your reflection time and write down a number that best fits how you feel you are doing in that category.

I would encourage you to revisit this every month and see how your numbers are

After you have done some reflection and have scored your categories, it’s time to pick a word of the year. You’ve seen that trend the last few years right? It’s not for some, and that’s ok. But I love the idea of focusing on one main word for the year. Not only is it motivating, but it really can make a difference for you in 2021!

But how do you pick the perfect word?

Well, your answer may be in your reflection. If you found yourself during your reflection time feeling yearning for more in a certain category, you might consider choosing a word that would help you focus on improving that area of your life.

If you know that your family life is struggling, maybe having the word FAMILY is right for you. If your mental health struggled and you know that getting that in check will improve other areas of your life, try a word like PEACE or ENLIGHTENED. If you had a hard time physically in 2020, the word HEALTH might make the list.

Pro tip: I love choosing words that can flow through all or most categories. For example, if the word you choose is HEALTH, it can be applied to not only physical and mental health, but it also can be the health of your family, your finances, your relationships, your selfcare, etc. If PEACE is your word, that can also apply to other categories other than your mental health.

Having a word will make you feel good. It will motivate you and get you excited for 2021. But a word with no action isn’t going to accomplish anything.

Take the time to think about what actionable goals would align with your word. This is not a New Years Resolution! These are actions that you can take to move the needle in the direction that you want. 

If your word is health, create action in your daily life that points you in the right direction. Saying “I want tolose 50 pounds in 2021,” isn’t the way to do it either. Try something like, “I’m going to drink more water and less soda,” or “I’m going to go on daily walks while I listen to a podcast or music.” 

These are actionable goals. They are goals that don’t make you feel bad when December 2021 comes around and you didn’t lose those pounds you were talking about but not putting any action behind.

You’ve got this!!

I hope this is helpful for you, friend. I do love the word of the year trend, but I also think a missing piece is often the action that backs it up. These 3 steps don’t necessarily feel overwhelming, but they are effective. They will motivate you…and even though motivation isn’t long term, hopefully the effort and action you put behind reflecting and goal setting will have you looking back on 2021 with pride!