I love New Year's! Why? It's not about the holiday itself so much, and it's certainly not about the weather at this time of year (it's quite cold here right now in my part of Montana). It's because starting a new year opens up possibilities, and I love to make a plan and then get started implementing my plan. I love accomplishing goals and setting new ones. I love improving things. But in the past I've sometimes set too many goals at once, and then my efforts go in too many directions, making progress on many things, but not the kind of progress I really want. So I've simplified my goal setting to be able to hit some big ones I want to accomplish in my life. I've decided to do a "Year of ________" kind of thing, with whatever I choose for the year being my main thing to focus and work on accomplishing. I will still work on other things, but they will take a back seat until they get their turn to take the front seat.
2015 - year of recovery
Reflecting back, I realized 2015 had been my "Year of Recovery". I started out the year burned out from setting goals (because I usually set too many unrealistic goals for the time frame) and had decided not to set any at all that year. I decided to take a break and simply follow the motto I had gotten from the movie, Rocky Balboa -- "keep moving forward". I felt I needed rest and recovery, and would make whatever progress I reasonably could on things, as time, energy, and gumption would allow. I didn't know it at the time, but not having planned goals turned out to be the perfect plan for me that year, as two months after New Year's, I severely tore both of my MCLs in a skiing accident in the mountains, which left me barely able to walk for a few months. So 2015 was for the most part a time of rest and recovery for me, accomplishing what I could as I could with a positive attitude, and by the end of the year leaving me ready to once again tackle some goals I have been wanting to achieve.
2016 - year of fitness
At the beginning of 2016, I set out with 3 large goals that really matter to me. I knew it was highly unlikely I would accomplish all of them to the degree I want in one year's time, so I had them listed in order of priority. While I did make some progress on all three last year, I really focused most on one, making 2016 my "Year of Fitness". While I've always been fitness oriented to a certain degree, I decided to really put my all into it this time. As a result of really focusing on that one goal, I reached one of my dream goals. I finally lost the weight I wanted to lose (getting back into my high school jeans), and I've gotten in better shape for accomplishing my adventure goals in the mountains. This goal wasn't any more important than the others, but I knew it would have the most impact for hitting other goals (starting the domino effect). I also knew reaching this goal would give me more energy for my daily tasks and for life in general. Reaching a major goal really stoked me up for starting this year with another one.
2017 - year of organization
So... (Lord willing) 2017 will be my "Year of Organization". I've always been a neat and tidy person (even as a child) who loves to organize and I get joy with having everything in order. But life's circumstances over the last several years had thrown a wrench into my systems, and things weren't as organized as I'd like anymore. Everything no longer had a place, and things were untidy too often. While I have made great progress these last couple of years and the main things are staying tidy most of the time now, I still have plenty of drawers and storage areas to finish tackling along with my mountain of digital files (especially photos!) and file drawers of paperwork. So this is my year to get to completion on every last aspect. To finally get back to having a place for everything and everything in it's place. And to make a few more home improvements along the way. I'm really looking forward to the serenity that hitting this goal will give me, as well as the efficiency... so I'm pretty stoked for getting down to business on doing the work it will require. I have quite a bit of sorting, simplifying, and organizing left to do, but I know that seeing progress will keep the ball rolling... so 2017 here I come! :)
How about you? Do you have any goals you'd like to achieve? Will you join me in picking just one big one to really focus on this year so you can really focus your energy on accomplishing it? What's your "Year of _________" this year?
