How to Make 2023 Your Year
Ready to make 2023 YOUR year?
If you’re like most people, you’re probably grinning at the thought! “New year, new me” you say to yourself…
Well if you’re ready for your official “main character” moment, there’s a few things to keep in mind (coming from a coach who helps clients make life-changing career shifts on a daily basis).
1. You don’t need resolutions or a clean slate
I know this is probably counter to everything you’ve heard on the subject, but it’s true! For what it’s worth, new year's resolutions and the “clean slate” thinking that accompanies them often do more harm than good, in my experience. Why? Because they feed into black and white thinking, which is already a huge issue for high achievers in particular.
The assumption that you need to have a new year and fresh start can be incredibly damaging. Often, as a result of this mindset, we’re wholly unprepared for any road bumps along the way. If we start exercising daily but then “mess up” on day 5, we panic! “My clean slate is gone!” Maybe we lose motivation all together, or we think to ourselves “Well…this week is clearly ruined. I guess I’ll start fresh next Monday and relax in the meantime”.
See how that works?
This extreme approach to change rests on the assumption that you need perfection in order to make progress, and that’s simply not true. In reality I believe that progress comes from commitment to change, regardless of how “perfectly” you take action. Messy action still drives progress, and it’s essential you remember that. So please, I beg of you… stop assuming you need a clean slate and lofty resolutions to make 2023 great. What you really need is a commitment to progress no matter what.
2. Reflect & pick your themes for the year
While I don’t love new year’s resolutions, per se, that doesn’t mean I think you need to go into the year without a plan! Instead, I prefer the approach of picking a theme for the year, and consistently working towards that.
Start by reflecting on 2022. What did you love about the year? Where was your time well spent? Alternatively, what were your lessons?
Then, consider the coming year. What would make 2023 awesome? What would you need to do in order to make it so? Based on that, establish your theme for the year and what you want to focus on.
Taking this approach can give you an intentional focus for growth, while providing you a bit more flexibility than the rigid resolutions. And doesn’t that sound like a beautiful thing?
3. Focus on accountability and small steps
When it comes to making changes in your life, consistency is always the most important factor. I see it all the time. So if you’re trying to make 2023 your best year yet, it’s essential to lean in here!
What are the shifts you want to make? What actions do you need to take in order to get there? Do you have the consistency in place to make those changes?
If not, it’s time to focus on establishing accountability and process (the 2 main requirements for change). Get some support in your corner! It’s the best solution if you’re lacking consistency.
When you have accountability in place, you can focus on the small steps necessary, leading to a bigger change. And remember: small (sometimes messy) steps in the right direction are what ultimately leads to progress!
So, if you’re looking to make 2023 the year of you, that’s where I’d start! Focus on broader more directional goals and progress over perfection, always. When you consistently make progress and take small steps, you can end up in a completely different place in no time.
Tell me in the comments: are you team “new year's resolutions”, or team “high-level change”? I’d love to hear from you!
Cheering you on from here as you have your main character moment…
