I’m a big fan of fresh starts and resets, and wooo-ee, do we need one after the roller coaster that has been 2020. However, I’ve never been a fan of putting ALL my fresh-start eggs into the New Years basket… Meaning: I don’t want to wait until January 1, 2021 to start making choices to feel better and embrace goodness. With that approach, we’ll always be waiting for a time to start anew… it’ll be, “I’ll shift things starting NEXT month,” and then, “No, I’ll have a reset next quarter.”

Before you know it, you’re wasting the days waiting for a new month or new week, when you actually have the power to begin again every single day. I think we need that reminder this year more than ever, right? So, as we head into the last couple months of the year, I want to challenge you to reclaim this year in small, intentional, yet substantial ways.

I’m not saying you need to reinvent yourself or overhaul your life. But I do believe that we have a choice every moment of the day to make the most of our time and let go of the things outside of our control. So, if this year has been a challenge and the uncertainty has you wondering how to move forward, let’s do this work together and process a few ways to end the year more intentionally. You in?

01. Review what HAS worked out for you this year.

In crummy times especially, it’s easy to focus on the negative and what’s gone wrong. But I’d encourage you to review your year up to this point and create a list of every little and big thing that’s gone right. It could be monumental shifts like a promotion or a new car. But more importantly, it’s the tiny, beautiful things that we often forget and move on from too soon without celebrating.

Things like… keeping your closet organized, growing your first garden, reading 5 books, keeping in touch with a loved one, or helping a neighbor. What has brought you joy this year? What encouraged you? How did things go right? Embracing these things will allow you to go from “this whole year sucked” to “this year had its shiny moments, just like any other year. Thank goodness.”

02. Write down one goal to accomplish.

Don’t wait for the new year to start on a goal that excites you right now. Time is fleeting and we only have a couple months left in the year… What would uplift your soul to accomplish? Now, it doesn’t have to be a massive thing. Just like your list of wins, sometimes the smaller goals are the most powerful.

Maybe it’s moving your body for 20 minutes every day. Maybe it’s journaling once a week through the end of the year. It could be personal, professional, or family-related, but I want it to be something that fuels you and lights you up.

03. List everything you’d like to navigate away from.

On the note of pursuing goals, I think we’ve all been shown more clearly this year the habits and crutches that may not be serving us. What are yours? For me, I could sit in front of my computer for 10 hours a day, cranking away on work and staying in the zone. But I’ve realized when I do those kinds of marathon work sessions, my body aches. My brain feels fuzzy. My patience with my family is way thinner. So, I’ve committed to taking breaks, moving my body in the middle of the day, and stepping away from the screens more.

What isn’t serving you? What habits drain you? Write them all down just to bring awareness to them, but don’t put the pressure on yourself to kick them all at once. Even just acknowledging where you want to improve will allow your unconscious mind to start doing some of the work and guiding you away from some of those bad habits.

04. Envision your perfect day.

THIS is a fun one… Sit down one morning this week, when your home is quiet and before the bustle of the day begins, and close your eyes to imagine your own version of a completely perfect day. What activities does it involve? What foods are enjoyed? Who is it spent with? How does it feel? Take note of all your senses and what takes place.

Having this beautiful vision for your perfect day is almost like an affirmation in a mental-picture form. Return to it whenever you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, and see if there are pieces from your perfect day you can infuse into your day, right now.

05. Commit to doing one thing for YOU every day.

Taking it a step further, what would happen if you committed to doing just ONE thing completely and totally for you every single day until the end of the year? It might be 5 minutes spent journaling or meditating, or an hour to go get a pedicure or hang out at the farmer’s market on a Sunday. Only requirements: It needs to be something completely for the sake of joy (not productivity, not fitness, not your kids’ needs, not responsibilities… alllll for you).

So, what do you say? Are you in on making the rest of 2020 more intentional and uplifting with these mini shifts and acknowledgments? I’m in if you are, and I have a feeling we’ll all be better for it heading into the fresh year ahead.

This daily planner will help you be more intentional.

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