Happy New Year!

January 2, 2022

Two days of 2022 is in the books, and we are on our way to a year of hope, health, love, and success.   Every year I give a lot of thought to the new year and what I want to accomplish for the year.  I try to not set typical new year’s resolutions not sure why, maybe it’s because I think it’s cliché’ and often people including myself set their resolutions to high and by day 15 of the new year they fail.  In fact, typically 45% of Americans set new year’s resolutions and only 8% actually stick with them and accomplish them.    I researched where this idea of new year’s resolutions came from and believe it or not it goes back 4,000 years ago to the ancient Babylonians.  They were the first to hold recorded new year’s celebrations.  Back then they celebrated in March when the crops were planted rather than January.  They made promises to their God’s to repay their debts and return objects they borrowed.  These promises were considered what we now called resolutions. Then when Julius Caesar changed the calendar in 46 BC, to the new year beginning on January 1st the Romans offered sacrifices to the deity and made promises of good conduct for the coming year.  Again, similar to resolutions.  In 1740 clergyman John Wesly who founded the Methodist church created the Covenant Renewal Service which takes place either on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.  The service includes readings from Scriptures and hymn singing and serves as an alternative to raucous new year’s celebrations. 

Starting a new year always brings feelings of change, hope and renewal.  There is nothing wrong with setting a vision for the year ahead but once you do that, you really have to be strategic in how you want to see the vision come to fruition.

Back in 2020 I set a goal to obtain my professional human resource certification, PHR.  Once I made that proclamation, I set a reasonable date and registered for the test.  Doing that insured that I would have to make it happen.  Having an actual date set helped me to strategically plan my studying and test preparation.  That goal was challenged at times, and I had thoughts of postponing the date.  Especially when the pandemic hit and news of my breast cancer diagnosis.  It was hard to maintain the focus some days, but I persevered and kept the date and lo and behold, I did it.  That day when I walked out of the testing center with the folded print out of the results, I went in the rest room and opened it.  I cried.  It was such a relief and a huge sense of accomplishment for me especially since later that afternoon I was to begin my first radiation treatment. It was a poignant moment I’ll never forget.

Now here we are in 2022, two days in and I am beginning to think about what my big goal is, the big vision I wish to accomplish this year.   Well shortly after I completed my radiation treatment, I decided to take on what I call the next chapter of my life.  With 29 years in with the school district I am in the last quarter of my education career.  Now and when I can retire, I still want to accomplish great things, so I decided to do something I have always dreamed of doing……becoming a professional speaker and coach.  I became a John Maxwell Team Member, and I am currently training to be a certified speaker, coach and trainer.  In my spare time I have been learning how to speak and inspire others.  I have been feeding my brain with the John Maxwell leadership philosophy and my hope is to encompass my experiences as a principal and leader to inspire others to lead with purpose and hope.  The big goal is to start my own professional speaking, coaching and training business.  There is so much to do to move this vision forward, but I have engaged daily in an intentional planning practice to keep me focused and my eye on the ball.  I have used the Franklin/Covey time management system for many, many years but for several months I have started using a system called Define My Day.  It helps me to focus on three main priorities each day and create greater balance with my goals.  One of the 3 priorities is called Next Chapter and that is where I ensure that each day, I spend time moving my goal forward.  It’s a way to be strategic on a weekly and daily basis.

As you plan for a great new year for 2022, I strongly encourage you to adopt some kind of daily planning system for yourself to build long lasting habits.  Choose your big goals for the year and then break it down in step-by-step daily priorities.  Define My Day is a great system.  If you are interested visit www.definedlife.com or find the podcast called Defining Life with Nick Boris.  Each day I reflect on how I accomplished my main priorities.  There are days I don’t get there.  Work can take a lot of my time and energy, so I move the priority to the next day.  Each week I set up what are called milestones to accomplish for the week.  It has helped me take on a large goal or vision and make I happen.  If you have made resolutions, write them down and begin to strategically plan each week to accomplish that vision.  You can call it a resolution, a goal or a vision.  Stephen Covey referred to a vision as “Beginning with the End in Mind”. Where do you see yourself?  I see myself leading, sharing my stories and inspiring others to be leaders.  No matter what, be that 8% that actually make it happen!  You can do it! 

Happy New Year!