We’re one week into the new year and we hope it’s off to a good start. If you have intentions to make 2023 your year, it’s important to make time to set yourself up for success.Here are TEN things to try to jump into the new year with focus, clarity, and confidence.

  1. Reflect on 2022 and create a vision for 2023.
    2022 is full of lessons and learnings. Make space for a deep-dive review of the past year, and you can take the best bits with you.Then create a vision for the year ahead. With a vision, you have an overarching context that you can live into. When you know who you want to be (as well as what you desire to have and do), it’s easier to step fully into your best self. Use visioning to jump into the future and get a sense of what you want to create. When you know your destination, you can work backwards to figure out your next steps.
  2. DON’T set New Year’s Resolutions!
    If you do nothing else after reading this email, this is the tip to pick!According to science, 92% of people never achieve their New Year’s Resolutions. The problem with New Year’s Resolutions is that they’re too vague. For example, I want to lose weight, I want to start a business, or I want to write a book.

    These resolutions don’t hold you to account for your results because there’s no deadline and no specificity. If you lack clarity, it’s all too easy to stay in the status quo. After all, we’re creatures of habit, and given a chance we’ll revert to what we know [and where we feel comfortable].

    So this year, set SMART goals instead of New Year’s Resolutions. It’s the most effective way to set yourself up for success. The Carpe More Diem Planner can help you with this.

  3. Discover your core values.
    What’s most important to you? Define your core values, and you’ll activate an inner compass that empowers you to head in the direction that’s most aligned to your best self.
  4. Choose your focus word for the year.
    ​Activate your Reticular Activating System to identify the things you want to call into your life.

    When you define a word for the year ahead, you empower yourself to say YES to the things that matter and NO to those that don’t align.

  5. Aim for work-life harmony.
    It’s tempting to put all your time and energy into one specific goal. But true happiness comes from feeling fulfilled in all areas of your life.Work-life harmony means success in your relationships, your finances, your health, and your hobbies – as well as your career/business. When your work gets the best of you, it’s easy to let other areas slip.

    But you can push back against this trend through daily 10-minute practices. For example:

    • Schedule a regular walk/run/yoga class.
    • Commit to doing meditiation 10-minutes a day, or adopt a mindfuness practicel.
    • Make time for an in-depth conversation with your partner or your children.
    • Increase your knowledge and skills by reading or listening to podcasts.
    • Small daily actions soon compound into something meaningful.

  6. ​Review your habits.
    James Clear says, “you get what you repeat”.Do your habits help or hinder you? Are there some new practices you want to integrate into your life to ensure you can thrive?

    Be honest with the things you do on autopilot and decide if it’s time to make some tweaks. The Carpe More Diem Planner is a great tool to track your habits.

  7. Make a Live List.
    Goals are brilliant for injecting focused activity into your life. But who do you want to BE and how do you want to FEEL?

    In the words of Oscar Wilde, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.” 

    Create a Live List, and you’ll find it easier to experience that ‘rarest of things’.

  8. Create your support structure.

    Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”  Who will surround you in 2023 and help you thrive? For example:

    • Is it time to join a mastermind?
    • Would you go further with an accountability buddy?
    • Do you want to find more online groups where ‘your people’ hang out?
    • Does your friendship group nourish and support you?

  9. Set a three-month goal.
    Goals give you a clear direction to focus your time, energy, and resources. Goals help you feel accomplished and productive by empowering you to achieve the things that matter most.

    The trick is not to leave your goals to chance. Instead, architect them – it will maximize your chances of success. The Carpe More Diem Planner contains all the planning, tracking, and review templates you need to crush it. Best of all, it’s a three-month focus – long enough to achieve something significant and short enough to push off procrastination.

    What could you achieve in the next 3 months?

  10. Write down (and celebrate) your wins.
    Your big-thinking goals will likely push you out of your comfort zone. There’s no doubt about that. Things can get hairy when you’re thriving in discomfort. Doubts and fears can hold you back and make you question yourself. Before you know it, you’ve become stagnant!

    The good news is there’s a super simple way you can inspire yourself to keep moving – even when you don’t want to, and even when the path ahead feels too hard. Make it a habit to write down your wins every day – no matter how small. You can use the Carpe More Diem Planner to help with this.

    Over time, you’ll create a catalog of successes, which you can refer back to anytime self-doubt creeps in. When you have proof that you’ve done it before, you’ll find it easier to believe that you can step up again.

Ready to make 2023 an incredible year?

With the help of these tips and techniques to kick-start your plans, you can mastermind your best year yet.

Here’s to making 2023 your year!