We waited anxiously for this week for months. The time went exactly as expected. Everything was a total mess. Surround-sound baby cries. More food than we normally eat in a month. And lots of laughter, fun, and love as my family and our extended family all gathered for Christmas Day.
It’s 7 a.m. two days later, and the house is finally quiet. The last of the family just pulled out of the driveway. I sit down with the latte I just made with our new espresso machine and let the silence settle.
It was an unforgettable, chaotic, fun-filled holiday. What else should you expect when you have your three adult children, their spouses, five grandchildren—four of whom are under the age of 2—and one dog all visiting for Christmas?
Now it’s time to set the new year plans in ink. No more drafts. No more brainstorming. It’s time for commitment. It’s time to take the blank canvas and set the composition. I have chosen the tools and the colors. I am ready for the piece of art that will become my life in 2025.
How about you? Are you ready?
New Beginnings
I love the beginning of a new year. Since turning 60 this year, it also marks the beginning of a new decade for me. And since my mom passed away earlier this year, my sisters and I are now the oldest generation.
The oldest generation. The matriarchs. Scary.
This season of my life inspires me to double down on plans and goals for the new year. Like many books say, we all want purpose and to feel like our life counts. I know I do.
Planning the New Year
If you want to put together some plans to ensure a purposeful, healthy, and joyous year, here are a few steps you can take.
1. Reflect on the Past Year
I always like to look back, at least to the past year. I pull out old journals and ask myself some honest questions. Here are a few exercises you might try:
- Make a T-chart with “plus” on one side and “minus” on the other. Start with January and jot down all the positives and negatives of the year. I like the chronological order because it often reveals trends I hadn’t noticed before.
- Look at the key areas of your life—health, relationships, finances, school/work—and journal about where you feel you are in each category and why.
- Revisit the plans and goals you made last year at this time. Write about your progress or rate yourself on a subjective scale.
2. Reflect and Pray
Take time to reflect and pray over the past year and where you are now in your life.
- Pray over this time of reflection and ask the Lord to reveal what He wants you to see. Sometimes this changes things in the negative column to the positive—His measures are so different from ours.
3. Write it Down
Write about your feelings and thoughts as you review your past year. Here are a few prompts to consider:
- Is your life heading in the direction you’d hoped?
- Is your relationship with God close? Do you feel like you’re listening to Him and hearing His will for your life?
- Do you feel like you’re on the right path? Need to change course? Speed up or slow down?
- How are you—emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mentally?
- Do you feel stuck? Are you at home in your own skin?
- What is the stress level in your life right now?
Reflecting on where we are and how we feel about it helps us think about the future and what’s next. Hopefully, it’s just pressing on and fine-tuning our intentions in life because we’re already on the right path.
When I read journals from years past, I laugh at how often I want to shake things up. I like change. But after my season of reflection, I often realize this is the path God set me on years ago. It’s a path I’ve loved, tweaking it notwithstanding.
4. Set Affirmations and Goals
Once you’ve reflected, it’s time to set affirmations and goals for the new year. A few years ago, I learned a different way to approach affirmations.
A Different Twist on Affirmations and Goals
I read in The Miracle Morning to set aspirational affirmations. Who are we kidding when we say an affirmation that, in our heart, we don’t believe is true? No matter how many times we say it, that won’t make it true. We must do something to make it come to fruition.
Instead, set an aspirational affirmation by stating what or who you want to be and why. The why is your motivation.
Here’s an example:
I will become the healthiest and most energetic me I can be in 2025 so that I can maintain my quality of life and not be a burden on my children.
Then, break it down into specific, achievable goals that are within your control yet predictive of the outcome you desire. Here are a couple that match the affirmation above:
- Resume consistent workouts 4x/week with weights and cardio.
- Get 7 hours of sleep per night.
- Always follow my anti-inflammatory protocol strictly.
You get the idea.
5. Review and Pray
When you review your goals, be honest with yourself and listen to God. If you’re like me, the world can make you antsy and looking for change. We always want bigger and better. We want to do more and have more. Heck, we want to feelmore (more positive, of course) and have more passion.
But in my walk with the Lord over the past decade, I’ve realized that when you’re on God’s path and plan for your life, it’s your best life. It may not look like what the world calls the “best life,” but we need to remember that His measurement is the only one that matters.
Our goals may seem par for the course, but that may be because we’re already on course. When we find God’s will for our lives, it is everlasting. We may need to tweak and fine-tune, but we don’t need massive change.
Embracing the New Year
As I age, I see more beauty, more love, and more purpose everywhere. God was intentional when He created us. We should be deliberate in living out the life He has provided for us.
Begin with the End in Mind
Imagine yourself a year from now, standing at the close of 2025, reflecting on the masterpiece of your life over the past year. Each choice, each day, has been a deliberate brushstroke—guided by purpose, fueled by faith, and filled with joy. Now is the time to begin painting that picture. Will you pick up your brush and start?
Let’s take that first step together. Start today by setting aside 15 minutes to reflect, journal, or pray over your vision for the year. Write down your first aspiration and the small step you’ll take toward it.
This is your year to live boldly and with intention. And if you’d like a guide, a sounding board, or a partner in this journey, we’re here to help you craft the life God has planned for you. Let’s make 2025 a year of purpose, faith, and joy—together.
