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New year, new you?

Even when I try to keep things realistic, as in "1 January is no different from any other day", I can't help myself. Come mid-December, my mind will start some sort of reset process and conjure up potential goals for the new year.

I've read a thing or two about it. Despite loads of evidence that we, as humans, often drop out after only a few weeks or even days from a new year's goal, it's natural for our brains to latch fresh starts onto natural milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, and New Years.

Obviously, we're a hopeful bunch!

So, instead of fighting it (tried it, didn't work), I now aim to optimize it, by setting the bar really, really low. Let me explain:

I no longer set up fantastical goals, supported by elaborate tracking systems, fueled by high expectations of life-transforming results.

Instead, I minimize it.

I use one tool for reflecting back, looking forward and setting one realistic, yet exciting, main goal. Then I look at one small thing I can do regularly to move toward that goal.

Regular micro-actions have proven tremendously more efficient than a spike of massive effort that fizzles as quickly as a holiday sparkler.

The tool I love, and have used for the past 7(!) years now, is "Year Compass".

Have you heard of it? It's a lovely initiative run by a global group of volunteers, who publish this free booklet in lots of different languages each year, and make it available for anyone to download. They don't even ask for your email address!

Unless you already have a ritual for reflecting on what was and what's to come, I highly recommend you to check this one out.

And with that, I wish you a lovely closure to 2023, and I look forward to reconnecting again in the new year!

PS. Toward the end of the booklet, you're encouraged to pick a word for the year ahead. If you pick a word for 2024, hit reply and let me know which word you chose. Once I have mine, I'll share it with you too 🤗