Disclosure: There are some affiliate links below, and I may receive commissions for purchase made through the links in the post. However, these are products I highly recommend. I won’t list anything I haven’t tried and found personally useful.

Has 2020 left you feeling depleted? Let’s dream big, then, and find an actionable course to make 2021 better and bigger together!

It’s mid-November and definitely time to start thinking ahead for the new year—one which, for so many, is a fresh start after a year that feels lost.

So, where to begin? For me, planning starts with a brainstorm dump where I dig into my journals and planner from this year. Considering what I’ve done and where I want to be in 14 months, I then whittle my list of brainstorm dump findings into a shorter list of big-picture goals.

These are my “pie-in-the-sky” objectives for the new year. And with that list in hand, I hone in on how I might reach the big stuff. Here is my sample of how this all looks:

Before you make your own plans for the new year, I highly recommend reviewing your journal entries and calendars from this year to reflect about where you’ve been.

And after noting what milestones and accomplishments from this year were met, you might be surprised how much better you feel about 2020 after all.

SHARE YOUR LIST WITH A TRUSTED SOURCE

I admit that I have this tendency to create big, dreamy goals and then don’t drill down as to how I’ll reach them. The problem with this is that it leaves me with goals that “feel” so pie-in-the-sky as I add them to my list that I doubt I could even attain them.

Later, I find I have a dust ball of goals that ends up under the couch. If you suffer from the same, let’s forge a better plan together to turn this habit around. And remember, failure only happens when you stop trying, so let’s keep going with a new year, new goals, and new habits around them.

So, once you create your big goals, share the list with a trusted source such as a friend or mentor who will understand the work you face. I talked my list through with my daughter Alexandra. She is in business, too, and so we discussed the work-related goals as a team. Alexandra is a bit more pragmatic than I am, so it helped to break down some of the goals into achievable objectives.

DRILLING DOWN ON ONE THING AT A TIME

The biggest hurdle in goal-setting is to turn very large goals into small increments of action, and then to forge ahead to do those things. In my case, I want to turn flighty brain into strategic action. In fact, my theme for 2021 is to be purposeful in what I do, especially as it relates to business.

I need to learn a lot about analytics, which is not my strength, so I’ll start by doing some research. That’s attainable enough, and it will help me build momentum. I might hire a pro or two to help me get set up on my shop, too, and to make sure my websites are set up correctly so I can collect and interpret the right data.

As for the year that’s almost done, I’ve been creating a lot of content via blogs, newsletters and posts. I have not, however, assessed how that information is received and used by my audience. This year I want to connect more with readers, so I need to drill in on how they search and consume information.  

I’ll provide you updates on analytical progress, but for now, I’ll begin with one simple and actionable change that I can make right now with blog writing and posting:

I tend to write my blogs with an idea in mind but no sense of how people might find it on the internet. For example, I originally titled this post “Are You Ready to Refresh for 2021?” A quick Google search revealed nobody is looking to find help with setting goals and resolutions for the new year via the word “refresh.” Google doesn’t even offer other similar searches.

I promptly scrapped my initial idea and then went with a more direct title: “How to Plan to Make the New Year Your Best Ever.” It’s definitely a highly-searched notion, and it fits the content I’ve written.

So, utilizing the big world of the internet and Google to help me focus my blogs is a first step. Checking subjects and titles for now will help me at least ensure that I’m providing information that is being searched by people like you!

STEP BY STEP AND A THEME

As the more purposeful title of this blog suggests, it’s time to plan to make 2021 better than ever. I’d say 2020 has left many of us with ample room to grow in a positive direction. Start now by reflecting on this year, and make a list of what you’ve done and what has happened. Take a few minutes to acknowledge what you’ve achieved that, perhaps, you hadn’t even thought about.

Next, create a list of the things you want to do for 2021. Go ahead and let your “freaky dreamy flag” fly with each idea of what you want to do. And remember, by starting now, you’re giving yourself the necessary time to look at your list and refine it.

Finally, share your list with a trusted source and get some sound feedback. Remember that dreams without a plan of action remain dreams forever, so work to break the big stuff down into accessible goals you can work toward right away.

What are your goals for 2021? Are you building a business, losing weight, or planning for a large project? Can you break down those big goals into smaller steps that are attainable?

I’m here if you care to share your goals and receive encouragement to keep moving forward!

Photo: Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

Postscript: One comfort is a clean space. If you need help getting going on organizing your home check out Get Organized Gal’s courses for support.

I used her course to organize my office, and it is in pretty good shape these days. Success in one space has lead to cleaning channels to other rooms and photos as well. Check out he courses here.

Sherry is the founder of Storied Gifts a personal publishing service of family and company histories. She and her team help clients curate and craft their stories into books. When not writing or interviewing, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and lives in Des Moines, Iowa.

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The shop is a mother and daughter venture for Sherry and Alexandra Borzo of Content In Motion. They both work to help their client's stories sing. The shop is their effort to inspire a focus on healthy minds for everyone through positive thought.

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