“New Years” Planning for Anytime of Year
Happy New Years!...In the middle of February. Too late? I’m thinking about that Curb Your Enthusiasm bit where Larry David says you’ve only got three days to wish people a Happy New Year. I'll admit, it might be too late to wish you a Happy New Year, but it’s never too late to set new intentions.
In this episode, I share my strategy for yearly planning, while embracing the belief that setting new intentions knows no calendar bounds. (I made a FREE “New Years” Planning Workbook for you guys! Grab it Here!)
And if you don’t have the capacity to even think about New Year’s resolutions, I’ve been there and I’m sending so much love your way. I hope this episode is a comforting guide to regaining clarity, setting intentions and preparing for a new year with a realistic and compassionate approach.
In this episode I'm discussing:
[00:00] - The New Year Starts in February (or whenever you want it to)
[01:18] - Seasons of survival and seasons of growth
[03:30] - Step 1 - Dreaming
[05:09] - Step 2: Financial Planning
[08:54] - Step 3: Setting Intentions, Goals + Planning
[11:35] - Finding Purpose + Meaning
More of a reader? I got you…
The New Year Starts in February (or whenever you want it to)
Have you seen that cute video about January by Keiko Lynn on Instagram? She's got this really fun, vintage vibe. And there's this voiceover that says, "Keiko Lynn doesn't believe in January. To her, it's an enigmatic blur between the twinkling lights of Christmas and the romantic hues of February." It goes on to say that January is this gap in time where she just rests and crafts and “contemplates her existence in the tapestry of the new year, which starts on February the first and she won't hear otherwise."
I totally relate. I feel like I spend January in that same kind of restful, contemplative energy and plan for the new year to actually start in February. So that's why I'm releasing this New Year's episode in the middle of February.
And let’s be real, you can set new intentions any time of year. So I feel like this is relevant anytime.
Seasons of Survival and Seasons of Growth
Last year around this time, I didn't have the brain space for any New Year's resolutions or yearly planning. My kids were still deep in autistic burnout, and after a really tough non-stop year, it all caught up to me in January.
I couldn't function. My brain was foggy. I was exhausted and overwhelmed. I was plagued by itchy stress rashes all over. I'd sometimes pass out or feel lightheaded and nauseous in stressful situations. And between low blood sugars and panic attacks, we had a lot of stressful situations going on.
I do web design on the side and I was really struggling to work. I just didn't have the energy to create.
I felt like I was in that newborn fog, minus the sweet newborn. I wasn't sleeping well. I was learning so many new things at once—between diabetes and burnout—it was all a big learning curve. I was adjusting to lots of changes all at once, we moved out of state the same year. I was grieving my son’s diagnosis. I was tired constantly. I felt panicked often, and I was struggling with being social.
So I started regular therapy again, and I've stuck with it this entire year, along with coaching and a lot of other supportive therapies and practices like MFR, chiropractic, journaling, meditation, exercise supplements, all of it.
And I'm doing a lot better than last year and so are my boys.
So here I am a year later with the energy, mental clarity, and capacity to think about this new year and the space to do some planning and set some intentions.
Nothing too crazy. We're still in recovery from burnout and I'm finally being more realistic about my capacity. But I am so grateful to be in a spot where I can even think about the new year things. And so I thought I'd share a few things I'm doing to prepare for this new year.
But I just wanted to say if you're in a season of complete survival mode or living in a fog, I've been there and I'm sending so much love your way and I'm hoping that you can get some relief soon.
Step 1: Dreaming
The first thing I like to do is take some time to dream. I am a dreamer. I have big dreams and desires for my life, and I am a total woo girl. I love the idea of manifesting. I think action is really important too, but I've realized that sometimes as you focus on a specific dream or a goal, you start to notice things that can help you get there or certain opportunities come your way.
It's like when you glance around a room and then on the second look, you choose a specific color and suddenly that color stands out in a way it didn't before. Our brains are naturally filtering out so much information, so I prefer to focus on my dreams and hope that by doing so, my brain will start noticing things that might pave the way for their realization.
I don't know if it will always work, but I think that even if I don't reach the dream, I'll probably gain a lot just by trying to get there.
Day in Your Dream Life
I love the book "You're a Bad A** at Making Money" by Jen Sincero. I know the title might be a little off putting, but I've read it so many times because it always helps me feel so motivated and energized to take action. In the book, she has an exercise where you write out a day in your dream life. I've done this exercise several times and I did it again this past month. It's just so fun to think about. When I did this exercise for the first time years ago, my dream was that my husband and I were both working from home with flexible schedules. And guess what? Here we are! We both work from home with flexible schedules and I'm so grateful. So I just love to take some time to dream.
Step 2: Financial Planning
The next thing that I like to do to prepare for the new year is financial planning. Before you tune me out, I know this podcast is about healing, so talking about finances might seem kind of off-topic. Still, if you think about it, finances impact health so much. It's crucial to discuss.
Gaining Financial Clarity
I used to have no clue about our finances. I wouldn't even look at them. I'd ask my husband before spending any money to make sure we had funds. But for years, I didn't even know how to log into our bank account. It wasn't a good thing, and it led to frustration. A while ago, I took an online course by Shanna Skidmore called Blueprint at Home. It taught me how to manage our home finances, and since then, every month, I do a money date where I look at where our money went.
Money Plans and Intentional Choices
Since taking the course, we finally have a money plan (which is basically just a nicer word for budget—I just hate the word budget). For years, from newlyweds to new parents to law school, we didn't have a money plan. Our plan was just don't spend any money. Oh, you need something? Wait until next year. So if that's you, I feel you. I'm grateful now to have a better understanding of our finances and to be in a place where we can make intentional choices.
Year-End Money Date
For financial planning for the year, the first step was to do the December money date—wrap up the year. I went over our income and expenses for the month and looked at the whole year's income and expenses. I compared our actual spending to our money plan. Since our income varies from month to month, getting a bird's eye view of the full year is helpful to see how we're doing financially.
Update Our Net Worth Statement
The second step is to update our net worth statement. A net worth statement lists all your assets and liabilities, helping you understand your financial standing. It assigns a monetary value to assets and lists debts as liabilities. By subtracting liabilities from assets, you arrive at your net worth. We just updated our net worth statement to reflect where we stand now in January 2024, tracking changes from year to year.
Goal Setting and Update Our Money Plan
The next step is to set goals together and update our money plan. Before even discussing budgeting or our money plan, we started with a discussion of our goals, upcoming events, and dreams. We discussed the financial impact of those—new therapies for the boys, family trips, saving for a new car, and paying off student loans. Taking into account what we learned from our spending last year, we updated our money plan to fit this year's goals.
Step 3: Setting Intentions, Goals + Planning
Okay, so after I do financial planning, then I like to take some time to set our intentions for the year and plan to reach those goals.
Family Goals and Intentions
As a family, we used to have this big chalkboard in our home displaying each family member's individual goals for the year. It was a constant reminder of what we were working towards. Additionally, it featured a section for intentions—how we wanted our home to feel or what general focus we aimed for. For instance, my goal was to start a garden, my husband's goal was to finish law school, my oldest wanted a Nintendo Switch, and my youngest aimed for lessons and a dino toy. It's inspiring to witness how we all eventually met those goals, and having it visible all the time makes a difference.
Admittedly, the past year and a half, the chalkboard has been sitting under my bed after our move, and I still haven't mustered the energy to put it up. So this year, we kept it simple. We talked as a family about our individual goals and intentions for the year. Maybe someday I'll get around to putting it up again.
Health and Wellness Goals
I always have different health and wellness goals that I'm working on. This year, I'm focusing on walking more. Getting out of the house can be challenging with kids who panic when I leave. To overcome this, I found a walking pad on Facebook Marketplace and a cheap pedometer to track my steps. What gets measured gets managed, right? I also scheduled a dental cleaning for the first time in years. Winning!
Creative Goals
I took some time to figure out my creative goals for the year and to plan for those. Experiencing burnout with my kids made me realize my natural desire to create things. So, I made decisions about which creative ideas to pursue next and mapped out a plan to bring them to life. From running a web design business to managing a small Etsy shop and starting the Maybe This Will Be the Cure Instagram page, creativity keeps me sane, and planning ensures these ideas see the light of day.
Finding Purpose & Meaning
When my son was hospitalized and diagnosed with type one diabetes, it shattered my worldview. The realization dawned that some circumstances are beyond my control—I can't shield life from every bit of suffering. In those moments, the lyrics of the song "The World Spins Madly On" by Weepy echoed in my mind. Despite the lack of control over life's circumstances, there's still a significant realm I can control—how I perceive and respond to a situation.
Drawing inspiration from Viktor Frankl's profound book, "Man's Search for Meaning," added a layer of understanding to my journey. Frankl, a psychologist who endured a concentration camp during World War II, emphasizes the power of choice in shaping our lives. His teachings underscore that, even amid external adversities, we can make choices that positively contribute to our well-being. In the face of suffering, there lies the potential to discover meaning and purpose.
I’ve also been reflecting on a quote I shared in the last episode—it struck me how trees, facing challenging seasons, pause their growth to focus on survival. Similarly, the past year demanded my attention on the bare necessities for survival. My brain had no space for thoughts of New Year's planning or resolutions as I navigated each day in survival mode. Emerging from a season of survival, I now find myself with the capacity for growth. Having weathered the storm, I cherish the opportunity to work towards something and appreciate the purpose and meaning it adds to my life.
Let’s Connect
Thanks for being here as I share the things I'm doing to prepare for the new year. I made a workbook for you to help you plan intentionally for a new year—check it out below.
I'd love to hear from you. Did you grab the workbook? Was it fun? How do you like to set intentions? You can send me a DM or leave a comment on Instagram.
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Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast & the show notes is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician before making any changes to your health plan. The host, Megan, is not a healthcare provider. Always seek guidance from a qualified health professional for your individual needs.