How to Reset and Plan for Success in 2022

2022 is here y’all! How are you feeling?

You know, I’ve been trying to write this post for a few days and let me tell you, I just couldn’t get it done. Not because I didn’t have the time or didn’t know what to say, but because there just seemed to be something.. missing.

Thursday night I attended a virtual vision board party streaming live on YouTube impromptu. I’d heard about it and then eventually I forgot about it. Made no plans to be there. But listen, I love me a good Vision Board party. I just get excited when I imagine the possibilities of the future and what God has for me. I know it won’t all be sunshine and roses. But God has some good things for us among the challenges and thorns life throws at us. This wasn’t just any old vision board party though. This was a faith-based vision board party. And, that my friends is where I found the connecting pieces to finish this post.

As we launch into the New Year, Set Goals & Slay family, I encourage you to take your FAITH with you! Read that again.

Although we are stepping into a New Year, we can expect that we will experience our share of highs an lows. Much like 2021. 2021 was challenging for me. It started off great until.. I loss my aunt and then a month later I loss my grandmother who was a pillar in my life. Both were somewhat unexpected. Not only was she my grandmother, but she was also my pastor for over 20 years. I struggled for most of the year with accepting that she is gone. Not only that, but I had to separate from another individual who was a significant part of my childhood as well. There was much loss, but there was also great gain. On a happier note, God blessed me to get engaged to the love of my life and in less than a month, we’ll be married! The relationships with my siblings have also progressed even when oceans apart and I’ve begun to rebrand Set Goals & Slay and released my new book, Let’s Be Real!

So, even with all of the challenges in experiencing loss, Covid-19, and just navigating our rapidly changing world as it is.. it was still a blessing. There was still a reason to smile and rejoice – found in the midst of it all. And, for that I am grateful! That is exactly how I am entering the New Year. With a heart of gratitude. I encourage you to do the same.

Alright, so let’s get to part you came here for. Here are my Top 7 Tips to Reset for the year ahead:

1) Reflect + Review your 2021 goals and progress. Set aside time to a brain dump. You can do this on your phone or computer, but personally, I enjoy taking out a pen and paper. Jot down EVERYTHING that comes to your mind that you accomplished throughout the year and EVERYTHING you are thankful for. After that, take time to go through your journals and planners/calendars, whether they’re digital or paperback. As you review them, be honest with yourself about the effort you put in, the progress you made and the areas in which you may not have seen as much growth as you’d have liked. Lastly, for this step, enter into a prayer of gratitude. Thank God for what you were able to accomplish and for the areas and ways in which you grew/evolved as a person. Let’s enter the New Year with a heart of gratitude!

2) Brain Dump/Scripting. In step 1, your brain dump was regarding all things gratitude. This time, you’ll want to write freely, without limitation, about your goals and aspirations for 2022. Whatever is in your heart, whatever comes to mind, don’t be shy about it, just jot it down. This is between YOU and God.

3) Set SMART Goals. Okay, now here is one of my favorite parts, because this is where we take those wishes and dreams and begin to breath life into them! This is HOW they can become reality. Now, I encourage you, this year to put emphasis on the dreams that God has put down on the inside of you. You know, the one’s you keep to yourself? The one’s you don’t like to talk about, because a lot of people don’t understand or may be quick to talk you out of pursuing your dream? Friend, I’m talking about the dreams that you have been afraid to pursue. I’m talking about the dreams you’ve been sitting on, for years, waiting.. Waiting for a perfect time, waiting to feel ready, waiting for a table or opportunity to be set before you. Yeah.. that dream! You may just have to build the table yourself.. *read that again*

Take that dream and set a flexible SMART goal. A goal that is: Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic and Trackable. Next, Identify your WHY. Answer this: WHY are you pursuing that goal? WHAT will happen IF you accomplish your goal? WHO will blessed by your courage to pursue and achieve that goal? This is your WHY.

Create your action plan. The most important part of goal-setting is creating your action plan, because this is literally your blueprint. This should tell you HOW, what and when. So, break those goals into small action-steps and set a date.

And, although you are setting a date, keep in mind that it is OKAY to make adjustments. Life happens. Just because we PLAN does not mean that everything will go accordingly.

Nevertheless, it is still beneficial to have a BLUEPRINT that tells you where you are going, how you’re going to get there AND alternate routes you can take WHEN a road is blocked – you might want to read that one again too.

After you’ve set your goal(s) and created your action plan, now it’s time to create your dream board or vision book. If you do this, be sure to include photos of OR representations of your WHY. You don’t need to just see pictures of what you are working for, but also reminders of WHY you are working for it!

Accountability. This is one clutch too. Find an accountability partner OR a method to hold you accountable. There are many ways of doing that – we’ll have to save that for another post.

Wrapping up step 3, I encourage you to not only enter the New Year with gratitude, but to journey through the year with gratitude as well! Every goal we pursue is an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve as people.

Your MINDSET is key. Make up in your mind to prioritize creating and maintaining healthy habits rather than zeroing in on the goals itself. Focus more on the steps you take to the destination and enjoy the journey, rather than focusing solely on the big picture – the final destination.

In my last blog, I shared with you how essential it is to SURRENDER. After you set your goals and create your action plan, it is now time to surrender. Pray over your goals and submit them to God, because ultimately it’s His plan for our lives we should be striving to fulfil. Yes, I want my dream car – a black Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – among other things – but personally, this is not my priority in 2022, like it was in 2021. Nah, I didn’t get my dream car. Yet. I still believe that I will and will put in the work to manifest it, however.. My emphasis this year will be on my goals that will benefit other people in a positive way. My dream car will be a blessing for me and it will come when it’s time. But, the true question is, how can I be a blessing to others in this New Year?

4) Fast/Cleanse/Detox. Our body and our mind is the vehicle used to carry out our life’s purpose. We can take care of ourselves by 1) Taking care of our bodies – eating right, ]exercising/staying active and being mindful of what we INHALE: what we eat, listen to, participate and what we EXHALE: what we speak (speak life), surrendering our will and releasing negativity/toxic thoughts.

One thing I like to do at the start of each year is to do a 3 day fast. One of my priorities during my fast is to surrender my goals to God in prayer and seek him for guidance, wisdom and clarity in my pursuit.

5) Declutter and organize your space. I don’t know all the scientific data and revelations about this.. but I know that there’s something to it. You can research it if you want *smiles* by trying it. It just helps to feel more motivated and as if the New Year is truly a fresh start, a clean slate, a blank canvas.. it’s a New Year and the possibilities are endless!

6) Get started now on those goals. Don’t wait until Jan 1 to begin. Start now.

7) Take your FAITH with you, wherever you go. It’s great that we set our goals and that we are vision focused, but listen, we must remember to take our faith with us. That is, our faith in our creator – the giver of life and of our purpose. Also, faith – that with Him, we can set our goals AND slay them, because He is able to give us strength, send encouragement when we need it most, provide resources even when we don’t know where it will come from. And, faith that even though we might not feel ready, good enough or qualified.. We are STILL chosen and more than capable. So go after your goals with FAITH – don’t try to do it without HIM and don’t try to do it without IT.

That is all Set Goals & Slay Family! I love you all and I appreciate each and every one of you that has supported this blog by reading, likes, sharing and commenting! I’ve seen some growth over the past year in subscribers and I’m super exciting to see what we can achieve in the New Year. I wish you a happy, healthy and safe New Year! Cheers!

Coming up next..

To start of the year, Iets take a deep dive into practical ways to enhance our productivity in the New Year. Most of us have a lot going on and it can be a challenge to juggle the different goals we want to work on in all aspects of our lives. Though it be challenging, it is not impossible. So if you’d like, go ahead and subscribe and stay tuned. I’ve got some helpful tips and strategies coming your way!