We all could use a few ways to start a new year with confidence. You can be confident in a new year no matter how things ended on December 31. I had a really peaceful end of the year. Once I was able to quit my previous job, things changed for me significantly, mentally, which was most important. Every time I share this with someone, I share how my husband and I joke about how I’ve had such a 180. I was fine before, but the peace that I have now is so different and it’s really allowed to me get clear about things.
That clarity, that time spent doing less forcing and more flowing, really waiting on God, has allowed me to start a new year with confidence. Now I’m sharing how you can do the same. Let’s get into 5 ways to start a new year with confidence.
Gratitude for Making it to Another Year
Forget all of the things that you didn’t do, didn’t accomplish, may have let slip, take a moment to just be grateful that you made it into another year. Focusing on what you didn’t accomplish prevents you from having the opportunity to start a new year with confidence. It is so easy to feel like you haven’t done much or done enough and as annoyed as I am with the trending audio, that I also used for my 2021 recap reel, it was nice doing that because it also reminded me of all the things.
All the things I did do, all of the things I was able to accomplish and how quickly those things can get overlooked simply by always feeling like we need to be doing something or starting something new. If you made a 2021 recap reel, I hope it allowed you to feel the same sense of accomplishment instead of the opposite of that. Additionally, I hope it encouraged you to start a new year with confidence.
Be Open to All That Can Happen in 365 Days
Every year a quote/meme floats around talking about how much can change in a year and it’s so true. You can start a new year with confidence by simply being open to ALL that can occur, change and shift in 365 days. We know that things can change in one day, so don’t let the idea of what you didn’t accomplish or didn’t finish stop you from knowing that it can and will still get done.
God will show up on what you think is the deadline and completely change everything for you, so don’t get discouraged. Talking to myself too because if I’m being honest, there were several things I’ve been believing for in my own life and seeing what I want, be distributed generously to others, as it should, encourages me that a lot can change. I hope you’re encouraged as well.
Be Secure in Your Decision to Continue or Quit Projects No Longer Aligned
You can start a new year with confidence by being secure in your decisions to continue or quit projects, opportunities or experiences that no longer align with what you desire moving forward. I actually believe a lot of us are more sure than we think, when it comes to continuing or discontinuing projects, but the ability for others to comment on it or give their two cents paralyzes us into caring what others think about OUR decisions.
I encourage you to be secure in all of the decisions you make or may have to make. Pray about it, ask God to help you discern what it is you need to do regarding those things you may need to continue or discontinue. I have a stationary brand called Paper and Poise, but I actually put it on pause for a moment while I do my own asking and praying because I’m not sure if what I thought I wanted for the brand and as the brand is what I desire anymore long time going forward. It just is what it is, I can’t care what somebody else has to say about it because I’m the one responsible for it.
The same goes for your projects and decisions that need to be made in this new year. Don’t let people pleasing keep you from starting a new year with confidence.
Believe You Can without Needing the Approval of Others
Not only does security in your own decisions help you start a new year with confidence, actually believing you can and believing in yourself to get things done will last longer than hoping people clap for your every move. Whenever I start feeling like I’m seeking approval, I always have to step back because that is not the space that I operate fluidly from. That space is not where I’m aligned, especially when it comes to being a creator/public figure of some sort on social media.
Living publicly, even with boundaries, can still have you questioning yourself if you are not able to discern when that belief in yourself is wavering. I dare you to believe in yourself for the next 365 days and see how much more you accomplish without needing any approval. You would honestly be surprised at how much people are ‘being approved’ to do things or live a certain way simply because you are doing that exact same thing.
A New Fresh Journal with a Fresh Perspective on Your Goals
My favorite way to start a new year with confidence is having a new journal. Blank pages with opportunities to see things grow from the written seeds sown on the pages is super dope. It can be easy to forget what you’ve written down if you write a lot. I encourage using sticky notes or page flags to mark things you want to go back to even if it’s once a quarter to check in on your goals.
I also love writing the date that God deposited an idea because from that point of ideation, you get to see in real time how quickly things change. One of my goals for 2021, was monetizing my Pinterest, but also hitting 20K followers. I wrote those down early 2021 and while I expected it to happen, I had no idea it would happen in the form of a partnership directly with Pinterest.
Lastly, when selecting your journal to start a new year with confidence, try a different layout. As much as I love lined paper for uniformity and familiarity, a lot of my best work or ideas is documented on unlined pages. I like that I can write, doodle, brain dump, all of the things that you can do with a lined journal, but the execution, for me personally, has been better on unlined paper. Ultimately, this tip isn’t a deal breaker, always do what is best and most comfortable for you. I like this tip because it starts you off outside of your comfort zone.
What is one thing you do to start a new year with confidence? I love creating a new morning or daily routine, something definitely worth trying!
Yes! I definitely came into this year peaceful as well. It’s very different from all of the other “New Years” I have experienced. I am going to pick up journaling again this year. It’s very therapeutic for me to write down all the thoughts and ideas that bounce around in my brain. Thank you for sharing this! I will be coming back to re-read the part about not needing approval from others. Something that I occasionally struggle with.
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Thank you so much for reading Khira! I appreciate it and something about this year has already been so unique compared to the other, I’m really looking forward to seeing it all unfold. You and I both will be back reading that blurb because it happens to me too!