How to Turn the Tide and Restart Your Year After a Tough Beginning
- Why Hit the Reset Button?
### A. The effects of having a bad start
What it is, something like this, let’s face it, starting the year wrong can be really so demotivating. Perhaps you lost track of a couple important deadlines, or maybe none of your New Year’s resolutions made it out of January. It’s easy to think the entire year is already ruined, and it hasn’t even started. But here’s the thing: just because your year started rough doesn’t mean it needs to be the definition of your whole year.
- The science of fresh starts
There’s even some interesting psychology behind the notion of fresh starts. Our brains like the concept of new beginnings. That’s part of the reason we make New Year’s resolutions in the first place. This phenomenon is called the “fresh start effect,” and it’s a force we can harness anytime, not just on Jan. 1.
- Why you need to reset your mindset and your goals
Sometimes your mind and goals just need a little reset. It allows you to shed what’s not happening and get to the potential. But like, for your entire life, it’s like you hit refresh on your browser. You get to declutter your mind and reengage your goals with fresh energy and clarity.
- Understanding Where You Stand
- Yourself the specific challenges and setbacks
We need to know where we are before we can go on. Consider what has tripped you up. Have you found yourself procrastinating more than usual? Is something outside your control getting in the way? Identifying these barriers will help us address them directly.
- Take a Moment to Reflect on how you feel and your stress levels
How do you feel about that at this moment? Stressed? Disappointed? Maybe a bit overwhelmed? It’s perfectly acceptable to say that everything is not OK. In fact, recognizing these feelings is the first step in managing them. Keep in mind that your emotional health matters as much as any goal you want to reach.
- Reflecting on your progress to initial goals
Now review those goals you established at the start of the year. How far have you come? Even if not as far as you wanted, I’ll bet you’ve moved forward. Celebrating even small achievements can be pretty powerful motivators.
III. Reframing Your Perspective
- Failure is an opportunity to learn
I know it’s cliche, but failure really can be a great teacher. Stop berating yourself over defeats, and learn from the experience instead. What can you glean from what didn’t happen? Viewing it positively would turn a negative into a positive.
- Cultivating gratitude for small wins
It’s easy to dwell on the bad, but don’t forget to appreciate the good. Did you hit the gym at least once this week? Great! Done with a book you’ve been meaning to read? Awesome! Each small win warrants a celebration, as celebrating these victories will keep your mood and motivation high.
Now let us move on to the next reason, which is:
A growth mindset is based on the notion, that you can enhance and grow your skills over time. It’s the opposite of believing you’re “just not good at” something. In contrast, growth mindset sees challenges as opportunities to learn and evolve rather than as obstacles.
- Important and Obtainable Objectives
### A. Revisiting and recalibrating your original goals
Now that we’ve taken stock of where things are, it feels appropriate to circle, once again, back to those original objectives. Are they still relevant? Are they attainable considering where you are right now? If they need tweaking, don’t be afraid to tweak them. If you can improve your chance of being successful by changing course, there’s nothing wrong with doing so.
- Breaking large goals down into small, actionable steps
A worthy goal can seem daunting at first. But when you deconstruct them into smaller, bite-sized tasks, they suddenly feel much more doable. So instead of “finish novel by December,” you might try “write for 15 minutes a day” if your world.
C. Craft a flexible timeline for accomplishments
Because life will throw you curveballs, so you want to build some flexibility into your plans. Instead of firm deadlines, consider target ranges. Which gives you some wiggle room without losing sight of your end goal.
- Building Positive Habits and Routines
A : Having a morning routine of productivity
Getting out of the right side of the bed can set the right tone for everything ahead. Your morning routine doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be as simple as making your bed, doing some light stretching and having a healthy breakfast. The key is consistency.
B. Ways to incorporate self-care into our daily lives
Self-care as selflessness, self-care isn’t selfish, it’s required. Whether that’s taking a leisurely bath, walking in nature or just taking a few deep breaths, do something every day that is just for you.
### C. Time management and organization skills
Time management makes all the difference. Experiment with techniques like the Pomodoro method (working in 25-minute focused bursts) or time-blocking your day. Just develop a system that works for you and your organization and never change it.
- Building a Support System
### A. Positive influences in your orbit
They are the ones we spend time with and can greatly affect our outlook and motivation. So try to be around people who encourage you and your goals. This could look like allocating more time to certain friends or family members and less time to others.
- Getting guidance from mentors/professionals
None of us can pull it off without a bit of help, though. It’s OK to ask for help from a mentor in your industry, or even a professional coach or therapist. They can provide perspective and strategies, which you may not have considered by yourself.
- Use of supportive social groups
There’s strength in numbers! Find a group or community (virtual or in-person) aligned with your goals. Whether it’s a writing group, a fitness class or a career networking organization, being in a community can provide motivation, accountability and encouragement.
VII. Your Guide to Tracking Progress & Celebrating Milestones
- Engage effective monitoring of progress methods
It can be highly motivating to see your progress over time. It could also be as simple as tracking your habits in a journal, a habit-tracking app, or visualizing your goals (a progress bar or a vision board, for example).
- Recognition and reward of small wins
Don’t wait to celebrate until you arrive at your destination. Celebrate every little victory along the journey. Well done with that hard project at work? Indulge in your favorite cup of joe. Hit a fitness milestone? Tell an enthusiastic friend the news.
- Modify tactics based on current results
As you start to track your progress, you may discover that some of your strategies are working better than others. That’s great information! Make use of this to change your approach. Just keep in mind that one size does not fit all.
VIII. Summary: The Power of a Fresh Start
Keep in mind that each new day is an opportunity to start from scratch. The time for a reset and redoubling your focus on your goals is never too late. You are setting the stage for success, by knowing where you stand, redefining the scope, setting realistic targets, tuning in to life, creating a support system and tracking your activities. Be gentle on yourself, be adaptable, and continue to make progress. You’ve got this!
- FAQs
- If I am already months into it, is it too late to start my year over?
Not at all! There’s never a bad time for a fresh start. It may be June, October or even December, but you can always get back on track and start doing the right things.
- How often should I review the goals/ progress that I have made?
I would recommend a little check-in weekly and a deeper dive monthly. It keeps you on target and allows you to make changes where you need them.
- What happens if I slip up again in my reset?
All journeys have their share of setbacks. If they do, take a breath, re-evaluate, and update your plan as necessary. Note: focus on improvements rather than perfection.
- Would resetting my year change my long-term aspirations?
Of course, but typically in a good way! However, when you find yourself needing to hit reset, it provides you the opportunity to refocus, revise and rewrite the things that matter most to you, which ultimately leads to accomplishing your long term goals that much more effectively.
- How can I motivate myself during the reset process?
Remind yourself why these goals matter in the first place. Mark little victories, stay around people who support you, and remember to be kind to yourself while you’re at it.
