Start Your New Year Off Right!

Hello and Happy New Year! I took some time off in December and I’m so glad to be back. I just love a new year…new beginnings and opportunities. I am refreshed and ready get back to work, and today I want to share some things that I like to do to get my new year off to a good start.

Take Some Time To Reflect

As I mentioned, I took most of the month of December off. I did this for a few reasons. Taking a step back and giving yourself some time to reflect can reveal some things that can be helpful moving forward. When it comes to blogging, I like to look at analytics as well as just examine my own feelings about where things are and where I would like them to be. Make a list of what things are working and what things need to change. You can do this for any situation…whether you work inside the home or outside of the home.

What were your goals for 2021? Did you meet them or are there some goals that still need your attention. This is not a time to beat yourself up about unmet goals, but rather a time to reflect on them and decide if they are still current goals to work on.

Plan For The New Year

I am a planner! In fact, planning and setting goals in comforting to me. I’m not ashamed to say that purchasing a new monthly planner/calendar makes me happy. I recently purchased this one from Amazon. I also enjoy pretty note pads and notebooks for jotting down ideas. I suggest setting goals for all areas of your life such as:

• Health & Fitness: I have put on a few pounds over the past months, so like many of you I need to buckle down and get back to a healthier eating and exercise routine. I’ve been doing a lot of research, and I have decided to try keto and see how that goes. I’m not very good at exercise, but I am committed to a walking plan and I also want to do some strength training exercises at home.
• Career/Business: Setting goals in this area will vary greatly on your occupation. For me, I still hope to make this influencer/blogging thing a business so I have lots of goals that I hope to achieve.
• Family: Making goals for your family is also important. Whether you are an empty nester or still have children at home, spend some time thinking about what you want your family life to look like. My husband and I have set some goals as a couple to be more intentional about having date nights. We also sit down as a couple and discuss goals for the upcoming year…these can include home projects, vacations, or just how we do things as a family in general.
• Spiritual: As a Christian, my spiritual walk is very important. I would suggest picking out a daily devotional to help guide you with some time in God’s word every day. Also, think about how you can serve in your local church. I enjoy singing and playing in our praise band at my local church. Pray about what gifts and talents you can use to serve.
• Home: As I mentioned, my husband and I set goals for home improvement projects. This year we are living in our apartment, and we have some areas we want to make a little nicer since we will be here for a few years. Are there any home improvement projects that you want to plan to 2022? Make a list of them and tackle them one at a time.

These are just a few areas, and there are many more that come to mind. The important thing is to go through each area of your life and think it through. Set a time with your spouse to discuss your plans together or if you are single, sit down with a nice cup of coffee one evening and right down some goals.

Pursue Something New

The start of a new year is a good to to pursue something entirely new. You are never too old to learn something new! Take a class in something that interests you or pursue a dream that you have always had.

This year I have decided to branch out into video, and I am excited about starting a YouTube channel! It will be an extension of this blog, but will NOT replace the blog. I will share the same type of content including fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle. This is a big step…and a bit uncomfortable, but I’m still excited about it. If you would like to follow along, you can view my videos here. More on that later as I still have a lot of learning to do.

Mental Wellbeing

Life is hard, and since the pandemic it seems that the struggle has gotten more severe at times. Taking some time to evaluate your mental health is also important to starting off the new year on a positive note.

Another reason that I took some time off in December was to get my mental health back on track. I’ve never shared this publicly, but I have suffered from clinical depression for many years. This past year I had a particularly hard time managing my symptoms. You would not know it by looking at all the photos of me smiling and looking happy here on the blog, but that just goes to show that we all have struggles, and sometimes they are hidden out of view.

I may share more about my journey another time, but I’m sharing this today because I want to be real and transparent as much as possible. My doctor has adjusted my medication, and the good news is that I am feeling much better! I take it day by day, knowing that God is in control.

Get Organized

I love to organize my space, and now that we are living in a much smaller place organization is a must! It seems only natural to want to organize your living space as you take down the Christmas decor. Use this time to clean those hard to reach spaces and declutter as much as possible.

Did you get some new things for Christmas that need a place to live? This is the perfect time to clean out your closet or cabinets. It will make you feel so refreshed. I wrote a blog post back in 2020 on how to clean out your closet. You can see it here. I probably need to update this post and republish it.

Start Or Resume Your Skin Care Routine

During the holidays, we can get a little slack on our self care routine. If you already have a skin care routine, then maybe you just need to get back in the habit of doing it every day. If you don’t have a skin care routine, then now is the perfect time to start one! Don’t know where to begin? Check out this post I wrote last year. It includes all the products I use and why I use them. There is also a printable AM & PM skincare routine for easy reference.

I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I hope that these few things will help you get your new year off to a good start! Is there anything in particular you would like to see here at The Scarlet Lily this year? List any blog post topics you would like me to cover in the comments below.

Happy New Year friends!

Kristin