**This post was originally written for the Virtual Biz Group’s newsletter. It’s re-posted here with permission.**
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce
What did you do for your business and your life in 2007? Did you further your goals that you set out? Did you make resolutions? What are you going to do to make 2008 even better?
“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”
~ Oprah Winfrey
I’ve set out some easy-to-do steps to making 2008 a good year for your life – personally and in business…
Cast off regrets.
“It wouldn’t be New Year’s if I didn’t have regrets.”
~ William Thomas
Life is too short for all of the “what-if” scenarios and other regrets. Can you do anything to fix the problems in the coming year? If not, cast them off. If you can, make an action plan to get them done!
Get organized.
Make a list of everything you need to do to get organized and start checking things off. Do you need a new file cabinet to finally get everything put away and easier to find? Go get one at your closest office supply store or order one online. Do you need a new desk? Do you need a new shredder just to get rid of old files? Give yourself an after-Christmas present and get what you need to get organized. Office equipment usually goes on sale during tax season.
Catch up on your correspondence.
Did you hear from people that you didn’t send out your Christmas letter to? Send them a quick hand-written note after the holidays; update them on you and your family and your business. Be sure to update your own Christmas card list so you don’t forget them again next year!
Forget about resolutions.
“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.”
~ Author Unknown
Work on your goals for the coming year. What do you want to do with this fresh year? Do you want to finish a degree or certification you’ve been working on? Do you want to take your business in a different direction? Do you want to increase your workload or decrease it? Do you want to finally finish your “reading list” that you’ve compiled and never got a chance to take the time to do? Do you want to climb Mt. Everest? Start working on an Action Plan with steps towards whatever goals you want to achieve. Give yourself deadlines for each little step for these major life/career goals. If this is a goal that may be difficult or you are a person who would like further support or to be held accountable, join a group that involves goal accountability. VBG has just started the “Tuesday Tasks” accountability days, where members are invited to share goals, successes, and setbacks.
“You must have long-term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-term failures.”
~ Charles C. Noble
Relax.
Most importantly, use a little of the “after-holiday let-down time” to do something special for yourself. The holidays can be very stressful and time-consuming for many of us. Pamper yourself a little: get a massage, a manicure, catch up with friends for a friends’ night out…. Do whatever you need to do to rebound from the hectic nature of the season. Get into the right attitude for the new year with positivity; don’t start the new year exhausted and frustrated with the past year and the holiday stress.
“It is not the position, but the disposition.”
~ J.E. Dinger
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”
~ Benjamin Franklin