As someone who doesn’t “celebrate” any major holidays in December, I still use the holiday season as a way to end the year on a positive note. And that’s usually, by having lots of family connection time, resetting my annual intentions, or creating a space of love and light into the new year. This is the time of year when you can look back and see what worked for you, what didn’t, and how we can move forward.

Most people start using this time to start thinking about those New Year’s resolutions, and I am here to tell you – don’t. Just by the intrinsic procrastinative nature of waiting for an allusive date to start “your new life,” you are destined to fail. However, there are some creative (and realistic) ways for you to be proactive with goal setting that can be more fun to practice.

1. Vision board: Vision boarding or dream boarding is a creative visual representation of what you’d like to accomplish in the upcoming year. Dividing the board into the home, work and self is an excellent way to get the creative juices flowing. Try to make your vision board as colorful and visually appealing as possible and hang it up in a place where you are reminded daily of what you hope to achieve in the new year.

2. Word of the year (mantra): Spend a little time in the next few weeks and pick a word or mantra that you’d like to be the “theme” of your year. Bonus is getting your family involved and choosing a family theme around which you’d like to shape all of your micro-goals.

Once you all have voted and selected a word, maybe include it in your vision board, write it on a piece of paper and hang it on the fridge, or place the word in some place visible to serve as a reminder for you and your family. Some examples that can be a theme for your family could include serenity, calm, empowered, truth, contentment, healthy, tranquility, joy, peace … feel free to DM us with what you have chosen as your family Word of the Year.

3. Create a bucket list: Make one for yourself and a combined one for the family. This list is ALL about the experiences you or your family want. This list can include anything, from trips you’d like to take to how many glasses of water you want to start drinking in a day. Here is a PDF we are gifting you to get started.

4. Prioritize practicing mindfulness: I feel so strongly about this topic that I have dedicated a bi-weekly post on the importance of mindfulness. Creating a goal of doing small acts of mindfulness in your daily life can significantly impact your emotional and physical health. Need ideas on how to incorporate mindfulness into your every day? Join me live on Mindful Mondays, follow @emergeconsultingsolutions on IG and Facebook.

5. Reboot one area of your life: Choose one area of your life to “reboot” or to change, and then create an action plan HYPER-focused on how you will do that. I will use the example of “becoming healthier,” as this has been rated the number one New Years’ Resolution for most people.

Rebooting your diet may include a full detox cleanse or slowly eliminating food choices that don’t make you feel GOOD after you’ve eaten them. However large or small the action item is, create a plan and focus on consistency. Consistency is the key to making any long-lasting change in your life.

For those of you who have put “being a mindful parent” on any of the lists I have written above, good news for you we have a solution for you. Starting in January, Emerge Parenting Solutions will provide our Reconnect Virtual Small Group Coaching class. So cross one of the items on your 2023 list and join us.

For our people in the Dallas Area, need a reboot on your introspection? Join us at our Mommyng While Muslim retreat in February. Weekend Day Passes are still available.

Until next time,

Zaiba

Zaiba Hasan is part of the dynamic duo behind the award-winning podcast, Mommying While Muslim. She is a spiritual parent coach and founder at Emerge Parenting, interfaith mediator and sports mama extraordinaire. Look for her on the baseball fields and basketball courts in the DMV (Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia) area cheering from the sidelines.