Happy New Year!  Are you the kind of person who makes a resolution?  Do you pick one word as your theme?  No matter how you face it, the new year is a time to say goodbye to last year and hello to 2018.  

My history of New Years' past pictures the ups and downs of a fresh start and how long that actually lasts.  From the standard resolutions to lose weight to the focus of "I'm picking just one this year", I haven't always been successful at living with intention and purpose in the new year. 

As a culture, we've become a little more focused in recent years on living our purpose and with intention. As I scrolled through Facebook the last few days, there were so many taking a meaningful look at 2017 to say goodbye and some goal setting for the coming year in 2018. 

So, how do you and I walk with intention for more than this first week of January?  How do we continue to choose to live on purpose instead of drifting through 2018?  How can we do better when it comes to 2018? 

If you know me by now, you know that I love to write and think and speak in 3 points, and today is no different.  As a life coach, I love to work with tools and exercises to get my clients thinking and processing about their next steps.  So, if you're willing to journey with me today, I'd like to give you 3 tools to set yourself up for a purpose-filled 2018. Ready? 

Tip #1: Review 2017

I know what you're thinking.  Is that really an actual tool?  Yes and No.  I made it up, but that's what coaches do.  They develop their own tools that work.  And this one does.  Take out your journal or a blank piece of paper and answer these three questions: 

1. What did you love about your life in 2017? 

2. What would you like to change about your life going forward? 

3. What would you like more of in 2018? 

Having trouble in this review?  Consider going month-by-month.  What happened in January, then February.  You get the picture - you're smart!  

Here's why I love a little review.  The ritual of saying goodbye to 2017 and evaluating where we've been can be life changing and powerful. Celebrate your wins. Change what you didn't like. Choose to learn from the year instead of letting it pass you by.  

Tip # 2: Envision What's Ahead

Can you picture what you want to do, experience and be in 2018?  For most of us, we don't spend a lot of time envisioning.  We're too busy living and watching a little Netflix.  So what if we paused it all and thought about what we want to become in 2018?  What are our goals and dreams?  What is on our heart? 

Envision your dreams for 2018, means laying the ground work with three more questions...

1. Who do you want to be in 2018? 

2. What do you want to do in 2018? 

3. What do you need to do number 1 and number 2? 

Once you've answered those questions, envision your year. I like to do this by creating a vision board.  You can do this in two ways.  Option #1: You probably know by now that I love to invite my clients to draw a picture.  You could simply draw a picture of what your life will look like when you do those things above.  Option # 2:Create a vision board.  Get a piece of cards stock paper.  Take a magazine and cut out pictures and quotes that symbolize your answers.  And hang somewhere like your home office or the frig where it will remind you of the goals your setting. 

Tip # 3: Do a monthly check in

You know what usually gets away from us?  The baby steps we need to take to start living that life we envisioned.  I set great goals at the beginning of the year, but I don't check in on them.  By year end, I've lost any concept of what I set out to accomplish. 

A couple of years ago, I was tired of having a ton of great ideas that I never executed on.  So, I invested in a planner.  This planner came complete with a goal setting section, daily habit tracking and yes a monthly vision board to complete.  

So, I made it a priority to use it.  I scheduled a date with myself on the 1st of every month.  And I checked in my big goals and completed my monthly vision board to set some goals and make it a priority.  

Did I get everything done that I hoped I would?  NO. But I did make some traction on some of my goals and to be honest, saying goodbye to 2017 was less about regrets and shoving it out the door and more about celebrating what God and I accomplished together. 

My last tip is a bonus...we can't do it alone.  We need a community of people who are cheering us on. People who love us and are walking with us.  People who may have different goals but the same intention of walking with purpose.  I'm thankful for the community God has built here at One Foot.  Women, just like you, who desire to walk with purpose and live with intention. Women who gather together to encourage and spur one another on to changing their lives baby step by baby step. 

Are you looking for more when it comes to living with purpose in 2018?

I've got you covered with this stand alone group coaching events.  Mark your calendars for Monday, January 8th for my Pizza & Planners Coaching Party.  Come join the One Foot Community as we walk through some of these tools together and help each other live with purpose in 2018.