4 Steps to Your Best Year Ever

The term “girl boss” served its purpose, but we would prefer to now be called by what we are: bosses. We declare the term dead, and we will be striking it out everywhere it’s used on our site. #EndGirlBoss

I don’t know about you, but I’m always overcome with excitement as the current year winds down and the new year starts cropping up on the horizon. I’m always pumped to start a chapter and completely own it like the girl boss I’m always striving to be. Of course, that excitement is served with a heaping side of anxiety, because I place so many hopes and expectations on myself—and I think it’s safe to assume I’m not the only woman out there who experiences this.

The only way to have a year—and life—fit for a girl boss is to adopt the ideals of a girl boss. To me, that means focusing on the following four things in the new year.

1. Set Some Goals

You don’t become a girl boss by happy accident. In order to have a year complete with growth, accomplishment, and satisfaction, you have to set goals you can work toward. If you don’t, everything you do will be scattered and without a clear focus or aim. How are you supposed to land a promotion if you don’t set the goal and consciously choose actions that will lead you to it? That’s like going on a run without knowing how far you want to go or how fast. You just end up running somewhere at a start-and-stop pace, and you’ll never know if you’re actually done.

For the new year, you need to set your goals—and I don’t mean vague goals like “lose weight.” That kind of goal setting won’t help you. Instead, set definitive, trackable, process-oriented goals. So if you want to lose weight, then set the goal to exercise six days a week, every week, and then track your workouts on a calendar.

2. Plan Adventures

After all the goal setting and hard work you’ll put in the coming year, you also need to make plans for adventure and fun. Obviously, you can’t make a year’s worth of weekend in plans in advance, but you can plan a few bigger things to look forward to. Talk with your girl friends to plan a weekend girl’s trip somewhere. Make a list of some financially feasible places you want to visit in the new year.

While it’s important to be dedicated to your career and to building the life you want, it’s just as important to place an emphasis on enjoying your life. The old saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is actually very true. Don’t be Jack. Besides, you can only work your ass off for so long before inspiration and motivation abandon you as you spiral through a burnout.

3. Get Organized

I’m convinced that the best way to get shit done and lead a productive, effective, purposeful life is to be organized in all areas, but I know that’s a tad extreme for most people. If you want to make the new year about healthy living, then you need to organize your pantry and schedule to make to time for exercise. If you want to build your side hustle, then you need organize your game plan. Organization is always the first step.

One way to be organized and stay that way is to find a planner that works for you and your life. Planners are easily the best way to stay on top of your game throughout the year. Creating organization for the year can be done in whichever way is most beneficial and manageable for you. The important thing is that you make an effort to organize yourself so that you can spend the year in charge.

4. Cultivate Curiosity

I recently read Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, and every single word was quite literally magic. But I was particularly struck by her discussion of curiosity. Basically, Gilbert says that you should pursue whatever little flame of curiosity is inside you, no matter how strange or random it may seem, because you never know where it’ll lead. She explains that she became curious about botany for the purpose of improving her garden, but it lead her to a novel she never expected.

I’m not saying you need to study botany, or explore a curiosity so that it’ll make you money, because the chances of that are slim. For me, this means pursuing my yoga certification so that I can take my love of yoga to another level and share it with others. For you, it might be learning to use a jigsaw so you can renovate your home on your own, or taking pottery classes just to say that you’ve made pottery.

However, if you’re curious about something and take the time to learn more about it, then you’re going to a) learn, and b) find joy in the learning. Joy is the number one thing we should be concerned about in the new year anyway. So no matter what you’re curious about, just go for it. Spend some time answering the questions you have. You never know what it might lead you to, but you can be sure it’ll bring you the satisfaction of answered questions.

With these four things in mind, you’ll create a solid foundation for a year of intention, flair, and achievement. It’ll take work and dedication, but the payoff of knowing you’ve successfully completed the things you set out to do is well worth it. Now go forth, fellow girl bosses, and show the world just what you’re made of.

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