10 Things To Try To Start The Year Off Right

The turn of the year didn’t hit me in the same way it always has. 2021 becoming 2022 felt a lot like more of the same. I guess that could be because this pandemic has been going for 2 years and by all indicators has no plan to stop soon. I know I’m not the only one in this. All over my social media pages I’ve seen people say the same things I have.  2022 doesn’t feel new. 

Nevertheless I know I need to get ready for the new year one way or another. So instead of my normal approach to starting the year, for 2022 I decided to ease into it. I’m taking my time to write my goals, set my intentions and prepare in all the ways possible for the kind of year I want to have. For me that means doing a few things differently and setting up processes that will help me start the year off right.

Inevitably for many corporate professionals like myself 2022 is the year where we return to the office. Strangely, I’m not mad at the idea. Ideally I’d prefer a hybrid work from home and work from office structure but if I can get away from cooking or planning meals all day I’ll jump at the chance. Being at home has its perks but admittedly so does working from the office. I might be a little more open to the idea than most because I currently don’t live in the most central of locations so I can’t have food delivered. Can you tell that food is a big part of what I miss about going to the office?

Food aside, if you’re heading back to the office like I am you’ll need to make some adjustments. Here’s my list of adjustments and things I’ll be trying out to start my year off right. 

Related: 2021 Year In Review

Closet cleanse

Right now there’s a huge gap between the clothes I own and the clothes I actually wear regularly. And I’m not just talking about office wear. My style has changed. The type of clothes I want to wear is different now. Whenever this happens I know it’s time for a closet cleanse. 

This is a time I take to evaluate my wardrobe and donate any pieces I no longer want or need. I like to do this often, even for new clothes that I purchase online and regretted after trying them on. On those occasions consignment thrift stores like The Exchange Collective are a blessing. You can sell those new or like new items that you don’t need to a new owner and get a little cash back.

For Jamaicans this beats the hassle of having to figure out returning an item through a freight forwarding service.

A food diary or schedule 

Earlier I mentioned the pain of meal planning and though I’m looking forward to ordering lunch at the office, I don’t plan to do that everyday. That means I’ll still need to plan my meals. A week ago I had the thought to just jot down meal ideas in my bullet journal. So far I have the  breakfast category down. 

My food schedule is simple. It’s potential meal ideas for each day of the week. I take two things into consideration; how tasty each meal is and how easy it is to make. So everything I have listed for breakfast can either be partially pre-made or can be done in under 10 minutes. Each meal is pretty simple. But this works great for me because I can’t eat a large meal early in the morning.

Here are some of my favourite breakfast ideas:

• Egg quesadilla
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich 
• Tuna wrap

Let me know of any other options I could try in the comments. 

Vision board or mood board

To help me visualize my goals of the year I like to create a vision board. There’s just something special about seeing the goals you’re aspiring towards represented in picture.

This can be as simple as a Canva spread or as elaborate as cutting and pasting magazine photos onto your homemade vision board. Whatever your style, be sure to print and hang your vision board where you’ll be able to see it everyday as a reminder of why you’re doing what you’re doing. 

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A daily devotional 

Recently I shared my first step into devotionals with the incredible 30 day devotional titled Grace Is Enough on Instagram. It’s been the most timely read, perfect for the season I’m in. If you’re a woman who struggles with anxiety and insecurity I would absolutely recommend it.

Finally finding  a devotional that speaks to me shows me how important it is to feed your mind with encouraging words suited for the situation you’re currently in. Find a devotional or book that does the same for you.

Create playlists for your moods

You know those songs you never get tired of hearing, string those bad boys together in a playlist! I like to listen to music for my workout, while I work and when I drive. Can you relate? It can get annoying when the song suggestions from the apple music playlist aren’t quite right. This year I’m taking the time to create a few mood playlists to get me through my day.

I know I might be late to this but I think this is a clever way to get you through tasks.

Start journaling or a gratitude jar

I started journaling last year. I wasn’t very consistent though but this year I’ll be adjusting how I do things and switching from daily journaling to once a week. Why start a journal you may ask? For me it’s to help me remember and reflect. Life comes at us fast or slow depending on the phase of life you’re in and it’s easy to wish away the time and forget the milestones. 

A journal or gratitude jar gently forces you to reflect on your life and make notes. I love that. Start that journal or gratitude jar so at the end of the year you’ll have a chance to remember the goals or milestones you met.

Reflect on the memories of the year gone by 

Starting the year off right means remembering what you did in the previous and being grateful. If you’re like me you can be encouraged by the photos and video reminders of the year you had. Look at the fun memories and the sad and remember that you made it through. You are strong, you are capable and a new year isn’t beyond you.

Clear out old things you never use 

Just like the closet cleanse it’s always a good idea to declutter and remove unused items  from your home. I like to think of this as clearing the way for new blessings. A clearer space makes me feel happier, like I have my life together. 

We all have a few things staring at us from across the room that we bought but almost never use. Make this the year you use it or decide to let it go. 

Reorganize your cupboards 

Who knew this would make this list. Adulthood is full of these mundane tasks that consume a lot more of your time than you’d expect. This tip may seem random but I promise you it’s more impactful than you think. My spice cupboard is a mess. It’s high up and I almost never know where items are unless I can see them. Needless to say this makes preparing dishes harder than it needs to be.

So to make my life easier I plan to organize my cupboard so I know where everything is all the time.

There you have it, some of the steps I’ll be taking to start the year off right in 2022.

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