2022 Reset

Alexa Ward
Jan 3, 2022
5 min read

Updated: Feb 1, 2022

The Ultimate Guide to Achieving Everything You Want (& More) in 2022.

New Year's Eve has always been my favorite holiday.

Sure, it's great to give and receive on Christmas, or it's fun to dress up on Halloween, but there is something truly rewarding about NYE—it's a holiday that keeps on giving. After the celebrations end and the sparkly dresses are packed away until the following year, everyone is left with the same exhilarating feeling of what's to come. Everyone (or at least most people) has thought about what they want to change or accomplish in the next year. Every year I am giddy thinking about the potential of what I can achieve or do and how much of it will come true. The best part? This feeling carries on throughout the year (or at least the month of January). There isn't a sad end to NYE parties because the party was only the start of the endless decisions we have throughout the upcoming year. Will I travel to that new city? Will I get my dream job? Will I become the best version of myself? By the time we figure it out, it is already time to ring in the next New Year.

This blog post is a curated list of things to do to help you reset for 2022, so you can achieve everything you want (and more) this year! You may be wondering why this did not go out on December 31st or even January 1st. There is a simple reason for that: some of you may have set goals and already "failed." Maybe your focus for this year was health, and the morning of January 1st, you stumbled to the local McDonalds. This list is a gentle reminder that "failing" once or even a hundred times does not mean your goal or this year was a "waste." Just because you ate at McDonald's, did not go to the gym, or didn't read 15 pages of the book today does not mean you won't form the habit this year. There is plenty of time to achieve your goals, and this is just the start of what's to come.

So, without further ado, let’s reset for the best year of your life!

STEP 1: REFLECT

“Reflecting on the year enables us to acknowledge and honor what we’ve been through, what we’ve learnt and how we can take those lessons into the new year. “It gives you an opportunity to pause, untangle your thoughts and hold space for yourself.”

– Carina Lawson, founder of Ponderlily Planners and Journals

Before moving into the next year, take time to recognize everything that has happened to you over the last 12 months. This means taking time to celebrate both big and small wins. To recognize how you've changed over the past year. To realize you may not have achieved everything you set out to in 2021, but that it's okay because you accomplished so much more. You grew. You changed. And you found out a little more about who you are and who you want to be.

To help you reflect, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

What am I thankful for this year?
What am I proud of this year?
What did I overcome this year?
What did I learn about myself this year?
What did I learn about life this year?
What did I change this year and how did this change serve me?
What habits did I form this year?
How did I align myself with my values this year?
What is one word to describe the past year?
What surprised me the most about the past year?
What are the biggest events that happened this year?
How did you take care of myself (physically, emotionally, and mentally) this year?
What disappointed me in the past year?
What was my biggest takeaway from the year?
What is one word to describe the past year?
What is the biggest takeaway or lesson learned from the past year?

STEP 2: SET INTENTIONS

Reflecting on the past year laid the groundwork for the year to come; now that you have done that, you can set intentions for the upcoming year.

In other words, it is time to set your 2022 goals.

Get out a piece of paper and write down what you want to accomplish next year. What does the best version of you look like? How can you change for the better? What do I want to accomplish mentally, physically, and spiritually in the upcoming year? What habits can I implement to achieve what I want?

It is important to be realistic with yourself and your goals during this step.

Many goals sound great on paper but will disappoint you when they are not achievable. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, make sure your goals are challenging, realistic, and progressive. Start small and scale up throughout the year.

Remember: the upcoming year is a marathon, not a sprint.

You would not try and run a marathon after never running a day in your life. Think of your goals in the same way. As you start running, you can increase the mileage; as you start accomplishing little goals, you can make them bigger.

ps. Make this step fun by creating a digital or physical mood board showcasing your goals visually.

STEP 3: Create a System

Yay! You've set your goals...Now how are you going to accomplish them?

Step 3 is about implementing a system that allows you to accomplish what you set out to do. Look back at your goals and determine what habit you can implement to move the goal from something you want to do to something you actually do.

To come up with this habit or system, use the following template with each of your goals:

I am going to _ by __.

For example:

I am going to read more by reading 15 pages of any book before bed.

I am going to use social media less by setting a time limit on my phone.

I am going to eat healthier by cooking at home 5/7 nights per week.

I am going to workout more by completing a 45 minute workout everyday.

After creating each habit, come up with a system to track that habit. Whether you journal every day, utilize a habit tracker, or cross out each day you do it on the calendar, find a system that works for you to see that you are on track.

The best part?

Seeing your progress will motivate you to keep going when life gets in the way.