The week between Christmas and New Year always feels like breathing a sigh of relief, in preparation for the big push into the next year.
Taking advantage of this slightly slower week is highly important. Using it as your first preparation for the New Year coming, is an important step in living a successful life. It sets your intentions for the coming months, and prepares you for what’s to come, instead of walking blindly into the beginning of the year.
This website, and the self-improvement concept of No More Net Zeros, came from my own ideas during January 2020. I was making some big personal changes and came up with ‘No More Net Zeros’ as a personal slogan to life by.
Within a few days, the concept for this blog was born. The rest is history!
Whether you make resolutions, or don’t believe in them (I prefer to call them ‘plans’), it’s definitely a good time to start considering your plans for the New Year.
Here’s a list of things I always like to do in preparation for New Year, in order that I can start off the New Year in the best way possible.
1. End of Year Review
At the end of each year, review your past year.
Knowing the ‘state of the union’ right now, and how the last 12 months went, is better than just making random resolutions, and hoping for the best.
So, take a good close look at your last year.
How Did Last Year’s Plans Go?
If you made them, start off with the plans or resolutions you made last year. How did they go?
Did you achieve what you wanted to?
If something went wrong with last year’s plans, how can you improve there?
Maybe there’s a certain point in the year, where keeping your plans was harder, or you failed, that you can better anticipate this coming year.
There’s usually a few plans you quit. That you didn’t really care about. Consider them for a moment. Did you quit because that really wasn’t for you?
If it turns out decorating cupcakes like cute dinosaurs wasn’t for you, there’s education in that. Learning about ourselves is always useful. Nobody can be everything. You have your own set of unique skills.
Take away anything you find personally useful from the experience.
Maybe you didn’t fail completely, but have room for improvement in your new plans.
How Could You Improve?
Ask this question in a general sense. What could you as a person, do better, and how?
Even if it’s just a whim at this point, observe the ways in which you believe you could make improvements in your life, and consider implementing those changes.
What would make you, a better you?
Annual Financial Review
How are your finances in comparison to last December? Have you increased your wealth, or are you doing a little worse?
Maybe you had a financial crisis, or a financial emergency you needed to take care of.
Do you need to start saving more money? Or are your spending habits in line with your financial plan, and you’re looking good this time around.
Is it time to break down your income and expenses, to improve cashflow?
Is increasing income something of importance?
Have you reached any financial milestones that you’re proud of, and would like to reflect on your good work? It’s not all bad, maybe look at what you’re doing RIGHT, and do more of it.
Whatever your financial situation, New Year can be a good time to tweak your financial plan.
Is it time to start a new investment?
Review Inconclusive Decisions
There could be some things that are unresolved in your mind, but you’d like to get to a conclusion on.
This can be as simple a messy garage, or as messy as repairing your relationship with your parents.
Or maybe you haven’t come to a conclusion on that. If not, set a date later in the year, to revisit this decision.
Last December, I decided to stop working on a business project and shut it down. I was undecided whether I’d ever pick up the project again, and what to do with all the materials and expensive tools I used on that project.
So, that project and everything that went along with it, just sat there for a whole year.
I didn’t NEED to decide on it, so nothing happened. It wasn’t helping or hurting me, to just leave everything as it was for a while.
This year, however, I’m ready to move on.
I’ve got some expensive things to throw away, and some expensive tools to sell, so I can clear my garage, and use it for other things.
What decisions have you been sitting on?
What Things do you Need to Drop?
There could be a few reasons for dropping things from your life. Maybe something’s bad for you, and you need to quit. You might need to drop some things, to make room for others.
Or maybe it’s just time for something to go because you’re just over it.
At times, we continue doing something we once enjoyed, because we fear the loss. When in fact, to lose something you no longer enjoy, can be liberating.
Consider what might need to be dropped from your life.
I even make half-decisions on this one.
For example, maybe I’ll keep doing it, but be more mindful about how I feel about it. Other times, I just quit, and see if I even miss it.
Doing something you no longer enjoy, which might even make you miserable, out of habit, is NOT good for you.
So, consider things you might have to drop from your life.
Happy / Unhappy List
Make a list of things that make you happy, and things that make you unhappy.
Simply look through each one and review it.
Just consider them. Maybe no more action is needed.
Whilst your job may make you unhappy, you may not be able to quit today. But how can you improve that situation?
Could you start a side business?
Maybe you could improve your social life, or find a new hobby, that improves your life in another area, and distracts you from your job.
Observe Your Distractions
Everyone gets distracted by SOMETHING. We all allow ourselves to wonder off here-and-there, but what’s distracting YOU right now?
Ask yourself if that distraction is useful to you. Does it add to, or take away from your life?
Not ALL distractions are bad. There ARE healthy distractions in life, too.
Is this distraction healthy, or unhealthy?
Take a moment to observe your distractions. Are there any ways this distraction could turn into money for you?
Sometimes there’s a message in there, something to look more into.
Other times your distractions are nothing but a way to take your mind off the stress at work.
Maybe that’s okay, or it could be telling you something.
2. Call Your Friends and Talk to Them
No matter where they’re from, or where they’re currently living, call your friends and talk to them.
Just check in, see how they’re doing. Ask about their lives and listen to them talk.
Don’t do this on social media, no matter where they are in the world. You can do that EVERY DAY.
You’re making a point of hearing them talk, listening to their voice, and communicating with them in real time.
Sometimes we get so detached from our friends, and never hear from, or speak to them.
You may be surprised when a friend asks you about a particular thing you used to do, and it sets off a spark in you again.
Touch base with your friends. If there’s a particular person or people you REALLY miss, and want to talk to more often, make a point of setting a monthly, or weekly reminder or alarm, to do so.
Tip: A great, low-cost way of calling people abroad, is through Skype. If you have a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, you get $10.00 free credit EVERY month on Skype.
How do I know this? I use it to call my Mom in the UK (although technically, she’s a ‘Mum’). With the free $10.00 a month Skype credit, I can call her as much as I want.
3. Question Your Social Media Use
Take a moment to seriously ask yourself what social media is doing for you.
Ask yourself if you really need it, and what you need it for. Go through each app, and ask the same questions.
What Does Social Media Give You?
Do you really NEED Facebook? If so, why? What is Facebook doing for your life?
Does this social media app bring something into your life?
If so, what is that thing?
What is this app giving you?
Does this social media app bring something positive to your life? If so, what?
Alternatively, what does this social media app take away from your life?
What Does Social Media Take Away from You?
Does it take time away from you?
Is this social media just another distraction?
Do you scroll mindlessly, with absolutely no rhyme or reason to it?
Do you even know why you’re on there at all?
How much time does social media take away from your life?
Deeply question your social media use. You’ll probably find that you could take a break from some apps.
It’s important that even leisurely things in life must be there to serve YOU. Not the other way around.
Perhaps you use social media with the intent to use it as a networking tool and make money, but you’re stuck in the quagmire of being a social media USER. If you don’t have a product or a business you’re promoting, why not take a break from social media, build a product, and then come back?
You might need to change your social media use, to having a more productive mindset.
Question all your social media use. It may even be time to take a break from social media completely.
Last year, I took a 71-day break from ALL social media, and it was GREAT! I highly recommend it to anyone trying to establish perspective on their social media use.
4. Unblock People You Blocked on Social Media
Unblock EVERYONE you’ve blocked on social media.
This one always raises a few eyebrows, and I understand the concern a little, so let me be clear here…
Don’t Unblock Security Concerns
…DON’T unblock anyone that’s a personal security threat to you, or anyone that’s been severely personally abusive to you.
You had a REALLY GOOD REASON to block these people!
I’m still not about to unblock my psycho ex-girlfriend, because she really IS the type of person to figure out where I live and show up on my doorstep.
BUT… …we all block people for MUCH weaker reasons than THAT.
The guy that you had a 30-minute discussion about why he didn’t like your painting, or that pair of blue pants you really like.
That account on twitter that said ‘yeah, but actually’ you a few times too many.
That one girl on Facebook that seemed a little ‘too weird’, or creepy.
Maybe cheesecake wasn’t exactly their thing, and they had a bad day you baked one, so they said it sucked.
These people don’t need to be blocked, probably don’t even care about the situation anymore, and you don’t.
So, give them another chance. Unblock them all.
Nobody’s saying you need to welcome them back to the fam, or DM them congratulating them on their first day out of Twitter purgatory.
Simply unblock ALL those people.
It’s just a matter of letting go.
You’d be surprised how good this feels!
5. Go Through All Internet Browser Bookmarks
Remember that bag you got really obsessed with a few years ago, or that moment where you were going to be a kid’s fashion designer, and researched the SHIT out of it?
Is there any reason why you need 135 bookmarks on your browser with the best color swatches, sewing techniques, and 35 different types of denim?
In fact, do you EVER go back into your browser bookmarks, and pull something up as reference?
I know I don’t.
Open Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and go through your bookmarks. If you use all these browsers, do this one browser at a time.
I seriously find shit in there sometimes from like 15 years ago.
Go through them all, reorganize, and delete everything I don’t need. Be ruthless, too. There’s no point in having clutter anywhere in your life.
The best thing about this one, is sometimes you rediscover old ideas and thought processes. You even find things you’d ‘put on hold’, that maybe you could do right now!
Go through all your bookmarks and get rid of all the junk in there.
6. Go Through Your Email Inbox’s and Accounts
Nobody’s organized with their email.
Nobody.
Well, almost nobody.
If your email inbox is pristine, clean, and needs no work at all, you can go ahead and skip this section, and move onto the next tip.
But if you’re anything like me, and you DO NOT have your email under control. You have 18 Gmail accounts all full of subscriptions to some-other marketer, smashed full of useless advice you DON’T even care about, stick around a minute.
Go through All your email inboxes.
ALL OF THEM.
One at a time.
Before you delete anything, quickly go through each email, and ask yourself if you REALLY need emails from this sender.
If not, you may want to unsubscribe from their mailing list.
Chances are, there’s another 50 emails from them you haven’t read, too. So, unsubscribe from their list, then delete all the emails from them.
That email course you subscribed to, but never did?
Either make a solid plan to complete the course or unsubscribe and delete. You don’t need this clutter in your mind unless it NEEDS to be there.
Don’t Try to Achieve a Zero Inbox
Nobody’s saying you need a ZERO inbox. That’s almost impossible to achieve, especially on a busy email account.
But you DO need a CLEAN inbox. Full of only the things you really want to see.
Do this with ALL your email addresses.
If you have any email accounts you no longer need, delete them.
Maybe leave them running for 1 month, to see if anything important comes in.
If anything important comes in, send it to your main email, so it’s consolidated in one, solid place.
After a month or two, when you know it’s clear, delete the email account.
7. Clean Up All Your Media
You have 18 metric squillibytes (1 squillibyte + 1 squillion bytes) of photos and videos on your phone, all taking up space.
Your PC’s also jammed full of photos, graphics, screenshots, and the desktop looks like the annual review video on Facebook. It’s just FULL of thumbnails.
You couldn’t find anything if you tried, or (if you’re anything like my wife) it’s all on your phone, and you’re almost out of space.
Back up, Make Copies, Then Delete
Back up all your photos and make copies of them all.
You can do this by dragging them all onto a PC or Mac hard drive, or backing them up on a back-up service like Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, etc.
Once this is done, you can make secondary back-up copies in another location if you wish, then delete your photos and videos from your phone.
Organize Photos and Videos into Folders
Take the time to organize the photos and videos you want to keep.
So, first delete those 19,000 screenshots you don’t need, followed by the 26 kagillion memes you saved.
Then, organize photos and videos you want to keep into easier to find folders, so you can find them easier in the future.
Clean Your PC Desktop / Organize Your PC
As a graphic designer, I constantly purge and clean-up my desktop, especially after completing a project, or a blog post.
Even then, everyone’s desktops get untidy. So, take this opportunity to clean it up, move important files into safe, backed-up places, and easy-to-find folders.
When you’re done, you should have a nice, clean-looking tidy desktop to look at.
Very calming.
Your PC will also run better.
Oh, and don’t forget to empty the trash after you’ve filled that recycling bin, either. The one on your computer desktop, not the trash-piled under your real desk.
But you could also go ahead and clean up under there, too, while you’re at it.
8. Try to Resolve Issues with People
Whilst we may walk through life, trying to be the nicest person possible, we ALL piss people off occasionally.
Even the nicest person in the world has enemies.
Think of anyone you’ve had an argument or disagreement with. Whether it’s in real life, or on social media. It could be days, weeks, or even years old. Make a list of them all, especially the ones that bother you, or pop into your mind occasionally.
Then, try to resolve your issue with every single one of them. Simply contact them, apologize, and explain that you’d just like to resolve the issue.
It May Not Work Out, and That’s Okay
You may resolve some issues and become friends again. If so, that’s great!
After talking to some of them, you may resolve the issue, and still never talk ever again.
You might not get hold of them, but you sent a message, made a call, or left them a voicemail, explaining that you’d like to talk to them, and resolve this issue.
Even if they don’t ever call you back, that’s okay, because you’ve not left it unresolved. You opened the door for communication.
If they decided not to talk to you this time around, it’s on them. Accept that they may not be ready (and may never be) and move on.
You might talk to them, get cursed and yelled at, and even hung up on. This is okay, too. You tried to resolve something, and it didn’t work out this time. There’s always next year.
This Exercise is for You
Remember, while doing this, that yes you ARE doing it for other people’s benefit, and with the hope for resolution. But it’s also mainly for you.
It helps to get rid of, or get behind you, any issues you may have had with people.
Some issues may NEVER be resolved, ever.
To hope to resolve all issues in life would be impossible but taking the first step of trying to resolve ANY of them, is hugely rewarding.
Even if the issue was never resolved, you were open to try, and listen to what the other person had to say.
You might even get a takeaway from someone, that enables you to make personal changes in your own life, that can make you a better person.
If so, thank them for their honesty.
For an honest enemy, is MORE VALUABLE than a dishonest friend.
They’ll tell you what they REALLY think!
9. Make a Reading List
Write out a quick list of all the books you read last year.
Note next to the book whether you liked it, if it was of any benefit to you, or if it was trash.
If there are any that were great, you may want to read those great ones again this year.
Them, make a reading list for the next year.
Books you already own you haven’t read yet, books you don’t own but need to buy, and of course, those books you check in with regularly, because they’re so great.
At this time of year, I often decide a topic I may want to deep-dive on (like say marketing, or copywriting), and add books to my reading list, based on those knowledge needs.
I like to add as many of these books as possible to my Audible wish list, that way I know which audiobooks to download each month.
10. Make Your Plans and/or Resolutions
Whether you choose to call them resolutions, plans, goals or by any other name, now’s the time to make a few plans for the next year.
You’ve reviewed last year and how that went, cleaned out the closet, phone, computer, made a reading list, you even made up with a few friends, and unblocked a few strangers.
Now it’s time to look forwards. For yourself.
Considering everything you’ve just worked through, make some solid plans for the coming few months, or for the whole New Year.
Hard & Fast Rules for Resolutions / Plans
Here’s a few hard-and-fast rules for these plans, goals, or resolutions;
Aim High, but Make it Achievable
It’s one thing setting stupidly high targets and goals, could mean disappointment. Often, we dream of being able to do something, with no experience. Instead, make them obtainable, so you can achieve them, and enthusiastically set new goals once you’ve achieved these ones.
Write Them Down in a List
Keep the list handy, visible, and easy to find. You want to be able to refer this list as often as possible. For YOU to be able to do what YOU wanted yourself to do, it must be easy to follow.
Break Down Huge Goals
With HUGE goals, break them down into sections, targets, or smaller milestones, so you can track your progress, and really feel like you’re getting somewhere. Breaking them down in to monthly targets helps, too. This is extremely important for maintaining your motivation and tracking your progress.
Hold Yourself Accountable
Hold yourself accountable for results. Or tell someone else and ask them to hold you accountable. This can be as simple as a friend you regularly have coffee with, asking how you’re doing, and encouraging you. I like to set accountability alarms and ask myself if I did what I expected to do.
Have Everything You Need to Succeed
Make sure you have everything you’ll need, to help you achieve your goals. Whether you need to order some stuff, or just making sure you already have it, make sure you have everything you need.
Set Your Schedule
Set your scheduled times for these activities or goals. Piss-poor planning produces piss-poor results, so make sure you have time set aside for these things. Setting times for yourself to complete these new habits will enable the best success.
Where possible, tie the new habits into an old habit. If you do something regularly that you’ll never NOT do, tie the new habit into it. For example, if you exercise after your first cup of coffee, or after doing the dishes in the evening, you can tie the two habits together for more success.
Read Your List Out Loud
Now that you’ve written this all down, read the list each day, leading up to New Year.
Read them out loud to yourself.
If something sounds wrong to you, or sounds like it’s not something you REALLY want, maybe you need to change it, or take it off.
You want to have this list clear in your mind and be 100% comfortable with your decisions on each one.
This is about knowing what you want from yourself, and being comfortable with your own demands.
Before You Party on New Year’s Eve
One more time, right before you party on New Year’s Eve, review this list of plans.
Remind yourself that after tonight, there will be positive changes in your life, and that whilst they’re not going to be easy, you’re dedicated to achieving them.
This is the last night of this version of you.
When you’re done, take a deep breath, smile to yourself, then go party your ass off, and get rid of THIS year.
Shake it off, basically, this is one final hurrah!
New Year’s Day Morning
When you wake up New Year’s morning, and you’re sitting drinking your first cup of coffee, nursing your hangover, you’re going to read your list or plans and resolutions again.
Only this time, you’re going to do it a little differently.
This is the eleventh thing you need to do. I know, it’ technically not between Christmas and New Year, but this is massively important to your success.
11. Turn Your Plans & Resolutions into Affirmations
Read your list of plans to yourself, out loud again.
This time, for each one, think about them for a few moments. Visualize yourself at a time when you’ve already achieved them.
Now, write out a few sentences for each one, in present tense. Write them as if you’ve already achieved your goals, and you’re describing yourself.
If your goal is to start your own business in the New Year
You might write your affirmations like these;
- I’m a successful business owner and entrepreneur.
- Business ideas and developments come easily to me.
- I attract many people to my business, and they love to work with me.
If your goal were to lose weight, or based on fitness:
- My fitness is extremely important to me, my health has completely transformed.
- I find it easy to be disciplined in my diet, and workout. Fitness and workouts invigorate and energize me.
- My health is vitally important to me, I enjoy sweating after a workout.
If you wanted to earn or make more money:
- I enjoy a healthy income, and a great lifestyle. Money is attracted to me.
- Money comes to me in expected and unexpected ways.
- I’m worthy of receiving my dreams and financial goals. I love to save and invest.
If you wanted to find a romantic partner:
- People are attracted to me the moment they meet me.
- My lifestyle, fun personality, and conversation are extremely attractive qualities.
- I attract romantic partners, they’re extremely excited to meet me.
Turn each one of your plans or New Year’s Resolutions, into a positive affirmation.
You’ll now continue to read them out loud to yourself, every single day before you start your day, or before you start working.
You can also read them in the evening, before going to bed.
You’ll set your intention, program your subliminal mind to be ready to receive everything you want and invite the success into your life.
This is telling your mind what your ARE GOING TO BE, so the world can deliver them to you.
It sounds a little weird, and ‘out there’, but trust me. Positive affirmations WORK.
Do These 11 Things Between EVERY Christmas and New Year
If you do these 11 things between EVERY Christmas and New Year, I guarantee you’ll be much more successful overall, as a result, all year round.
I wish you all the success you can possibly imagine, and more.
Just promise you’ll let me know about your successes, okay?
Thanks,
The Rick Lowe
Recent Comments