7 Tips to Help You Prepare for the New Year

Every year around this time I see people all excited to end the current year and start a new year. This can range from joining the gym, working on their brand to deleting their assumed "haters" off their social media pages. But sadly a lot of people end up not seeing very much progress at the end of the new year like they expected.

Because we are about to enter a new year in a few weeks I wrote this blog to share 7 tips to help you not only prepare for the new year but also see more of the results and progress that you desire.

1. Set Standards and boundaries. Every area of your life needs standards as to what is and is not acceptable. When standards are in place it helps you to ensure that things do not decline or regress. Many times we lose the chance to be more fruitful in life because we are not disciplined enough to have standards in place. Boundaries ensure that set standards are not violated. Once your standards are set boundaries will help ensure those standards are not breached.

2. Set realistic obtainable goals. When you set goals that are realistic it is something that you can accomplish with effort and hard work. When our goals are not realistic we can feel disappointed, discouraged or even as if we have failed. You should always be able to verify the progress you need to make on your goals and any actions that you need to take as well.

3. Manage your time. This is very important because I can also admit saying that "I don't have time" but the truth of the matter is that I was always wasting time. Time is valuable so do not waste it. If need be write out a schedule that can help you stay a bit more focused. This doesn't mean never adjusting your schedule or being rigid it simply means you have to keep better track with of your time to ensure you are not wasting time on things that do not benefit you in any way.

4. Be consistent in prayer. Many believers struggle in the area of prayer. Ironically, prayer is what Jesus said that we should always do without ceasing (Luke 18). Prayer does not have to be religious. God will not be upset if you do not prayer for hours at a time or if you do not pray at the exact same time of the day. Prayer should be from a place of relationship and it is something we can do throughout our day everyday. But there is also nothing wrong with having that special time of prayer and devotion in the scriptures.

5. Get a mentor. Your next level in life could require you to get a mentor that can help you get from point A to point B. Mentors can be valuable, when it is the right mentor at the right season of your life it can be life changing. Before finding a mentor always pray to ensure you finding the right person to aid you in your journey. The mentor you want might not be the mentor that you need trust God to lead you in the right direction.

6. Dont neglect your mental health. Do not let another year pass with unresolved trauma and issues from childhood. If you are not mentally healthy then you are not at your best. Do not try and keep pursuing your best life while ignoring the state of your mental health. Sometimes we are stuck in life because we refuse to address the issues our soul. One mistake many people make is going to therapy a couple of times and then stopping because they "feel" better. Keep going until you and your therapist both agree you are ready.

7. Ask the Lord for Vision. Take the time to pray and ask God to give you vision and direction for your life. Our plans although good can be far from the road God would have us to travel on (Prov 16:9). When you feel the Lord has responded to your prayer right down in detail everything that He said. Writing it down allows you to "see it" and be reminded of it. It also allows you to have record so that you don't forget.