by Celes | | Email this post

“We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” – Edith Lovejoy Pierce

A brand new year is coming, festive songs are in the air and everyone is gearing up for the new year ahead! I’m really psyched up for the upcoming year because there are so many exciting things I have planned for next year.

How about you? How do you feel about 2010? How do you want it to be? What kind of experiences do you want to create? What memories do you want to build? What impact do you want to have for yourself and others?

With every upcoming year, I’m always sure it will supersede all previous years to become the best year ever. One reason is because I set goals – Goals which I know will improve the quality and fulfillment of my life. I’m a huge fan of goal setting. The best way to determine how your next year to be is to set goals AND act on them. As Zig Ziglar said, “You need a plan to build a house. To build a life, it is even more important to have a plan or goal.”

For this same reason, I recommend you to think about what you want for yourself in the year 2010 and set them as goals. Here is a list to kickstart your thinking process . Of course, goal setting isn’t restricted to just the start of the year – you can refer to it anytime of the year for goal setting endeavors. There’s never a ‘best’ time to set goals – it’s all the time!

Check out the Bucket List article (101 things to do before you die) for more ideas!

1. Stop procrastinating and create the life of your dreams now
2. Become more organized in your life and work
3. Wake up early every day
4. Be on time for all appointments
5. Further your education – Get a diploma/degree/masters in a subject of your interest
6. Learn a new language
7. Maintain an exercise regime of at least 3 times/week
8. Express gratitude to people who have made a difference in your life
9. Take part in volunteer work for a cause you believe in
10. Cultivate at least one new skill that will enable you to perform even better at work (presentation skills, public speaking, effective writing, etc)
11. Be emotionally generous
12. Drop caffeine from your diet
13. Reconnect with at least 5 friends you have lost touch with over the years
14. Make at least 5 positive, like-minded friends and foster strong relationships with them
15. Spend more time with your family
16. Take your family out on a vacation
17. Revamp your room into your personal, inspirational haven
18. Lose X pounds / Lose X % body fat – Achieve your ideal weight
19. Achieve your ideal fitness level
20. Run a marathon
21. Be your real self
22. Read at least 30 books that enrich you (2+ books/month)
23. Read one meaningful self-help article a day (Here’s my list of some of the best personal development blogs)
24. Visit the holiday destination of your dreams (there’s no need to defer it to the future!)
25. Deliver your best performance at work ever
26. Get your biggest raise at work to date
27. Double your business revenue (for business owners)
28. Get a career switch to a better career
29. Or better still, pursue a career of your true passion
30. Earn a million dollars
31. Earn a billion dollars (for those who have achieved #30)
32. Fall in love – Find and get together with the person of your dreams! (for singles)
33. Propose/Marry the person of your dreams
34. Start a family
35. Get your own apartment
36. Get out of debt (if you are in any debt)
37. Save at least $XX amount of money
38. Help others. Do a kind deed wherever you can.
39. Go backpacking
40. Take up a class in something of your interest (dancing, singing, roller blading, ice skating, swimming, photography, web design, rock climbing, piano, guitar, yoga, pilates, etc)
41. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
42. Reduce your alcohol intake or quit drinking altogether (for people who drink)
43. Quit smoking (for smokers)
44. Widen your social circle by at least 30 people
45. Learn to see the positive side of everything
46. Turn every challenge into an opportunity
47. Let go of any past baggage – Forgive and send love
48. Meditate for at least 15 minutes every day
49. Go on a Vipassana Meditation Retreat
50. Write your book in something you are passionate about
51. Visit a new location you have never been to
52. Stop beating yourself up for bad things that happen
53. Love yourself for everything that you are
54. Start your life handbook and use it document everything it takes to live your best life
55. Learn to laugh at yourself
56. Limit your mass media exposure – Stop watching television or reading the papers (remove negative stimuli from your environment)
57. Take time out to rest and rejuvenate every week
58. Live every moment to the fullest!

Note: Success in resolutions is almost always in line with cultivating habits. Be sure to read how to successfully cultivate a habit in 21 days, an all-time readers’ favorite article.

Any goals/resolutions you want to add to the list? Feel free to share in the comments area

Filed in: Awareness & Growth | Posted on Dec 24 2009