How To Prepare For 2023 To Make It Your Best Year Ever

Still reeling over 2022? Well, as another challenging year comes to an end, it’s time you start focusing on what lies ahead and prepare for 2023. So, look beyond new year’s resolution and start taking charge of your life once again, one step at a time, to live a simpler and better life.

2022: Another year, Another milestone

If you’ve survived this year without any significant battle scars, then congratulations are in order. If you’ve survived 2022 even after being broken mentally, emotionally, physically and financially, then I tip my hat to you. 2022 was both challenging and full of opportunities. While it felt like another new challenge was thrown at your face just as you overcame the previous one, it also marked several new milestones.

But that’s what life is like. You win some, you learn from some. And we all learned something this year that helped us mature, grow and thrive. So gather your wins and losses, and prepare to fight another year. Once again it is time to set your best new year’s resolution, and conquer those new peaks that you were afraid of till now.

2023: The year of radical change

So why do I think 2023 will be a better year? Well, to be honest, I don’t have the answer. But I do know we are going to do our absolute best to make sure we live a better and simpler life in 2023. We have survived 2022, and we will thrive in 2023. That’s why my new year’s resolution is optimism.

Optimism is our greatest asset, strength and trait. While it can’t always be sunshine and rainbows, optimism allows us to get through the darkest days by building the light of hope in our hearts. I know our lives will not change simply because a new year is beginning. Our lives will change because we will do everything we need to do to live better in 2023. Of course, it will be difficult but it will be exceptionally satisfying as well. And the very first change that you need to bring about is changing your mindset and limiting beliefs.

Remember, optimism is the key this year. That should be your mantra. Your new year’s resolution. The key to a better you and a better life in 2023 is self development and personal growth. And once you know how to get started, you will start to see some real changes within a short time.

Although you may have fallen a number of times, felt broken and devastated and almost gave up this year, you can still succeed in 2023 by taking the right steps.

Plan & prepare for a better 2023

When you look back at 2022, it probably wasn’t a year full of achievements. It was a year of survival. But with a new beginning just around the corner, you have a brand new opportunity to start fresh, reach your goals and thrive. Remember your new year’s resolution: optimism. So if you are hell bent on making 2023 a year full of accomplishments, balance and inner peace, then I have exactly what you need. To thrive in all aspects of your life in the new year, you need to start looking at things differently and prepare action plans that will lead to exceptional outcomes.

Here are a few things you need to do as you prepare for success in 2023:

1. Understand where you stand in life

Take stock of where 2022 has left you. Where do you stand regarding the things that actually matter to you? Have you lost your job, your home, a loved one? Has your relationship ended? Has your health declined? Take a good hard look at your life and analyze your life right at this moment. How much satisfaction do you have in the following aspects of your life:

Career
Social Life
Finance
Relationship
Health
Attitude
Family
Personal development
Physical, mental & emotional health
Goals, dreams & passions
Fun & happiness
Philanthropy

So? What’s the score? How well are you doing in life in your opinion? Taking some time out and evaluating your own life can help you understand where you need to put maximum effort. You can consider various other facets about your life and include things that matter most to you. As you get a clearer idea of your reality as of today, you will be better able to create an effective action plan. Whatever you do, just make sure you are honest with yourself.

2. Reflect on 2022

To set the right New Year’s resolution, recall everything and anything you can about how 2022 was for you, despite how painful the process may be. A great way to do this is to keep a journal. Note down all that you can remember, all the opportunities and challenges, achievements and setbacks, failures…anything you can remember.

Focus on the minute details and write down everything without getting too involved about the date or time. Visualizing can also help you to remember valuable information. It is also a great idea to write down how each experience made you feel as it can help conjure up further details. Write down everything. You can also refer to your old emails, texts, social media posts, notebooks, calendar and any articles you might have written.

Now go through the notes and compare what you have written with what you remember. As we tend to forget things with time and subconsciously alter our memories, this process can help you realign your thoughts and your emotions. It will help you see how you’ve evolved and improved throughout the year. Moreover, this will enable you to think critically, be self aware and practice gratitude.

3. Think about what you want in 2023

What can you figure out from reflecting on 2022? What can you do better next year? Do you want to make your health better in 2023? Or do you want to be emotionally fulfilled? Do you need to focus more on your relationships or is it your career that needs more attention? It’s not about having a new year’s resolution. It’s about setting a life mission for the new year.

Once you’ve reflected on the good and bad things from 2022, you will realize that some of those things were in your control. This will make you more self-aware and have an internal locus of control. The process will enable you to understand:

What mindset you have to develop
What new skills you have to learn
What habits you have to change
Who you have to connect or disconnect with
What attitude you have to develop
And many more

As you realize where you need to improve and focus on, you must figure out what actions you need to take that will lead you to success. Your course of action will primarily depend on what exactly you want to achieve in 2023.

Do you want to rebuild your career?
Do you want to fix your relationships?
Do you want to improve your health and be more physically active?
Do you want to make more money?
Dp you want to focus on personal development?
Do you want to get married?
Do you want to travel?
Do you want to get a promotion?
Do you want to be more spiritual?

It can be absolutely anything that drives you and it can be more than just one goal. It all depends on what you want. You may want to focus on one particular goal or you may want it all. In that case, assign percentages to each outcome and invest your time and efforts accordingly.

4. Have a plan, but expect anything

If 2022 has taught me anything at all, then it’s to expect absolutely anything and everything. Plans fail most of the time. That’s what I’ve realized in life. The key to success is in being flexible and adaptable. Anytime things start to veer off from your plans, make sure you adapt to the circumstances. Having said that, it is also important to have a direction which a rough plan can give you.

A plan laden with effective actions and achievable milestones can be a great motivator. Your plan should include actions that you can take on a daily basis. Actions that take you forward one step every day. Make sure you are realistic and specific when defining your action plan.

Let’s face it, you can’t do 50 things in a day, even though it might be easy to put them on your calendar. Take things slow and make sure it’s doable. Set deadlines and focus on short term goals along with long term ones. You also need to prepare for delays, distractions, disappointments and failure. Learn from your failure every time and adapt accordingly. Understand that things will take time and you will need to really commit yourself to making your life better in 2023. This is another great strategy to make sure your keep your New Year’s resolution.

10 Tips to achieve more in 2023

Here are 10 really simple yet really helpful tips to set your new year resolution that will empower you to create a better life and accomplish your goals in the coming year:

1. Focus on opportunities, instead of challenges

As I said, it all starts with shifting your mindset. What you believe, you achieve. What you think, you attract. What you see, you pursue. So start looking at the possibilities around you instead of the problems. If there’s a problem in your life, and I am sure there is, look at the possibilities surrounding it. What can you gain from this challenge? What’s the silver lining? And there’s always a silver lining.

Make sure you focus on the solution, the experience, the learning and growth more than the problem. Be aware that there are multiple opportunities for you to improve your life in any given situation.

2. Respect time and stop wasting it

If there’s something I have learned over the past few years, then it’s the value of time. Time once wasted, never comes back. So if you are passionate about your new year’s resolution of being optimistic and achieving your 2023 life goals, then you need to start respecting your time more.

You need to invest more time into what matters and stop wasting it on things that don’t. Evaluate how you spend your time on a monthly basis and schedule your day accordingly to make the best use of the available time. Moreover, you also need to manage your time intelligently so that you can balance it between your career, family, relationships, passion and yourself.

3. Stop making excuses

You can call it genuine reasons or justifications, but that doesn’t change the fact that you were unable to put in the effort you promised yourself you will. Yes, there is a global pandemic going around. There were lockdowns, people lost their lives and loved ones, people lost their jobs, there were pay cuts, food shortages, riots and what not. I am aware of it all. But optimism helps you focus on what you CAN do despite all the problems around you. Excuses only limit your potential and your abilities.

On any given day, you will have a hundred reasons for not doing what you should. But it’s a choice. You can choose to take comfort in properly laid out reasons and justifications and remain exactly where you are in life. Or you can choose just one reason that works for you and go ahead and do it anyways despite all setbacks. Demand action from yourself. Look at the possibilities, find cracks in your excuses and reasons and exploit them to get things done and create your best life.

4. Step outside your comfort zone

I know what the comfort zone feels like. I have been there for too long. But that’s not where you will find progress, self development, happiness or satisfaction. The only things you will find your comfort zone are shame, guilt, resentment and frustration if you stay there long enough.

Success lies outside your comfort zone. Get up and step out. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It will allow you to understand what is holding you back and empower you to expand your life in 2023.

5. Learn to love yourself

How do you treat yourself? Are you as kind and compassionate with yourself when you fail as you would be with a dear friend? Do you criticize yourself more than you should? Is the negative self talk getting louder and louder? Are there any emotional barriers? How you treat yourself in life can determine how far you go.

If you are constantly beating yourself up, you can’t expect yourself to unlock the greatness you have inside. Tell yourself you can. Tell yourself you must. Tell yourself you will. Negativity is a cancer of the soul.

Be mindful about what you tell yourself. Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses. This will enable you to tap into your inner strength and empower you to become greater than you could ever imagine. And your new year’s resolution will help you have the determination to move in the right direction.

6. Nurture your relationships

Staying focused on your life goals for 2023 is crucial but without meaningful relationships anything you achieve will feel hollow. Remember that your objective is to create a better and more fulfilling life for yourself. And that can never happen without caring relationships with your family, friends and even coworkers.

Let this new year be a wake-up call for you to reconnect with people you have unwillingly moved away from and rebuild relationships that give your life meaning. This means spending more time with your family, making time for your romantic partner despite deadlines at work, catching up with old friends and reaching out and checking in with your coworkers and business partners.

This is the perfect time to nourish and nurture relationships that will not only keep you motivated and grounded, but also provide you the emotional and moral support you need. Relationships should always be on top of your New Year’s resolution list.

7. Don’t be afraid of criticism

It takes a lot of strength to let yourself be criticized and judged by others. We take a great deal of effort to avoid judgment as it affects us on a profoundly personal level. Yet, no matter how hard you try people will judge you.

Restraining yourself or keeping your options limited doesn’t protect you from judgment. It only limits your options for living a happier life. When you are unafraid to be judged and criticized, you can live more boldly and confidently without any restrictions.

8. Do what makes you happy

Having fun is crucial to living a better and happier life in 2023. You’ve been through a lot this year. Unless you learn to enjoy your life, anything you do will seem meaningless and exhausting. Routine mundane life can drain your energy and leave you feeling the walking dead, especially since you’ve been in quarantine and maintaining social distancing for so long.

Living joyfully not only helps in developing a positive mindset but also gives you the energy to face adversity and overcome obstacles. Ask yourself what can you do in 2023 to enjoy your life more? It doesn’t have to be something grand or expensive. It can be something as simple as playing with your dog more often or something exciting like taking a solo trip. It depends on your definition of fun.

9. Stay committed to your goals

Stick to your new year’s resolution in 2023 and be an optimist despite all the problems. Living intentionally is one of the best and most effective ways to achieve your goals in 2023. The fact that you are reading this right now instead of looking at a meme on social media means that you are already on the right track.

Every decision you take at this moment will help you create a better future. So be careful about making what choices you make and how it impacts your future.

10. Create a better life

If you want to live a better, happier and more satisfying life in 2023, then you need to take charge and create the life you want. Instead of procrastinating or relying on luck and miracles or expecting someone else to fix your life, step up and level up. It’s your sole responsibility to make your life better. You owe it to yourself.

The circumstances will never be perfect. There will always be obstacles in your way. There will always be more than one solid reason to not do it. You will always feel tired. You will never have enough time. BUT you need to step up and start creating the life you want. You have to rise above all your excuses and legitimate reasons and get it done. And once you start creating, you will never stop.

Optimism: A new year’s resolution that matters

If you want to thrive in 2023, like I do, then focus on living intentionally. It’s about living with goals, taking deliberate actions to achieve those goals and working on self improvement every single day. It is about reminding yourself about your new year’s resolution and being optimistic even when the chips are down. That’s how we got through 2022, right? Luck doesn’t factor here. Luck comes only after determination, effort and failure.

Shift your mindset, stop looking at the negatives and start focusing on the positives. Get rid of your limiting beliefs. Don’t be afraid of challenges and failure. Fail and fail hard and then fail some more. But for failure to happen, you have to act more. You have to take more risks. You can never fail in your comfort zone. Can you? Pessimism can handicap you. Optimism can help you learn, grow and succeed.

Look at it this way:

Success demands growth
Growth demands learning
Learning demands failure
Failure demands action
Action demands effort
Effort demands optimism
Optimism demands focus
Focus demands realization
Realization demands self-awareness

So as long as we are afraid of failure, we will keep sitting on that couch doing ‘Netflix and Chill’ and staying inside that rotting comfort zone way longer than we should have in the first place. Becoming self-aware makes you the designer of your own life. And it isn’t that hard as long as you know what you want and you’re willing to do what’s necessary.

Explore.

Experiment.

Make mistakes.

Learn.

Then do it again.

Succeed.

Here’s to 2023 & beyond

With the new decade just around the corner, this is the perfect time for you to get started and build the life you want. I am pretty sure the tips and steps I have mentioned here will help you as much as it has helped me. As long as you follow your new year’s resolution and remain optimistic and have self-awareness, you will be able to stay focused and create an effective plan to achieve all your goals in 2023.

Start preparing for the next year from today itself and when January hits, you will be all ready to face the new year with the right mindset and enthusiasm. Tap into your inner strength and intentionally reach your full potential to create a better life in 2023 and beyond!

You got this.

Happy New Year 2023!

Motivating Myself Or Pushing Myself?

This bracelet inscribed “Keep Going” was originally meant to inspire me because last year was a t

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