Forget Resolutions! Here are three must dos to start your new year with a pop!

As my southern grandpa used to say “weeee doggy,” this year is almost gone, but you don’t need me to remind you of that.

I’m here to tell you to hold off on those New Year’s resolutions and instead, take a moment to backtrack in three ways!

But first, let me back up a bit.  I’ve had two things hanging over my head the last few weeks: one a payment to my accountant, and another for my car registration, both due today.

Over these last few weeks, I couldn’t think of two more un-satisfying ways to spend money, so I dragged my feet…and then I dragged them some more.

Every single morning I would awake and think today I’d better drop off that payment and take care of my car!

But day by day I let them drop to my tomorrow’s to do list.

And morning by morning, I would wake up with that heavy feeling of today I’d better drop off that payment and take care of my car!

But today…I did both.  And the relief was A M A Z I N G.

I felt like I had a 24 hour vacation!  Seriously…the stress relief was palatable.

So my very first suggestion for you to take before the clock strikes midnight tomorrow night is to take care of that one thing you’ve been putting off for a while now.

Maybe it’s a phone call, an apology, a bill, a closet or an errand.

It doesn’t matter what, because the bottom line is: it’s been hanging over your head!

Next I want you to pick a drawer, glove compartment, purse or shelf that’s been driving you nuts with disarray and clean it out and put that back in order.

Poof! More stress relief. 

When we do the things we’ve been putting off, we free up a whole bunch of head space. What better way to start the new year than with a clear head, right?

Finally, take a moment to look back and reflect on what you’ve accomplished and done well this year, because you have done a lot and grown tremendously.

Have gratitude for your own growth and your own hard work. Regardless of who you are or what you do, you’ve grown and you’ve accomplished a lot!

Celebrate that honey.

Think of it like this:  When you’re pulling out of an old spot you’ve been parked in, you’ve got to look in your rearview mirror before you back up right? Well, we’ve got to look back before we can look forward, and when we clean up our messes, tie up our loose ends and have gratitude for ourselves and our past—we can fly into the new year with grace.

Now one more thing….I wish for you a happy, healthy, abundant, love filled 2015.

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Author: Tamara Star

Editor: Emily Bartran

Photo: Laura Fields/Flickr