2009 is going to be a big year. I’m getting married in July. Sometime soon after the wedding, we’re planning to take off for a year of traveling around the U.S. And I plan to create an income this year that is the result of hard work and genuine passion for what I am doing.

These are things that I expect to happen this year that are important and meaningful. How I go about experiencing them, however, is up to me. How do I want to approach them? How do I plan to create the environment for a job, a wedding, a marriage and an adventure that will be an authentic reflection of who I am and of who I want to become?

setting my goals
Along with the majority of the world, I enjoy the sense of ‘newness’ the beginning of the year brings. It’s full of potential, forgiveness and hope. I love the idea of a fresh start; the idea of leaving behind the things that are no longer serving me; looking forward to creating a space for new habits, new experiences and a new perspective on the world I inhabit.

The truth is (and we all know this), we don’t need a date on the calendar to accomplish change. Yet we wait for January 1st to come. We put off changes we want to make in October so we can “start the year fresh” come January. Although we don’t need it, it somehow seems easier to manage in January.

collective energy
I love the energy that comes from millions of resolutions in the air around me. I love that sense of palpable determination and conviction; the freshness it all seems to give the air outside. At this time of year, everyone seems to be talking about making changes: becoming better at photography, running or playing chess; being nicer to strangers; making healthier lifestyle choices; saving money for a dream home. Or first home. This external motivation is invigorating and validating.

Setting annual goals and reassessing progress each year is important. We need the space and time 12 months allows, to assess how our stated goals and resolutions are working for us. Did I reach my goal? If not, have I made progress? Did I give up? When? Why? (It could be it was no longer relevant.) Has anything in my life changed that might change the goal? Is this goal still important to me? Annual assessments are wonderful at charting our course and helping to keep us on track.

Even more important is to check in every few weeks, or months. Finding out you haven’t lost any weight in a year when you had hoped to lose 100 isn’t very helpful and will most likely lead to disappointment… without any information as to why you didn’t accomplish your goal. (Was it your choice of diet? exercise? motivation?)

A check-in every few months will help make sure you’re still moving in a direction that makes sense. And one of the most important things to realize is if we miss that magical January 1st date, it’s okay. It’s not too late. Be aware. It’s easy to feed off the cynical and negative aspects of the New Year’s Resolution. “I won’t stick to it.” “I don’t have any this year because they never work.” “I gave up after a week last year. It’s not worth it.” You’ve heard them. Maybe you’ve said them. I know I have.

The secret to managing successful goals is to make them flexible. Create realistic goals. (Are you really going to save $20,000 to travel the world for six months by June when you have $10,000 in credit card debt today? If you are, please send me your secret.) Take your time and enjoy the process. It’s your goal, so you get to set when they begin and end. You know when it makes sense to keep going and when it’s better to let a particular goal go.

Sticking to your goals is hard work. The more specific they are, the easier to reach. (I.e., “I’m going to get into better shape this year” doesn’t work nearly as well as, “I’m going to sign up and run a 10K in May. And to do that, I’m going to run 3x a week with my co-worker, Jeff.”

Something new to think about.
Along with a few very tangible goals I set each year (one of these days, I swear I will floss my teeth on a regular basis and eat fruits and veggies every day), I also take time to sit still and allow particular goals and feelings to come to me. Words that continue to appear in my thoughts are noticed. (It’s amazing how often certain ones appear.) These words inspire and motivate me every time I think of them. They resonate with a greater sense of “rightness” than others do. For me, 2008 was a year of risk and wonder.

This year, my words are: Possibility and Abundance.

Because I took risks in 2008, I was able to take time and lay some groundwork for 2009. I rested. I did a lot of thinking and writing about the direction I want my life to take. I interviewed people with jobs I was thinking about. So here, at the beginning of 2009, I feel an energy around me that speaks of possibilities. I feel a world before me—open and vast—and I am ready to begin moving into it, exploring each moment along the way, every opportunity that presents itself. My mind is ready to recognize what feels right and what doesn’t. The possibilities are endless.

2008 was also a year of frugality and careful budgeting. I ended the comfort of a steady income, and it’s been more challenging to create something new than I expected (the general state of the economy not helping). And although I didn’t receive a paycheck on January 1st (darn it), I know that the work I did toward the end of the year will pan out soon. There have been many lessons I’ve learned (some pretty humbling) that I am confident will help me continue to manage my budget. I am looking at what I have today, as opposed to what I think I am missing.

And I have faith that the universe is looking out for me and that abundance will come in many forms. An abundance of love and community. An abundance of financial wealth and freedom. And an abundance of energy and spirit.

What are your goals for 2009? What do you want to focus on this year? What words resonate and speak to you?