JANUARY 2024

Ways to Start the New Year Off Strong

Alana Barahona

A month deep into 2024...finally. I cannot be the only one who feels like it has gone by extremely slowly. This has certainly kind of put me in a life “slump.” When time starts to feel like its taking forever to pass and your life starts feeling “boring,” it is hard to feel like there is anything to look forward to, so, you start falling off track, you miss due dates, and you are not focused on what you said you were the first week of the year. With all that in mind, here are some things I think might help you “start” or continue strong for the entirety of the year. 

1. Learning to set goals… 

Setting goals can be very intimidating and scary especially for people like me, who are extremely afraid of failure. But here are some things I've learned that have really helped me. With the new year, we and the people around us always put some pressure on making goals and achieving great things. Well, I don’t think this is really healthy. Now, don't get me wrong: I’m all for goal-setting and having something to look forward to, but I don’t think that defining yourself based on only your goals and just throwing huge goals all around at the beginning of the year is good for us. 

• Start off by setting daily goals. Then move to weekly goals, monthly goals, semesterly goals, yearly goals, and so on…

• This can include things as small as making sure you drink the right amount of water each day, to as big as wanting to start your own company. 

• Set smaller goals that will help you lead up to your “BIG” overall goal. 

  • For example, if your main goal this year is to get into an organization or society at school, start setting small goals that will help you work your way in. This might include raising your grades a little bit, behaving better in class, or getting fewer tardies. 

• Make sure your goals are date-based. Give yourself enough time to achieve what you want, but do set a date so you don’t get lost along the way. 

  • Setting a date for completion will help you stay focused on the goal, which will make you less likely to “fall off.” 

2. Start a journal. 

I think the people around me might be tired of me because whenever they tell me a problem they’re having or anything they have a lot of feelings about, my answer is almost always, “I think you should try to write it out.” Now, I get that not everyone’s way of expressing themselves is by writing, but I do think that keeping a journal is a great way to get your feelings out. Whether it's through drawing, writing, scribbling, making mood boards, planning out your day or making to-do lists, writing down playlist ideas, etc, a journal is the best way I've found for a person to freely express themselves. 

Here are some tips I would recommend to inspire you to start or continue journaling: 

• Get a journal that inspires you to want to pick it up. 

  • Whether it is a solid color or has designs on the cover, finding a journal you find satisfying to look at is the Number One thing I would recommend you do when starting a journal. If you can’t find a notebook that does it for you, feel free to add stickers or doodles that you like. Maybe adding some other things like string around it would also help. 

• Look for ideas on what to journal about on Pinterest.

  • As someone who spends A LOT of time on Pinterest, I can say that some people on there have amazing prompts and ideas of things you could do in your journal. Remember that your journal does not have to have one designated thing that you do there, and you shouldn’t feel like “I can only do this in my journal.” Your journal is your personal space for you to express yourself in whatever way you feel necessary, so try new ideas! If you can’t come up with anything, ideas from the Internet/Pinterest are plenty. 

• Don’t feel like it’s an extra chore or homework you have to do. 

  • There will be days, weeks, or even months when you won't feel the need to journal and that is OK. 

• Have fun with it. 

  • At the end of the day, this is something that is for you and you only. Write, draw, or do whatever you want with it.

3. Reassess relationships. 

The relationships we surround ourselves with can determine a lot about ourselves. Relationships, whether they are with people or things, should always bring us up and never down. Relationships should be healthy and not drain us. 

Here are some ways you can identify an unhealthy relationship:

• You feel drained after being with that person or doing a certain thing. 

• The relationship is making you anxious, overly stressed, or sick. 

• You don’t feel safe in the relationship.

• The relationship takes more away from you than it gives you. 

There will be times where you fall off track or when any of these tips might be hard for you to maintain, and that is OK. What is important is that you are able to recognize that you are trying while also maintaining healthy habits. 

As we finish up February and begin wrapping up the school year, I hope these pieces of advice have been encouraging and helpful.