Now's the time to get started on setting your 2024 goals
With the end of 2023 drawing near, there is still plenty of time to accomplish some goals before the year ends or get yourself ready for 2024.
Here's a few ideas to get you going:
Set your 2024 goals
If there is one thing that is important in life is dreams. When you have dreams and goals, it can become more obtainable when writing them down.
Maybe you've been talking about that European vacation a lot and it's time to go. Put up a picture of the Eiffel Tower and a reachable goal of how much money you will need to put away.
Need a change of scenery or a new job? Get a picture of that dream job or a new house and look at it every day. Knowing what you're aiming for helps make it happen.
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Take care of yourself first
The holiday season can be the stressful icing on the already stressed-filled cake that you have been baking throughout the year. Learning to take a step back and take time for yourself is important.
Seeing family at this time of year can be rough. Hearing the same questions from distant aunts and uncles can get you questioning yourself.
Go for a walk, get pampered at the spa or nail salon or just sit back with a drink on the porch to take a breath. Allow yourself the chance to hit the reset button to not get overwhelmed.
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Track your success
It can be all too easy getting wrapped up in other people's successes. So much so that we can tend to forget about own achievements throughout the year. Writing down the things you have accomplished can help see that small victories are still victories nonetheless.
Writing down all you have done this past year can put things into perspective for yourself. Good things will come in time, but for now, enjoy the small wins in life.
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Donate what you don't need
As the years come and go, clutter and old clothes tend to pile up. Sometimes they even end up in a pile or hung up at the back of the closet collecting dust.
Instead of just throwing out all the junk and old clothes that don't fit, consider donating them. There is plenty of upsides to donating such as helping those in need, clearing out space for yourself and even potential tax credit for doing a good deed.
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Plan a getaway
A weekend getaway to the Jersey Shore, maybe a weeklong trip to Disney World in Florida to escape the cold winter months, or a spooky trip to Salem, Massachusetts. Regardless of what your plan is, put things in motion sooner rather than later.
This can even mean taking a solo trip if others can't make it happen. Go by yourself and enjoy the time you earned off.
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Check on your finances
This time of the year can be difficult to pay off bills. Making sure to check your financial health is important moving forward. February is the start of tax season and you'll want to be ready for whatever surprise that might bring.
Getting your tax documents together is just as important as paying off your bills. Even missing one important document could make tax season a nightmare.
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Get your body moving
The majority of people who make getting healthy and start at the gym a "resolution" typically don't last that long into the year.
Starting at the gym is a great way to address your personal weight goals, but exercise pays off more than just on the bathroom scale.
A healthy diet and daily exercise will help with having a better state of mind. You will have more energy, confidence and stable mental state moving forward.
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Find a hobby
There is no time like the present to start something new. Passions and hobbies are what drive people forward in their free time.
A passion project can be hard work and might take hours of your time to complete, but the satisfaction of having done it or continue to better it will be everlasting.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Simple ways to get ready for a new year
