4 Steps to Ending the Year and Planning the New Year

Last Updated on December 6, 2024 by Andrea

I’m going to be totally honest. I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions. They make me feel like a failure from the get-go. I’ve found that a lot of people agree with me about resolutions. Instead I like reviewing the previous year and setting a few goals for the next year.

Goals are important for our relationships. Relationship success is built over time. And learning about each other’s goals and accomplishments is one of those building blocks. Planning helps us to have successful marriages and have good parent-child communication.

My Goal Planning

My goal planning session always includes my kids. We sit down together to review our favorite parts from this year, decide if we met this years’ personal goals, and set new goals for next year. There’s no shame in not reaching the set goals for this year. New goals take hard work to achieve so I make sure to review my kids’ goals throughout the year and od what I can to make them happen. Big goals take planning, so keep that in mind. I don’t always carry over the goals we didn’t achieve from last year. Sometimes we just start fresh!

Some years we use a vision board (described more below) and other years I must make a list in my journal. It all depends on how much time we have and what season my kids are in. It’s always good to have SMART goals (also described below). Goals we can see and that are specific and actionable positively impact our mental health.

You’ll see in the infographic below that I do this goal review/goal setting process several times each year, depending on what season we are in, and depending on our available time frame. That way there are always revolving goals to keep us engaged with a clean slate every few months. Every time I do this I update my to-do list so I can help my kids be successful with their specific goals.

Why is planning important?

When we take time to plan like this, we begin to understand what is important to our spouse and kids. By knowing what’s important to them, we can create opportunities for them to be successful. We can carve out time for them to achieve their dreams. Then when it’s time to reevaluate the goals (see the above infographic), they can see incremental progress along the way. A lot of people have ideas but don’t set a plan to move those ideas into goals.

Planning is essential because it provides a roadmap to achieve goals, manage time effectively, and handle challenges with confidence. Here’s why planning matters:

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1. Clarity and Focus

Planning helps you define what you want to achieve and how to get there. It allows you to:

• Set clear priorities.
• Avoid distractions.
• Stay aligned with your long-term vision.

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2. Efficiency and Productivity

With a plan in place, you can:

• Use your time and resources wisely.
• Break big tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
• Avoid unnecessary stress from last-minute decisions.

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3. Problem Solving

Planning allows you to anticipate challenges and develop solutions in advance, making it easier to navigate obstacles when they arise.

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4. Accountability

Having a plan keeps you accountable to your goals by tracking progress and sticking to deadlines.

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5. Flexibility

Planning doesn’t mean being rigid. It’s a tool that can adapt to changes, helping you stay on track even when circumstances shift.

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Why Is Planning Important for Christians?

For Christians, planning takes on an added dimension of seeking God’s guidance. The Bible emphasizes the importance of thoughtful preparation while trusting God’s sovereignty:

• “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3).
• “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5).

Planning allows Christians to:

• Steward their time, talents, and resources for God’s glory.
• Align personal goals with God’s will through prayer and discernment.
• Trust that while we make plans, God directs our steps.

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Involving Kids in Planning

Teaching kids to plan helps them develop important skills, such as time management and decision-making. For example:

• Daily Routines: Encourage them to plan their homework, playtime, and chores. Include screen time in your plan.
• Projects: Help them map out school assignments or hobbies with clear steps and timelines. A great example is coming up with a community service project.
• Faith-Based Planning: Guide them to include prayer and Scripture in their plans, such as planning time to read a Bible story each night.

Planning is a valuable skill for every stage of life, ensuring that we live purposefully and make the most of the opportunities God has given us.

Vision Boards

A vision board is a visual representation of your goals, dreams, and aspirations. It typically consists of a collage of images, quotes, and affirmations arranged on a board to inspire and motivate you to pursue the life you want to create. Pinterest has a new feature to create a vision board on their app. I love this feature! I haven’t quite figured out how to get the kids involved in that, but here’s an article to help. Some people start with a brain dump, then move to the vision board itself.

Why Should We Have a Vision Board?

1. Clarifies Goals: Creating a vision board helps you focus on what you truly want in life by visualizing your dreams and desires. For me this step also helps me create new habits.
2. Inspires Action: Seeing your goals every day can motivate you to take small steps toward achieving them. Action leads to personal growth that we all want.
3. Boosts Positive Change: It reinforces positive thinking by surrounding you with uplifting images and words. This also helps us to shed old habits and pick up new habits.
4. Faith-Based Motivation: For Christians, a vision board can reflect God’s plans for your life, reminding you to pray and seek His guidance as you work toward your goals.

How Kids Can Be Involved:

1. Simple Goals: Help kids choose goals or dreams they want to achieve, like learning a new skill, doing well in school, or helping others.
2. Family Bonding: Make it a family activity by sitting together, cutting out pictures, and discussing each person’s aspirations. If you’re techy check out Pinterest’s vision board planner.
3. Creativity: Let kids decorate their section of the vision board with stickers, drawings, or Bible verses.
4. Faith Integration: Encourage kids to include elements like prayers, Scriptures, or blessings they hope to see in their lives. Making Scripture come alive is key to helping our kids see how the Bible can be lived out every day.

Christian Element for Vision Boards:

For Christians, a vision board can include:

• Scriptures: Add Bible verses that align with your goals, such as “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord (Jeremiah 29:11).
• Prayer Requests & Answers: Write down specific areas where you’re seeking God’s guidance or provision. Then mark the date God answers the prayer (even if the answer was ‘no’ or ‘wait.’
• Gratitude Section: Include a space to celebrate answered prayers or blessings.
• Christ-Centered Goals: Focus on spiritual growth, such as serving in ministry, fostering kindness, or deepening your relationship with God.

Creating a vision board is not just about dreaming big but aligning your dreams with God’s purpose for your life. When done as a family, it can teach kids the importance of setting goals, trusting God, and working towards their dreams with faith and effort. Keep in mind that real change takes time. Work at the goals every single day and you’ll see tremendous progress.

SMART Goals

What Are SMART Goals?

SMART goals are a framework for setting clear, actionable, and achievable objectives. I think these are te most important thing about setting goals. The acronym stands for:

1. Specific goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve.
2. Measurable goals: Ensure the goal has criteria to track progress and success.
3. Achievable goals: Set a goal that is realistic given your resources and constraints.
4. Relevant goals: Align the goal with your values and priorities.
5. Time-Bound goals: Include a deadline to create a sense of urgency.

Why Use SMART Goals?

SMART goals help break down big dreams into actionable steps, making them less overwhelming and more attainable. They also foster accountability and focus, which are critical for achieving success. SMART goals give us an action plan that is manageable.

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How Can We Include Kids in Setting SMART Goals?

1. Explain SMART Goals in Simple Terms:
   • Specific: Ask your child, “What exactly do you want to do?”
   • Measurable: “How will you know you’ve done it?”
   • Achievable: “Can you do this with the time and tools you have?”
   • Relevant: “Why is this important to you?”
   • Time-Bound: “When do you want to finish this?”
2. Choose Age-Appropriate Goals:
   Help kids set goals that match their age and interests, such as:
   • Learning to tie their shoes (younger kids).
   • Reading a specific number of books in a month.
   • Improving in a school subject or learning a new skill.
3. Brainstorm Together:
   Sit down as a family and brainstorm ideas for goals. Encourage each child to pick one or two things they’d like to work on.
4. Write It Down:
   Create a SMART goal worksheet or write the goals on a family board. Example:
   • Instead of “I want to read more,” say:
     “I will read one chapter every evening for the next two weeks.”
5. Provide Encouragement and Check-Ins:
   Support your child by helping them stay on track. Set up regular check-ins to celebrate progress and adjust goals if needed.

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Faith-Based Integration for Christians

Encourage kids to think about goals that reflect God’s purpose in their lives. For example:

• Specific: “I want to memorize a Bible verse about kindness.”
• Measurable: “I will memorize one verse a week.”
• Achievable: “I will write the verse on a card and practice it daily.”
• Relevant: “It will help me show love to others, as God wants.”
• Time-Bound: “I will memorize it by Saturday.”

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By involving kids in setting SMART goals, you teach them important life skills such as planning, perseverance, and accountability while fostering a sense of purpose and confidence. For Christian families, it’s an opportunity to encourage children to align their goals with faith and values, showing how to seek God’s guidance in their plans.

It’s Time to Dream Again

It’s time to get a clear picture of your upcoming year. At the end of the year, ask your kids and spouse the following questions:

1. What were the highlights of this year? Remember to listen without comparing to YOUR highlights. Ask questions about why those were highlights for them.
2. What do they want to do/accomplish in the coming year? Are there mini-steps that will need to take place? If so, put them in your planner so you can facilitate success.
3. Share your highlights and goals with your family.
4. Write all these answers in your journal. I usually do the wrap-up at the end my yearly journal, then the new goals in the cover of the new journal.

Bring it all Together

Setting goals and monitoring them happens with small steps. Long-term goals are achieved one step at a time. They do require a bit of time management, but you can totally do this! Pick a starting point and make this year the best year ever!

Happy Planning,

🌸 Andrea

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