How To Beat The Blues And Start The Year On The Right Foot
Many year's resolutions fail. I'll show you how I reflect on the past year and set goals for the new one using YearCompass as a life journal.
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I know these last few days have been a whirlwind of back to work. So I'm going to make it easy for you, here's what you've been missing lately:
Let’s face it: New Year’s resolutions are about as effective as a chocolate teapot. 🫖 We’ve all been there, setting lofty goals on January 1st only to abandon them faster than you can say “gym membership.”
Plus, this week we had Blue Monday. If you're still shaking off the residual effects of what is considered the most depressing day of the year, you're not alone!
Good news is: that feeling of being stuck in your life or career is temporary.
In today's post, I'll introduce you to YearCompass, a tool that has helped me over the past 5 years to free myself up and prepare for an amazing year. 📖
Just Another Planning Tool?
YearCompass isn’t just another planner. It’s a guided journey that helps you reflect, learn, and strategize. Think of it as your personal time machine - allowing you to extract wisdom from the past year and beam it into your future.
YearCompass has been a powerful tool that has been helping millions of people around the world since 2012 to do just that:
Reflect on our journey and chart a course for the year ahead. 🧭
To give you some background, YearCompass originated in Hungary in 2012 as a personal reflection tool created by a small group of friends. The founders wanted to have a meaningful New Year’s Eve gathering, so they put together a set of questions to help them reflect on the past year and plan for the upcoming one.
The event was a success, and the questions resonated well with the participants. So, they created a booklet and made it public. To their surprise, the booklet went viral online. What started as a small personal project quickly grew into an international movement. Since its inception, YearCompass has evolved into a non-profit organization run by over 100 volunteers from around the world.
Now, you might be thinking, “Great, another self-help tool. What makes this one special?” 😕
Here’s why it’s a game-changer:
🫶 It’s All About You: Unlike generic goal-setting methods, YearCompass helps you uncover your own patterns and design a year that actually aligns with your values and desires.
🧘♀️ Reflection is Key: By guiding you through a thorough review of the past year, YearCompass ensures you learn from your experiences, both good and bad.
👁️ Holistic Approach: This isn’t just about career goals or fitness resolutions. YearCompass covers all aspects of your life, from personal relationships to mental well-being.
✍️ Accountability Built-In: The act of writing down your reflections and plans creates a powerful sense of commitment.
⌛️ Flexibility: Available in 52 languages, this FREE PDF booklet is your ticket to intentional living, no strings attached. Whether you prefer pen and paper or digital planning, YearCompass has got you covered with printable PDFs and digital options.
Don’t just take my word for it. If you go to Reddit or Instagram you’ll notice how this has helped others since 2012. 🤯
There’s even super creative people out there like
who make Notion templates, if you choose the digital path.Okay, enough marketing, let's talk about what's really important.
So How Does It Work?
The structure of YearCompass is simple. Is divided into two main sections:
Closing the Year
Planning the Year Ahead
Each section contains carefully crafted questions and exercises designed to promote deep reflection and purposeful planning.
1. Closing the Year
This section helps you reflect on the past year through various lenses:
Personal Life and Relationships
Reflect on significant events, achievements, and challenges
Evaluate your relationships and personal growth
Career and Finances
Review your professional accomplishments and setbacks
Assess your financial situation and progress towards goals
Health and Well-being
Consider your physical and mental health journey
Identify habits that supported or hindered your well-being
Personal Growth and Learning
Recognize new skills or knowledge acquired
Reflect on how you've evolved as a person
This reflection does not have to be structured and rigid. You can imagine that you are talking to a close friend or even to yourself and let your brain recall the impact you had last year. 👇
2. Planning the Year Ahead
This section guides you in setting intentions and goals for the coming year:
Vision and Values
Define your core values and aspirations
Create a vision for your ideal life in various areas
Goal Setting
Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals
Break down larger goals into actionable steps
Personal Development
Identify areas for growth and learning
Plan for new experiences and challenges
Work-Life Balance
Strategize ways to improve work-life harmony
Set boundaries and priorities
My Experience Using YearCompass
There are no difficult instructions, you can download it and fill it in. But the magic around it, I think, is how you perform your own ritual. For example, I have set aside time in my schedule to spend 3-5 hours at home, in a cafe or even in the park.
I try to maximize the potential by:
Gather all the calendars, photos and memorable moments from the past year. I rely a lot on my partner for this, he has a great way of organizing all of this and makes sure all the monthly activities are well reflected in our photo album. 👏
I know I could use a Notion template (I think I tried it the first time), but printing it has become a requirement for me, so I create a manageable journal that I can take wherever I need to go. Also:
Writing fosters a sense of commitment, like a promise with myself.
I try to be creative, so I allow myself to use stickers, make drawings, and express emotions with colors. It all depends how I feel.
Schedule an intentional time for reflection and in a specific place. The time and place should match the purpose of this ritual:
For example, a coffee shop that I enjoyed so much last year, or the adventure of trying a different place and discovering new things, resonate with the new year.
Make sure this zone is comfortable and distraction-free
I try to be brutally honest with my reflections, even if I am ashamed of how I reacted to specific situations I:
🧐 Recognize them
👁️ Give them the attention they deserve
✍️ Write them down
🪽Let them go
For the next year, I like to dream big but keeping my feet on the ground. Make sure to set SMART goals or realistic ones.
I breakdown a simple plan on how I think, at that moment, I will achieve them.
I share my plan with my accountability partner. Like the inventors of YearCompass, is better if you share your plans with a group of friends or a partner, fosters commitment and you can inspire each other.
Wrapping Up
YearCompass isn't just a tool - it's your ticket to a more intentional, fulfilling 2025. By taking the time to reflect, plan, and dream, you're setting yourself up for success in ways you never imagined.
Your 2025 Clarity Action Plan
☑️ Download YearCompass: Head to yearcompass.com and grab your free booklet.
☑️ Schedule Your Session: Block out 3-4 hours in your calendar for your YearCompass deep dive.
☑️ Gather Supplies: Grab pens, highlighters, and any other tools that make you feel creative and inspired.
☑️ Create the Right Environment: Set the mood with your favorite music, candles, or whatever helps you feel focused and relaxed.
☑️ Just Start: Don’t overthink it. Dive in and let the process guide you.
Clarity doesn’t come from thinking about it.
Remember, clarity doesn’t come from thinking about it – it comes from taking action. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to close out 2024 with intention and step into 2025 with a clear vision and unstoppable momentum.
Your future self will thank you for taking this time to reflect, plan, and dream big. Let’s turn those Blue Monday feelings into a bright, promising future! ✨
In the last 8 years, some years I do it, some others no. But the years I had completed the booklet are the years I grew the most. That's a great tool to try and revisit during the year.
For me, it's just a compass to recalibrate during the year, no a Law I will be hesitant to write–read to avoid feeling bad later.