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Are you glad 2021 is in the rearview mirror? Time for new beginnings–let’s set the right goals for 2022!
Turning a new chapter to 2022 doesn’t mean that our atmosphere is automatically 100% remedied. However, heading into the new year with a sense of hope that things will be better will allow you to feel more motivated with the goals you set for 2022.
I am very fond of goal-setting. As cliche as it is, I always like to take advantage of the motivation that a new year brings. If you’re struggling to determine which goals you should set for 2022, here are some ideas that are certainly attainable and possible to stick to!
This blog post is all about goals for 2022
Why is planning goals for 2022 important?
Planning goals for the new year gives you a sense of direction for how you want the coming months to go.
While you don’t always have to wait for a new year to begin change, it can be helpful to view a new year as a good opportunity for a turning point in your life.
If you didn’t have such a great year this year, reflect on why that was. What can you do better this time around to make 2022 a better year than 2021?
What’s even more important is making sure you set habits that will ultimately drive you toward meeting new goals. Setting the goal is only one piece of the pie. The habits you partake in to reach these goals is where the real work comes in.
Here are 22 powerful and achievable goals for 2022!
1. Staying Consistent
Consistency is a major theme that has been on my mind heavily lately with everything that I do. The reason I mention it first is because consistency is important for any goal you set this year. Motivation can and will fade as the year goes on, and it’s possible you may not stick to all your goals from now until December.
Finding ways to remind yourself to stay on track will be crucial in preventing yourself from “forgetting” about goals or losing the motivation to work towards them. This is why it’s always best to break down a goal into concrete, executable steps.
Rather than “get in better shape,” consider how many times you will work out each week, come up with a daily calorie goal, and goal weight.
It’s a good idea to keep a planner, either digital or physical, where you can schedule things like regular workouts, business planning, or whatever small steps are necessary to reach your big goals.
My favorite planner is this undated planner by Clever Fox because in case you DO happen to get off track, all the months/weeks are left blank so you can start in January and pick back up in March without wasting pages!
2. Reduce monthly spending by $X
If you aim to make your paycheck stretch further and further each month, it will soon become a habit and can positively impact your overall financial health.
Here are some ways to get started:
- Shop for what you can at the Dollar Tree/99 Cent Only Store (organization bins, soap, cups and utensils, snacks, greeting cards, the list goes on!)
- Make Starbucks a treat and brew coffee at home regularly
- Evaluate which subscription services you can cut down on
- Work out at home instead of the gym
- Cut grocery bill by something like $50 a week or month
{RELATED POST: How to Track Monthly Expenses Using a Personal Expense Tracker Excel Template}
3. Spend less time on social media
Social media can be such a time suck. I bet if you take a look at the “screen time” feature on your phone, you’ll see what I mean. I’ve mentioned before that it’s not a bad idea to keep social media apps on the last page of your phone so they’re out of sight, out of mind!
{RELATED POST: 3 Productive Ways You Can Schedule Your Free Time (And Stop the Habit of Instagram Scrolling)}
4. Learn a new skill
This could be something leisurely or even something that helps you build your resume, such as certificate courses through something like Coursera.com.
As a dancer, I have found many great opportunities for online classes, some free (or on YouTube), as well as subscription services that allow you access to hundreds of classes on demand.
With the internet, there are so many ways to learn new skills completely remotely. This is fantastic considering many in-person learning opportunities are limited right now.
5. Declutter your home
This task is best left for days you have off so that you don’t feel like you have too much on your plate at once.
As you declutter, you can also sell your items to make some extra money. I’ve had the most success with Facebook Marketplace. Other than that, I donate everything to Goodwill.
{RELATED POST: 8 Easy Hacks to Become a Minimalist}
6. Pay off some debt
Determine which debt is the smallest, then work towards making extra payments or paying off a loan early, if you are financially able to.
I just paid off my car loan a little early, and I am ecstatic! I bought my car when I was eighteen, made the down payment, and have made every single payment on it for almost four years, so this is one of my first major financial accomplishments.
7. Create a regular exercise routine
Working out every day is honestly pretty hard to stick to. I say something like working out every other day is a good place to start. That way, you can leave days in between for other things you need to get done, like cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, etc.
Decide what you want to do when you work out, for example, 30 minutes of running, 20 minutes of strength training, and 10 minutes of stretching. Remember to write it in your planner or calendar so you have an active reminder to stick to it!
{RELATED POST: The Best Exercises for Mental Health and Mood Boosting}
8. Change your diet
I am not a diet or fitness expert. But for me, the main thing that trips me up or sets me back is, again, not being consistent with sticking to my calorie goal. If your goal is weight loss, that is.
I will sometimes have two “cheat days” a week and wonder why the scale won’t budge. It’s not until I make myself stick strictly to my calorie budget for a few weeks that I finally notice the progress to resume.
9. Spiritual growth/closer connection to your religion
I found a church group that I like and that continues to meet in person. This involvement has inspired me and reminded me to pray more often and feel closer to God. No matter your religion, spiritual growth and meditation are great things to get back in touch with.
10. Stress-management
If you haven’t found the right coping techniques for dealing with stress, seek out new information and introduce yourself to different emotion regulation strategies.
11. Practice mindfulness
Taking a few moments each day for mindfulness and meditation can make an impact on your day. There are many great resources out there for this if you are unfamiliar with it. Here is one example.
Headspace is an amazing resource that I love for mindfulness meditation. They have meditation for any mindset, mood, or goal! Get 14 days free with my link!
12. Strengthen interpersonal relationships
Reach out to old friends you haven’t spoken with in a while. Alternatively, focus on spending more time with the people you communicate with virtually but often don’t see in person.
13. Let the small things go
I’ve had events that were so embarrassing or stressful in the given moment, but then I look back on them a couple of years later and realize it either wasn’t as bad as I thought, the situation worked itself out, or it didn’t make a significant long-lasting impact.
14. Write more or read more
I love both writing and reading. I love gaining knowledge and also sharing that knowledge with others through writing, or even just journaling to myself to make sense of my thoughts.
15. Eliminate limiting beliefs
Sometimes it is our own beliefs that hold us back, such as comparing ourselves to others and thinking “that will never be me.” Why can’t that “never” be you? If you reframe these beliefs to recognize your abilities, you’ll at least be able to potentially take baby steps towards what you want.
16. Prioritize your happiness
I ultimately believe that we need to put ourselves first. How can we bear the weight of others’ problems (and give to others genuinely) when we don’t have ourselves taken care of first? Doing things that make you happy isn’t selfish, so consider making more time for what fills you with joy.
17. Listen to motivational podcasts
These can be on a variety of different topics such as career path, personal development, or interpersonal relationships. Motivational podcasts help me adjust my mindset and outlook on life.
18. Practice self-love
Implement more positive self-talk when you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself. Even if it feels fake, you’ll get into the habit of thinking more positively about yourself and you’ll start to believe it. Make time for yourself. Go easy on yourself.
19. Invest in your retirement fund
If you haven’t already set up a Roth IRA or something similar, you absolutely should as early as you can. Or better yet, something I have is a CD (Certificate of Deposit) that yields a higher interest rate. I do not touch what goes into my CD and it counts towards my retirement.
20. After each month passes, reflect on it
What were your high points and low points? How did you feel and what can you do to change the negative?
21. Aim not to impulse buy
Create a budget, always think back to it, and shop around for deals and comparisons before you make big purchases.
22. Create the habits necessary to achieve your goals
This is the most important takeaway of this entire article. In order to follow through to achieve your goals, you have to put in the work. Where does the work come from? Your habits!
I highly recommend reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. It honestly changed my life and has been the most effective approach to habit change I’ve read about.
If any of these 2022 goals spoke to you or helped you identify what you’d like to aim for this year, let me know in the comments!
Wishing you great blessings and many memorable experiences this upcoming year!
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I like the part where you write to help remind us of taking time for ourselves to work on positive mindfulness and spiritual growth. I thought I would add as quoted by one of my favorite pastors: “I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you’re grateful, you’ll see God open up new doors”. – Joel Osteen
I love the practise self love tip – something I actively encourage people to do. It doesn’t have to be splurging money it can even be taking time out of the day for 5 minutes! Excellent article 🔥