You head into a New Year, a new venture, a new relationship, a new agreement, a new... anything. And maybe you "hope" for the best. Maybe you set some goals and intentions. Or maybe you're so "busy" you fly by the seat of your pants and pray that luck and inspiration will get you "there".
Any of these can work, and why not give your desires and results a bit of an extra nudge? Leaving your year, relationships, and ventures, in the hands of fate and open to spontaneity is part of the magic of life, AND if you sprinkle in a bit of the 7 points below, you increase your chances of shifting that magic into real results. The goal here is to have you happen to your life, vs. your life happening to you. Every bit of consciousness helps.
For your future delight and planning, here are 7 places to look:
1. Have a vision and a purpose. Explore, in your heart of hearts, what success looks like for this venture/relationship/year/etc. AND why it's important. "See" it. "Taste" it. Feel into it. Let yourself be moved by it. Get carried away so much that you might actually believe it is happening in present time. Let this inform your intentions and action plans for "next".
2. Set your intentions. What do you want this year to look like? This relationship? This meeting? What outcomes? What do you want to be celebrating when it's complete? Who do you want to become because of it?
3. Take really good care of yourself. You have so much power and influence here. How you set yourself up for success with what you put into your body, how you move, and how you sleep has ripple effects on your physical, mental, and emotional states. Eat well. Be well.
4. Set your vibe. How do you want to feel? What's the energy you want to experience? And how do you want others to experience you? A bit of awareness and intention goes a long way.
5. Be intentional about your time. How much time are you going to spend on "this"? Whether it's projects, meetings, discussions, problem-solving, dwelling in drama, etc.--you get to decide how much time it gets.
6. Give yourself full permission. Want what you want. Ask for what you want. And have the feelings you have. 100%. There is wisdom in all of it. The leadership trick is in how you own your feelings and desires, process them, and then use them to create impact. (This one takes extra ninja skills. Play with it.)
7. Be grateful. Be kind. Be you. Say please and thank you. Appreciate all of it. Show up as YOU. These things go a long way energetically and in relationships, they're free, they'll give you an extra boost. And those people you're leading? Whether they be your employees, your kids, your partner, your spouse, your friends? They'll all like you better for it.
Happy New Year. May you create your best year yet and use all your awesomeness to create more positive impact in the world this year.
// This article first appeared on December 29, 2014 on Inc.com
// Image credit: Getty Images.