Do *These* 5 Things for an Intentional 2024 🎉
Simple exercises for clarity and resilience at the start of a new year
I wish I could go back to the beginning of 2023, grab this girl on the terrace, and tell her to buckle up.
The year began in Italy with my sister, and while it was *quite* the adventurous start, the past 12-months were an absolute ride. Odds are you feel much the same.
I spent the year restructuring my business, updating branding and websites, going back to school, building a new course curriculum, being horrified by current events and — between it all — caring for a terminally ill dog who seems determined to live forever (🤞🏻).
And yet, in a year that could have felt really unpredictable and scary — I felt intentional and aligned.
Which I credit to a few things I do annually to get clear on my direction and prepare myself for the inevitable ups and downs.
I hope this post might offer you clarity as you begin the year, but most importantly — I hope it offers you a framework to gently navigate each month…even the hard ones.
1. This Specific Visualization Exercise 🙌🏻
I’m not great at daily journaling and I’ve started meditation 1,000 times — but I have been consistent with doing this specific visualization exercise each year and I love how it has helped me feel clear and intentional about the direction of my life (and business, relationships, etc.).
How to do it: Get a notebook or blank word doc and at least 5-10 minutes of alone time.
Close your eyes and picture waking up 20 years in the future. You're living your most fulfilling life. What does a typical day look like?
Where do you live? Where do you wake up? What are you wearing? What’s the first thing you see? Where do you drink your coffee in the morning? What’s your energy level? How do you spend your time? What are you passionate about? What are you proud of? What do you do for fun? What kind of food are you eating? Who do you spend most of your time with?
Visualize this as clearly as you can, with as much detail as you can. When you’re done, spent 5-10 minutes writing down what you saw (can be journal style, simple bullet points, whatever works for you).
Knowing what I want this day to look like helps me in various aspects of my life — it helps me identify goals and habits each year, make big decisions, know what to say yes/no to, and helps me feel anchored to a larger vision for my life that I know I can move myself toward. Plus, you’re more likely to achieve goals or build habits if you feel they are connected to a long-term vision and purpose.
It’s also oddly comforting, because chances are that the life you picture in this vision is far simpler than the life you often feel you need to strive for in your daily life.
Things to keep in mind:
It’s normal for your vision to evolve or change throughout your life. And that’s one of the things that can be so powerful about doing this annually. What has changed since last time? What has stayed the same? This can help you identify your values and what things deserve your focus and energy. I like writing these in the same Google Doc each year so it’s easy to review.
You can adjust the time frame to something that works for you. If 20 years feels too far off, try 1, 5, or 10.
Don’t stress if this exercise doesn’t work for you. Some of us aren’t “visualization” people. You can adapt it to a simple journaling or brainstorming exercise if that feels more helpful.
If you find yourself feeling uneasy, struggling to make decisions, or lacking direction at any point — do this exercise again! Those can be a sign that your “vision” has changed and you’re a little out of alignment.
Tip: If you’re using The Habit Tracker you can complete this exercise on the tab labeled “VISION 👀”. Paying subscribers can download it free in this post. Purchase it for $7.99 via my website.
2. Make a Happiness Guide 🙂
This is an exercise I did with a coach I worked with last year (heyyy Erika) and while I first cringed at the suggestion, I was surprised by how often I reflected on it throughout the year.
How to do it: A Happiness Guide is a resource that can help you support yourself on days that feel hard. Simply list out things that bring you true joy within each “sense” - Taste 👅, Smell 👃🏻, Sight 👁, Sound 👂🏻, and Touch 👆🏻. When you are feeling overwhelmed or frustrated pull up your guide and pick something.
Things to keep in mind:
Identify things within each sense at a variety of price points — so you know how to support yourself no matter what your financial situation is in that moment.
Choose things with various time commitments — so you have options whether you have 3 minutes or 3 hours.
You don’t have to list 5 items for each sense and can skip an entire category if it’s hard for you to find joy in that area (due to sensory issues, disability, or otherwise).
Tip: If you’re using The Habit Tracker you can do this on the tab labeled “HAPPINESS 🙂”. Paying subscribers can download it free in this post. Purchase it for $7.99 via my website. Or use the PDF below:
3. Use a Habit Tracker ✅
Habit Tracking is a proven method for establishing and building habits — and it also helps you become flexible and adaptable in a way that I think is really beautiful.
While you can nerd out on the granularity of daily habit tracking, I think zooming out to view your weekly, monthly, or annual progress is a powerful way to remind yourself that an “off” day, week, or month will not make or break your ability to change your habits. That perspective has come to my rescue so many times over the past few years, helping me navigate busy or difficult seasons without falling off on my routines.
How to do it: Head over to this post for a detailed breakdown of how I set up habit tracking using Google Sheets (+ download your own copy!). If you want an analog version, you can download my habit tracking PDF below:
4. Establish Monthly Review Days 📅
If the past year feels like a bit of a blur, my number one suggestion is establishing Monthly Review Days — a designated day to prepare for the month head.
These aren’t just a great way to stay organized, they also help you stay aligned, present, and intentional as you move through the year.
How to do it: I do mine on the first Monday of the month, but you can do what works for you. These are the general steps (adapt how you like).
📅 3 MINS - Review your upcoming schedule to assess where you are spending your time. Does it align with your priorities?
✅ 3 MINS - Look at your projects and tasks and check in with your Habit Tracker to make sure everything is up to date. Anything you need to update or delete?
🗃 3 MINS - Curate the files on your computer and phone (including photos you took this month!). Delete things you don't need. Does your information feel organized and accessible?
📃 3 MINS - Look through any paper notes or random bits of info you collected last month. What digital system could you move it to so it doesn't get lost?
🧹3 MINS - Clean your work area, wipe down your desk and monitors. How can you set up your workspace to support you this month?
Tip: I host Virtual Monthly Review Days from 9-10:30 AM CST on the first Monday of each month, which is a great way to establish this routine and get support. You’re invited and you can learn more here.
5. Cling to these words 🧡
One thing I know about *my people* (that’s you) is that we care deeply and stay informed.
These are words I find comforting when overwhelmed by my inability to solve every problem affecting the world:
It’s a reminder that we can’t do everything, but we can do something. If 2024 is the year you want to get more involved in causes you care about, here’s my advice: find one area that interests you and aligns with your passions/skills. Get involved and learn/do as much as you can in a way that feels healthy and sustainable. Pay attention to how that topic intersects with your work, your hobbies, and your local community.
I’m often asked about my process for setting goals, staying connected to my purpose, or making decisions — and I hope this post pulled the curtain back a bit! But it’d be negligent to ignore the role that simple systems play in keeping my sh*t together.
This is exactly what I teach in my self-paced, online course — The Daily Method.
In the first six lessons, I’ll simplify six vital areas of life:
💦 Lesson 001: Hydration
📝 Lesson 002: Organization
🥗 Lesson 003: Nutrition
👟 Lesson 004: Exercise
🧡 Lesson 005: Your “Y”
😴 Lesson 006: Sleep
Then I’ll help you identify goals, build habits, and establish systems to support them throughout the entire year with three final lessons:
✅ Lesson 007: Goals to Habits
📊 Lesson 008: Habits to Systems
🚧 Lesson 009: Obstacles & Prevention
If you’re hoping to feel more focused, energized, and intentional in 2024, The Daily Method is the place where I can help you. Enrollment includes daily support from me while you work through the content. Get started right now.
💬 Do you have a favorite routine, exercise, or ritual to prepare for a new year? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below (if you’re in email, tap the comment icon).
Thanks for this, Dani! In the past, I have needed a physical habit tracker that I hang up by my bed, or else I forget about them 🥲 but your point about being able to see more global metrics has me wanting to try out your spreadsheet and see if I can keep it up to date!
My favorite end of year ritual is looking back at my calendar & journal to create a visual timeline of the big events -- not just travel or big professional milestones, but also moments of high emotion. Seeing the year in a single page like that is always really helpful for giving myself grace.
Excellent post, thank you!