4 Steps To Starting A New Next! Year/Chapter/Period

Written by: Jodie Gallant, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

Do you get as excited as I do to start with a clean slate? And, this can apply to anything! Like, I LOVE the crisp, clean pages of a new journal. A blank whiteboard? Hell yeah, let me at it!

But, what about when it comes to time? Does the thought of a new year, a new chapter, new quarter get you all abuzz with excitement, or fill you with overwhelm and anxiety? I’m guessing you could answer with “all of the above.”

I’m so with you there! I love entering a new NEXT, a fresh quarter of the business cycle, a new season, a new year which for me, is September. It’s my birthday month and with three children, September just always feels more like the new year. Summer is over, school begins, bring on the new year. Much like a blank whiteboard, a new year gets me excited, ready to roll up my sleeves, clap my hands together, and say, “Okay let’s do this!”

But, before you can do “this,” you have to know what “this” is. That’s where I found myself in 2015 ready to roll those sleeves up but feeling frustrated that I wasn’t getting where I wanted. Each year, I’d sit down, open my journal and start mapping out my vision. And, being a list girl, it looked something like this:

• Do X for my family.

• Go to more networking events.

• Increase revenue.

• Buy {insert material things here}.

It was all so short-sighted filled with tasks, things to do for others, material things to buy, etc. The problem was it lacked dreaming and connection to ME! Not that I don’t love checking an item off a to-do list, but that’s essentially all my old version of vision mapping was affording me. Boxes checked, yet still feeling stuck. Does this sound familiar? For me, I was finally so uncomfortable in this pattern that I knew this needed to change!

So, I found a better way, and today, not only do I use it for myself as a business owner, it’s the same process we use with our clients. We call it the Vision Evolution and it has helped provide forward movement and actionable steps to the over 200 businesses we’ve served over the last ten years. (also, friends sidebar, I use this same approach with my children as our seasons change which means our schedule changes every 4-5 months).

It helps business owners get clarity on their dreams for their life and business, ensures those dreams are connected to who they are and not what others expect of them, and reduces the overwhelm of the “how” by creating small, actionable steps toward their big dreams.

Here’s just a sampling of the Vision Evolution to get you started with these 4 steps:

1. Clear the slate of the past. Recap all the highs, lows, wins, learns, and decide what you want to take with you, then stop, clear the slate and start fresh. Leave the past year behind you and dream big, setting realistic and purposeful goals. But you need to take into account what works (to do it again) and what doesn’t (as to release or restyle).

2. Voice your dreams into life. Share them with a confidant who can talk through the dream, goals and outcomes with you.

3. Break them into bite-size, organized timelines. This will eliminate overwhelm and provide structure. Create a first this then that chart of priority, so you are set up to give proper attention to the next item without fog or distraction that the full list can create.

4. Take Action. Action is key, and inaction is still action one gets results, the other keeps you stagnant.

Want to dive deeper, get clearer? You too can get cozy and dive into your Vision Evolution. This is available where you can learn more about me, jodiegallant.com, on IG @jodie.gallant, and see if this program on your own time, works for you!

If you are anything like me you can do “all the things”, so saying “no”, living in the present moment, and not making room to build in rest is all too normal. Well, until you choose to design the normal that feels more at ease. When is enough going to hit and the list becomes intentional design?

And PS. As the host of the To The Point Podcast, I am excited to say Season Three releases March 29, this is where I will share my lessons, behind the scenes experiences and so much more as I celebrate my 10 years entrepreneurship journey.

Want to learn more from Jodie? Follow her on Facebook or Linkedin and visit her website.

Read more from Jodie!

Jodie Gallant, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Business Strategist and Coach for JMG Business Strategy, Jodie Gallant, uses her experience in marketing and planning, paired with owning 5 NH local businesses while raising a vibrant family, to inspire, lead, and support entrepreneurs to achieve the life they desire through the design of their business. Having left a secure 15-year corporate marketing and leadership career in 2012 to build two family businesses alongside her husband and three small children, Jodie quickly realized the hustle and grind was not going to work. Today she guides her clients to achieve their goals with the support of the strategies and tools she lives by. Jodie is the host and curator of the Connect Mastermind for ambitious female leaders, offers 1:1 Coaching for high-performers, and is the host of the To The Point Podcast.