Happy Fresh Start season! 🎉 This week, as we get ready for a brand-new year, we’re bringing you “Simplifying 2023,” a short series to help you gently think about where you are, and where you’d like the new year to take you.
Here’s where we’re starting: sometimes, in order to move forward, we need to look behind us to see what worked, what didn’t, and how to make tweaks as we try again. Think of this as your personal Spotify Wrapped: Life Edition! Emily has a few questions to ask yourself as you prep for your fresh start in a kind and gentle way.
Questions to Ask Yourself As You Begin a Brand-New Year
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What worked for you this year? A new system, a different way of moving through the world? How come?
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And what didn’t work for you? Why not?
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What surprised you?
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Who inspired you?
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Did you find and follow a new thought leader? Why do you enjoy keeping up with that person?
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What “made” your year in 2022, from the big to the small?
- What brought you joy this year? Take a second to remember—then write it all down!
Thought-Provoking Quotes
“I firmly believe that sometimes, you have to look back to plan ahead. Because when you see how you got to where you are, and you’re honest about what worked and what didn’t, you can take a path that might get you a little closer to where you want to go next year.” – Emily Ley
“Sometimes success just happens because we’re lucky. I think that’s rare, though. Most of the time, success happens because you did something different. Success happens because all of your hard work and preparation met a new opportunity at just the right time.” – Emily Ley
“Listen, friend, sometimes life is hard—because something in our life needs to change. A new season demands that you stretch. It demands that you do something different. .” – Emily Ley
A Blessing for Your Week
As you get ready for a brand-new year,
I wish moments of quiet and calm, so you can have space to think.
I wish you joy in abundance, as you remember the moments that made you laugh in surprise,
I wish you courage and comfort as you face the things that brought you pain,
And above all, I wish you hope as you embark on another year—with plenty of love to wrap yourself in along the way.
Simplicity Tip of the Week
If you take away anything from today’s episode, I hope you take a few minutes to write down what made your year. You don’t have to do anything fancy—your list doesn’t have to be 100 items or anything. But I want you to think about the little things that surprised you, the moments with your people you’ll cherish the most, and something you did that you’re proud of.
There’s so much joy we can find, if we take the time to see it. That’s what I want for you more than anything else: a year where you’re looking for joy. Because I guarantee if you seek it, you’ll find it.
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Resources, Links, Mentions from This Episode
- Rituals are important! We talked about this back in Episode 84.
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