5 ways to step into the New Year with confidence and gumption

Gumption…what a great word! Kate Winslet uses it in one of my favourite Christmas movies, The Holiday. One of my boudoir mentors uses it in her email signature. Today I googled the definition: “adjective – alert, eager, vigorous. The ability to decide what is the best thing to do in a particular situation and to do it with energy and determination.”

Gumption is absolutely on my “short-list” for my 2024 word of the year. I LOVE the definition. Absolutely love. If you aren’t familiar with the concept of “word of the year”, check out these past posts for guiding words that help transform my attitude and focus for the year to come.

2023: oh jeez…how did I not post my word for 2023???? I know for certain it was empower.

2022: Inspire

2021: Joy

So let’s talk about the ways to enter 2024 with confidence and gumption.

1. Make Goals. It’s simple to say but not easy to do. At least not easy to do with consistency. Obviously, since I missed sharing a post on my 2023 word, Empower. I still can’t think of how I missed it. I should check my drafts and see if it’s hiding in there, lol. So, I guess I should say “do as I say, not as I do”, lol. Honestly though, I am very good at goals. My biggest goal for 2023 was to keep a 365 Gratitude Journal, and I am a few weeks away from being 100% complete. Making goals is a confidence builder all by itself. Achieving the goals is the icing on the cake. Try it. You might like it. Bonus confidence points if you get yourself an accountability partner to hold you accountable (and them).
2. Save some extra cash. Money doesn’t make everything better, but it does give security and peace of mind when times are tough. When you don’t need to worry about money, it’s one less stress keeping you from reaching for your goals. I don’t even need to google the statistics on relationship stress and where “money issues” come into play. I’m certain it’s extremely high. If you aren’t in relationship, I can definitely appreciate how difficult making ends meet and still having spending money for fun can be more challenging. This is coming from experience when I say…start small with removing unnecessary spending. If changing your relationship with money is something you want to focus on in 2024, I am in your corner and will cheer you on, one good choice at a time. I know the struggle is real…and I know what it feels like to get to the other side. I hear you. I feel you. I know you can do it!
3. Put your health and fitness first. Above all else. This year has presented me with some uncomfortable lessons in health and overall wellness. It’s a journey not a destination, and if you start the journey early and keep good eating and exercise habits I can only imaging how it can impact you as you get another year older. A huge focus for me in 2024 is health and wellness. 48 has been challenging and I am determined to make 49 a little easier, both physically and mentally. I will be attacking this goal with gumption 😉
4. Be kind to yourself. When you stumble or fall, lean into it. Ask yourself the difficult questions. What happened? What could you have done differently? What was out of your control? How would handle the same situation differently to encourage a positive outcome, or soften the blow of a missed opportunity? Do not, I repeat do not…let a set back hold you back from moving forward. We all stumble. We all trip. We all fall down. We all get back up. Give yourself grace and love and patience. With goals set and an accountability partner in your corner to keep you moving forward…lean on them when you need them.
5. TREAT YOURSELF to Manicure Milestones. Ok, your “manicure milestone”, may look different from mine, but the concept can be for everyone. When you make a big goal, break it down into bite sized, achievable goals and when you reach them, treat yourself to something that reflects the value of the goal. For me, a manicure is a reward for achieving something I have been working on. If I know I like to get my nails done every 5-6 weeks, I make sure I check off some tasks to “earn” my Milestone Manicure. If I achieve a HUGE goal, the reward may be more significant. I try to keep the reward in line with the quality or value of the goal achieved. Does that make sense?

Do you make a theme for the year ahead? Are you more for a resolution maker? Fly by the seat of your pants and see where the wind takes you? My favourite is making a word of the year. The more I think of the word gumption, the more I am convinced it’s “the one”. I still have a couple weeks to make my final decision.

What do you think? Should I stick with gumption, or keep thinking?