5 Simple Ways to Start 2022 Well

Welcome to Girls to Grow today! Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time reader, I appreciate you starting off your year here!

Do you like new beginnings and fresh starts? I think many of us do. There’s something exciting about leaving behind what was and looking ahead to different possibilities. The new year is always a good time to evaluate habits and patterns that might be dragging us down and look for ways to make our lives better.

With the next twelve months stretching out in front of us, we want to make decisions today that will benefit us for the whole year. Here are five simple ways we can get off to a good start.

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1. Pray and ask for God’s guidance.

Prayer is the best way to start any new venture! Ask God to make His path for you clear and plain in 2022. (You may want to check out this list of ten things to pray for when you’re seeking God’s guidance.)

2. Submit to what God may have for us.

We don’t know what God has in store for us this year. However, we can begin with an attitude of humility, willing to accept whatever lies ahead.

3. Make plans, but hold them loosely.

I’m a planner and enjoy laying out trips and celebrations and even just weekly lists of things to accomplish. But I need to remember that God is ultimately in control. His way is best for us. When a change in plans occurs that’s out of our control, we need to trust that He is at work. He is an all-wise God who loves His children.

4. Prioritize people and relationships over productivity.

Hello, me. Checking off that to-do list is a great motivator. But sitting down and focusing when my husband or one of our daughters wants to talk is much more important than finishing my project.

5. Set yourself up for success by establishing helpful routines or habits.

If you haven’t read Atomic Habits by James Clear, I highly recommend it. He shares many practical strategies for establishing good habits. In whatever area we want to see growth or success this year, we need to have a plan in order for it to happen.

I’ve marked the new year in lots of ways in the past. I’ve chosen a word of the year or written out goals for various areas of my life. The last couple of years I’ve done Gretchen Rubin’s lists, like “21 in ’21,” making a list of 21 things I wanted to accomplish in 2021.

This year I’m keeping it very simple. I have five goals I want to accomplish each week.

1. Read one book a week.

2. Take 3 pictures a week using the 1 Second Everyday app.

3. Post once on the blog and send one subscriber email per week. (I hope to do more, but definitely want to be consistent with this part.)

4. Walk 10,000 steps 3 times a week.

5. Write out a prayer weekly. I need to work on my prayer life. Taking time to write out a prayer is helpful for me. It causes me to really focus on what I want to communicate to God.

Have you set any goals for 2022? Are you working on any new habits? I’d love to hear more about it! I hope 2022 is a year of rich blessings and spiritual growth for all of us!

Related posts:

• 10 Things God Might Use to Change Us This Year
• A Little Perspective on the Year Ahead
• What Ruth Teaches Me About Trusting God