A colleague of mine once said, “Create what you want to have happen.” When considering what 2014 will look like for you, consider creating a vision board. It’s a way of creating goals and resolutions in the form of images rather than words. For some tips on how to do it, see Christine Kane’s suggestions:
http://christinekane.com/how-to-make-a-vision-board/
Flip through magazines, or browse through images on google of things that interest you, and then print out the images. It helps to approach it with openness and to let it be a process with no specific end result in mind. Let it evolve into what it will be. Pay close attention to how you feel as you look at various images, and choose those that stir up passion and excitement in you. You may feel anxiety or flip past images that you’d have thought would fit with what you want, and you may be surprised by unexpected images that you just, for some reason, love. An example of an unexpected image I chose was one of Bert’s face in “Mary Poppins” when he knows she is coming but hasn’t yet seen her arrive. It’s an expression of hope, of whimsy, of expectation of good things to come.
Look at your end result and see if it is something that fits with your values. It may bring clarity to what you actually value most. You may be surprised to see what is not on your vision board. In any case, it should reflect you. Maybe putting it together will even be a process of getting to know yourself better. When you are done, hang the vision board in a place where you will see it each day. Be reminded and focused each day on what matters most to you and take small steps toward making it all a reality. Don’t expect perfection overnight- it will be a process and life will inevitably present you with unexpected challenges. Just adapt and evolve and revise it if needed, and keep pursuing what you love!