A New Year, A New Plan

WORDS:: CHYKA KEEBAUGH

PHOTOS:: COMMISSION STUDIO 2019

I really do love the start of the year…

It starts with so much promise. Resolutions are made - big and small, plans for the year are discussed and the days drag on that little bit longer letting you enjoy the sun (hopefully!) and time with family and friends before the working year starts up again.These few days of relaxation after new years are ones that I relish. And together with my family, we sit and make travel plans, house plans and work plans. We block out the times we can spend together - which with two children now living overseas - these special blocks of times are one of the highlights of my year. It’s a lovely few days to have time to sit and reflect.

I recently found a fantastic article that asked 100 reflection questions to ask yourself. I loved this idea and thought it to be the perfect conversation starter when sitting down with family and friends planning what 2020 will look like, and it is a new decade after all!

What would you try if you knew you could not fail?
What would you like to be your biggest triumph by the end of the year?
What advice would you like to give yourself as you begin the New Year?
What would you be most happy about completing?
What major indulgence are you willing to experience?
What would you most like to change about yourself?
What do you think your most significant risk will be?
What brings you the most joy, and how are you going to do more of that?
What is one change you could make to your lifestyle that would give you more peace?
At the end of the year, how would you like your life to be transformed?

I had a fantastic year in 2019 - my 50th year. I travelled to amazing countries and spent precious time with my kids in their new hometowns. I learnt so much about other cultures and their particular celebrations as I researched my second book CHYKA CELEBRATE which was released last year. I worked hard on staying fit and eating right, learning to balance the good with the naughty and relaxing into my age, knowing the older I get, the more my health matters. I focused on indulging in the company of friends and family because in this time-poor day and age - they are the most important things in my life.

So this 2020, how do you plan on starting over? Maybe fix yourself a lovely drink and ask yourself those ten questions, you've got to start somewhere!

Credit : Questions from holidappy.com/