When I think of the year beginning, I never really picture January 1st. To me, the year begins in September, a time of fresh starts and new opportunities! Maybe that’s because I’ve been in school forever, but regardless, September is a great time to reevaluate yourself and set some goals for the year. Reinventing yourself for the upcoming school year should be an exercise in self-growth and improvement, whether last year didn’t work out the way you wanted it to, or you just want to shine and be a new person this year! Here are some steps you can take to start fresh.
- Introspect a Little Bit
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Become a self expert. Today we’re so wrapped up in a culture of doing that we’re rarely ever given downtime to sit and reflect. Create a quiet space, and ask yourself some deep questions – what are you passionate about? If you had all the money in the world, how would you spend your time, what do you love most about yourself? What are your deepest values?
- Write a List of Goals
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In your introspection, see what comes up, and reflect on yourself with no judgement. Then write down what goals come up and how you can hold yourself accountable for your goals. Make sure they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and have a time limit to ensure success.
- Learn New Skills
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In the world we live in, there is no shortage of resources to teach you new skills with Youtube, Pinterest, Lynda.com and more, giving full access to skills around your every interest. Maybe in reinventing yourself this season you can explore these options, or even consider doing a skills exchange with a friend! You teach them a skill you have and in return, they teach you a skill that. You teach writing and they teach you to play guitar? The opportunities are endless, tap into your network and see what you can build.
- Ditch The Negative Self-Talk, and Everything Else Dragging You Down
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We have over 50,000 thoughts a day, over half are negative and over 90% are just repeating from the day before. That doesn’t leave much room for growth and change, does it? Whether that be a bad habit, a toxic friendship or relationship, or self-criticism, cleanse yourself of that negative energy and replace it with something positive. That could mean consciously putting a new narrative on negative thoughts, making yourself a fire playlist, or maybe even trying out a new club on campus where you really feel like yourself, with people who make you feel like yourself.
Reinventing yourself looks different for everybody. Whatever it looks like to you this back to school season, get out there and be you!