Make a big list of GOOD things that happened last year.

(If you signed up for the daily emails, you should have already received this in your inbox!)

JOURNALING PROMPT

Make a big list of the good things that happened in the past year. Before we can fully examine the new goals for the coming year, it’s important to look back at the previous year.

Right now, we will only focus on the good that happened last year. What did you accomplish that you’re especially proud of? Did you meet the goals you set for yourself? Who was in your life this past year who added joy to your days? Was there a big happy event that defines the year that you’ll always remember as:  “That was the year ____ happened.”

VISUAL PROMPT

Include a photo of yourself at your happiest time last year.  Look for a photo of yourself from the past year when you were in the midst of one of those good experiences. Print it and include it in your journal or on your vision board. In future visual prompts, I won’t be as strict with the requirements, but for this one, I absolutely want you to include a photo of yourself. This is important. You must have your beautiful face on this project. It’s part of the foundation of a vision board you’ll be creating in the following pages.

What could have gone better this past year?

Journaling Prompt

Make a big list of things that could have gone better in the past year. This prompt sorta goes against the traditional philosophy of vision boards, but hey… We’re unconventional around here! So, let’s work on putting a positive spin on this one.

Did you have goals that you didn’t accomplish last year even though you tried? Did you have challenges or difficult times in life? Did life throw you a curve ball? Think about the things that didn’t go so well, but that you want to work on again in the coming year.

Is there something you want to take another shot at this coming year? Write it down and put a star next to it. This is the thing that will inspire your visual assignment for today.

Visual Prompt

Include an image of one thing from the list that you want to improve in the coming year. Find an image, photograph, or draw a picture of the thing you want to try again this coming year. Maybe it was a goal you set last year that you didn’t quite reach but you’re still motivated to try. Maybe you want to work harder on your relationships this year, add a photo of the person or people that goal involves.

Whatever “not great thing” you journaled about that you plan to work harder on this year… Add an image of that thing.

Have you chosen a Word of the Year?

Journaling Prompt

Have you chosen a Word for the Year? What is it and what does it mean to you? What are the synonyms for this word? How it is defined in the dictionary? Is there a quote or saying that helps further define the word for you?

If you do not choose a Word of the Year, do you have some other type of ritual that helps you define your year or gives your year a central focus? Is there a unifying thread with the goals that you set? Write about this practice and how it helps you stay focused for the year.

Visual Prompt

Create a page in your journal dedicated to your Word of the Year. You can either write out the word in your own handwriting or find an image that represents the word for you.

Additional Resource

I’ve written an article about how to choose a word to guide your whole year. It includes step-by-step instructions for choosing a word and also has a big ol’ list of word ideas that might inspire your choice. Visit the Stationery Nerd website at
stationerynerd.com/howtowoy

What are your goals for the New Year?

Journaling Prompt

Today you’re going to write about the “preliminary goals” you’ve set for the coming year. Think of this journal entry as the first draft of your goals. Let me explain…

Over the next several days we’ll be diving deep into specific areas of your life to explore individual goals you want to set for the year as it relates to those areas. So, for today’s journal entry, I want you to give a general overview of what you think your current list of goals is.

The goals you journal about today may hold true through the next section of our journaling challenge or they may change dramatically. I ask you to be open-minded as we move through this next section of journaling and be willing to change everything (or a few things) that you write in today’s journal entry.

The reason we are writing down the goals we have right now is so we can look back at this list in a couple of weeks and make adjustments later in the month.

Visual Prompt

Add photos, drawing, or a “word cloud” to your journal or on your vision board that represents this preliminary list of goals.

Personal Growth & Learning

Journaling Prompt

Think about what the term “personal growth” means to you and what goals you have related to that definition. Here’s a definition from the interwebs:

Personal Growth refers to various techniques for improving one’s habits, behavior, actions, and reactions.

Are there specific areas of your life that you want to work on this year? What new skills do you want to learn? Is there a field of study that draws your attention or something you’ve always wanted to explore?

Write about any of the personal growth and learning goals you want to set this year. Remember, this goal doesn’t need to be huge. It could simply be a new habit you want to build or a small step you want to add to your morning or evening routine.

Visual Prompt

Find an image or take a photo of something that represents the new skill or goal you want to work on in the coming year.

Additional Resource

For a list of 21 examples of personal growth-related goals that might spark some ideas for your journaling today, visit this webpage: https://www.employeeconnect.com/blog/personal-development-goals-examples/

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FAITH

Journaling Prompt

This one is going to be different for each person because the definition of spiritual growth is such a personal thing.

Spirituality is different from “religion” and relates to your individual beliefs, sense of peace and life’s purpose. It also relates to the process of developing those beliefs around the meaning of life and your connection with others.

Faith is an inner feeling of peace, confidence, and certainty that the spiritual beliefs you’ve developed are always true and there to guide you, even if you don’t see physical evidence of those beliefs every day.

Today in your journaling exercise, explore what spiritual growth and faith mean to you and what goals you have for the coming year.

Visual Prompt

Choose images, photographs or drawings that help demonstrate what these goals mean to you. Add them to your journal or vision board.

PHYSICAL HEALTH & WELLNESS

Journaling Prompt

Explore the areas of your wellness related to food, exercise, and healthy habits. Yes, we all have a New Year’s resolution to “lose weight” and join a gym so we can exercise every days of the week. But let’s skip those typical New Year’s resolutions and dig deeper into some core behaviors.

If you truly want to lose weight, you’ll need to set specific guidelines for your eating and exercise. Don’t just write “eat healthily,” you need to set specific guidelines such as the number of calories and the make-up of those calories (40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fats). Or if you don’t want to count calories, choose a specific food you will eliminate (best to do just one at a time) such as “white sugar” or “soda.”

You also need to be specific about exercise with goals like: “take a 30-minute walk at XYZ Park every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday” rather than just say you’re going to exercise every day.

But let’s not just focus on food and moving. Think about the other areas of your physical health where a new habit would improve your overall wellness. Do you floss regularly? Do you smoke but want to quit? Do you need to work on your posture? Do you want to drink more water? What else?

Visual Prompt

Choose images that represent the goals you’ve set for your physical health and wellness. This is a great opportunity to find a photo of yourself from the past when you felt especially healthy.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH & SELF-CARE

Journaling Prompt

Do you have goals related to your emotional and mental health? How will you take care of yourself and the way you feel? Many of us struggle with chronic stress, depression, anxiety, or self-esteem issues and it’s a constant battle to remember how important self-love and self-care are to a happy and healthy life.

Today I’d like you to explore ways you can practice self-care in the coming year. Self-care includes activities that you do deliberately to take care of yourself. Yes, it can include things like a bubble bath or a pampering visit to a spa, but it also includes things like getting enough sleep, eating healthily and getting the right amount of exercise.

Visual Prompt

Using the goals you’ve identified above, choose images that represent the self-care activities you plan to incorporate into your routines.

Additional Resources

To understand what self-care is (and isn’t) here’s an article that might help you explore ideas:

https://psychcentral.com/blog/what-self-care-is-and-what-it-isnt-2

CAREER GROWTH & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Journaling Prompt

Today we’ll focus on your career goals. Or if you are a business owner (or side hustler), the goals you have for the coming year. You may opt to do a whole separate vision board or journal for this big topic, but today we want to think about some of your overall goals.

Career:  What is your job? Even if you’re retired, you usually have some type of “job” responsibility – even if it’s being a grandma/grandpa or volunteer at a local organization.

What are your current responsibilities and how would you like to grow or expand the scope of your duties? Are there ways you can improve your skills through classes or additional training? Is there a promotion you’re going after?

Business:  Describe your business and how it fits into the rest of your life. Do you have a good work/life balance? I know most business owners tend to work 24/7 (or is that just me?). Do you have a method for balancing the desire to work and the need to rest? How do you want to grow your business in the coming year? Are there specific customers or clients you want to land?

Visual Prompt

Gather images, words, or graphics that tell the story of your career and business goals. Think about how you’d represent your current situation and what you want things to look like at the end of the year.

FINANCIAL STABILITY & SPENDING

Journaling Prompt

Take some time today to journal about your financial goals for the coming year. Some topics might include:

• Better budgeting
• Retirement savings
• Reduce spending
• Pay off debt
• Create sinking funds
• Save for vacation or big purchase
• Better tracking of finances
• Increase income

Think about what types of realistic goals you can establish that will bring you more financial stability and what your approach to spending might be this year. What does “financial stability” mean to you?

Visual Prompt

Using photographs or images that represent your financial goals, add visual reminders of what you hope to achieve this year with your finances. This might be a good time to create a spending chart or budget in your bullet journal or planner.

HOME & LIVING SITUATION

Journaling Prompt

Today we’ll explore your goals related to your home and living situation. This might include things like DIY projects and home repairs, or it could include a goal to move to a new house or apartment or even a new part of the world.

Describe your current home. Where do you live in the world, what type of home do you have, who lives with you? How do you want those things to change in the coming year? Are there big purchases you have planned for the year (new furniture or appliances, home improvement, interior design)?

You might also include home organization and decluttering in this section. Maybe it’s time to finally pick up that Marie Kondo book and figure out which of your possessions need to find a new home somewhere else.

Do you have a dedicated space for journaling writing, crafting and planning? Is that something you want to improve or create?

Visual Prompt

Take a photo of your home and include it in your vision journal or vision board. Now include any images or drawings that represent your goals for the coming year.

TRAVEL & ADVENTURES

Journaling Prompt

What kinds of adventures do you want to have this year? Do you have travel plans already in the works? Take some time to journal about what this coming year holds for you and your family.

Traveling doesn’t need to mean big, fancy, expensive vacations to exotic locations (although, that’d be awesome, too!). Travel could mean day trips to nearby scenic attractions or weekend adventures with friends.

The “adventures” category could cover lots of fun ideas. Anything from a night on the town to see a play and try a new restaurant to taking a spin around the go-kart track or jumping out of an airplane for your first parachute jump. Is there something you’ve always wanted to try but never made the time to do?

Do you need to set up a special savings account to start saving for all these amazing adventures?

Visual Prompt

Add photos of the places to which you’d like to travel and the adventures you’d like to experience. Make a list of your plans for the year.

GRATITUDE & HAPPINESS

Journaling Prompt

Do you have goals related to being grateful this year? Did you participate in the internet-wide “Thankful November“ challenge dedicating an entire month to be grateful in all the different areas of your life? What other ways have you been encouraged to embrace the practice of gratitude. Do you have a daily gratitude practice?

Do you have goals surrounding your happiness? Are you consciously making changes in your life so you can focus on the happy parts of your day?

Take some time to journal about what habits and routines you want to establish this year that will help you be more grateful and also bring more happiness into your life.

Visual Prompt

Choose to include images of things in your life that you’re especially grateful for. This is also a great time to choose an inspirational quote or two for your vision board.

DIGITAL HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY

Journaling Prompt

When was the last time you truly unplugged from all digital tech and just spent the day in analog mode? We as journalers and stationery lovers are disconnected from our phones and computers more often than most people, but it can still be unhealthy if we spend too much time tied to the computer screen.

Or maybe your digital health relates to learning a new skill. If you’re frustrated every time to sit down to use one specific program or tool, maybe it’s time to take a class so you can eliminate that frustration by learning better how to use it.

Today explore the ideas and goals you have about your digital health. Are there specific things you want to accomplish this year related to technology? Whether that’s learning a new skill or choosing a specific day per week set to turn off all digital screens. Or maybe you have a goal of buying a new shiny tech toy this year and you need to start a savings plan.

Visual Prompt

Clip some images of the tech you have goals about and add them to your journal or vision board. Or if your goal related to stepping away from the computer more often, add images of the things you want to do instead of technology.

CREATIVITY, ART & EXPLORATION

Journaling Prompt

What’s that old saying? “All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy.” Whether your name is Jack or Jane… sometimes you just need to step away from your task list and make some art.

Take time today to journal about what types of creative endeavors you want to pursue this coming year. Do you have a specific art project you’d like to work on or maybe a desire to explore a new type of artistic skill? Learn how to write beautiful brush calligraphy or add watercolor to your journal. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try out art journaling or junk journaling.

Obviously, this vision board project is a step in the right direction when it comes to creative expression. What other ways can you have fun and play this year?

Visual Prompt

Choose images that represent the type of creative art projects you want to work on this year. Now is your chance to add your own artwork, drawings, hand lettering or calligraphy to your vision board or journal.

READING & WRITING

Journaling Prompt

Do you have specific goals related to reading and writing? No, not the kind of reading and writing we experienced in 1st grade, but the kind of reading and writing that often gets pushed off to the sidelines when we’re adults.

Do you want to read more this year? Science has proven that the habit of reading is something that helps you see the world in new and beautiful ways.

Take some time today to think about the kinds of reading goals you might have for the coming year. Maybe it’s taking part in one of the reading challenges on Goodreads. Or maybe it’s simply setting the goal of reading for 30 minutes each day.

When we think about writing, it can mean so many different things. For many of us journal-writing nerds, we spend a lot of time with our notebooks and fancy pens. But do you have specific goals about the type of journaling you want to explore this year? Memory keeping? Prompt journaling? Gratitude?

Or maybe you’re an author and want to set more rigid writing goals for yourself this year. Do you want to finish writing a book? Or maybe it’s time to start the book you’ve always wanted to write.

Visual Prompt

Choose visual images that represent your goals of reading and writing. Include book covers or lists of books you want to read. Also, include images that represent your goals about writing and how you want to change the way you record your thoughts and stories this year.

MOVIES, TELEVISION & THEATER

Journaling Prompt

Are there any television shows or movies you’re especially looking forward to this year? Do you want to set aside more time this year to indulge in binge-watching your favorite shows? Hosting regular watch parties with friends is a way to combine your love of movies and your love of friendship into a new weekly tradition.

Or maybe your goal is to watch less television and focus more on something else that is not on a screen. Local theater is a great way to explore a different style of entertainment. Is there a Broadway-style theater show you’d love to see?

Take some time today to journal about your goals related to entertainment and what you’d like to see changed or added this coming year.

Visual Prompt

This is a great opportunity to draw a chart or create a page in your journal to keep track of the movies you want to see, shows you want to binge through or plan your trip to the theater. Or create a handmade invitation to send to friends who will be part of your new watch party tradition. Add images that represent the individual shows or movies you want to see this year.

MUSIC & CONCERTS

Journaling Prompt

Take some time today to journal about how you want to include more music in your life this year. Are there new musical genres that you want to explore or new artists you want to learn about? Do you want to go to more concerts or dance clubs? Is there one particular concert you really want to attend but you need to start a savings account to buy tickets?

Or maybe your musical goals relate to your own kind of music. Do you play an instrument but want to practice more this year? Are you a member of a band or choir and have goals related to your participation? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to play the guitar/piano/harmonica and this is the year you’re finally going to do it!

Visual Prompt

Find images that represent your musical goals. Maybe it’s writing out your favorite lyrics or printing a piece of music you want to learn how to play. Include printed copies of album covers by your favorite artist and the concert poster for the event you’re attending this year.

TRADITIONS

Journaling Prompt

Take some time today to journal about the traditions you and your family have established over the years.

Are there specific activities you participate in around each of the year’s holidays or specific times of the year? What are they and what do they mean to you? Can you identify how they were started, and which generation began them?

Have you wanted to start a new tradition but didn’t know how to go about getting the entire family on board? Which new traditions would you like to develop? Or maybe it’s time to renew a long-forgotten tradition that still means a lot to you or that you remember from childhood.

Visual Prompt

Choose images, poetry, or photographs that represent the traditions you celebrate with friends and family. Add images of traditions you want to renew or create and why those goals are important to you.

FOOD ADVENTURES & NUTRITION

Journaling Prompt

Do you have goals about food? Often, we set a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight and eat healthily. Salad is on the list, cookies are banned. But what if you thought of your nutritional goals as “food adventures” instead?

Take some time today to journal about your goals related to food. Maybe you really do want to go on a diet to lose weight. But what if you set goals instead to explore different kinds of foods to discover new and exciting ways to feed your body.

How does a certain food group make you feel physically and emotionally? Does one food group work better for your metabolism than another (each person is different, so don’t rely on what a random “guru” says). Are there foods that give you more energy and mental clarity?

Have you ever wanted to go on a Food Adventure? Is there a certain kind of food you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet? Is there a certain type of cuisine you’ve always wanted to learn how to cook? Do you want to finally host that dinner party with friends and family that you’ve been dreaming of for years?

Visual Prompt

This assignment should be a yummy one. Choose photos of the types of foods you want to experiment with this year. Find a new recipe to include on your vision board or in your vision journal. Write out a menu or create a map that pinpoints the location of your next food adventure.

CHARACTER GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

Journaling Prompt

Your character is the definition of the kind of person you are. It is the core values you hold close and are the driving force behind the decisions you make about the way you live your life.

Some character traits include loyalty, honesty, joyfulness, punctuality, kindness, focused, trustworthiness, patient… and so many more.

For a big list of character traits, here’s a free printable:
http://allfreeprintable.com/cont/frm/pdf/lst-gct.pdf

What does “good character” mean to you? What character traits are most important to you? Ask a trusted friend or family member if they can identify the top three character traits that best describe you. Are there any traits that you’d like to develop in the coming year?

Explore the possibility of understanding your character more fully and what it means to grow and develop your character.

Visual Prompt

Choose images, words, or photographs that best represent the way you feel about your character and the traits that are most important to you.

ROUTINES & HABITS

Journaling Prompt

Do you have specific routines for your mornings, evenings, and weekends? Are they written down? I’m not talking about your wished-for fantasy routine where you spring out of bed, workout for an hour, eat a healthy breakfast, and clean the house all before waking up the rest of the family and getting the kids happily out the door for school all with a smile on your face and perfectly pressed clothes while having a good hair day. Nope, not that kind of routine.

Begin by writing down what a real morning looks like. What a real evening looks like as you get ready for bed. And what does a weekend really look like if you had to average them out into what a typical weekend holds?

Once you’ve spent a few days observing your habits and routines, write them down and study what you’ve discovered. Then you can look for opportunities where you can add or remove things you want to change.

Also, take a look at your weekends. Are there chores that never seem to get done when you have a day off? By looking at your routines you can identify pockets of time where those chores can be scheduled.

Visual Prompt

Today I’d like you to draw out a timeline – two for each of the routine timeframes. The first timeline is to identify what your reality looks like right now, the second is the ideal routine you’d like to work toward. Do this for morning, evening and weekends.

MY BUCKET LIST

Journaling Prompt

Have you ever made a “bucket list” (a list of things you want to do before you ‘kick the bucket’ / die)? There’s also the version of a bucket list where you list the things you want to do before a certain date or during a specific season. For instance, a bucket list for this year or a Winter Bucket List.

Take some time today to think about the big things in life that you’d like to do before a certain timeframe. This might include traveling on a dream vacation or learning a new skill or buying a certain model of car or living in your dream home.

Typically, a bucket list is one you continue to assemble into the future so leave room to add things when you think of new adventures you want to experience.

Visual Prompt

Choose a few items off your Bucket List that you want to focus on for this year and find images that represent those goals. Have fun with including BIG ideas and AMAZING adventures.

ROAD RUNNER RULES

Journaling Prompt

Do you remember the old Road Runner cartoons? The one where Wile E. Coyote spends his whole life trying to capture the Road Runner, only to fail time and time again in the most entertaining way?

Did you know that the creator of the show, Chuck Jones, had a set of 9 rules that governed the behavior of Wile E. and Road Runner?

You can read the Road Runner Rules here:
https://bit.ly/RdRunnerRules

Do you have rules that govern your life? Behaviors that you will always do or will never do that are based on your core values? Your Road Runner Rules can become a set of guiding principles or filters that can help strengthen relationships, make decisions easier, determine the types of goals you set, and the actions you take to achieve those goals.

Take time today to read through the list of Road Runner Rules linked above to understand what they mean in the context of the cartoon. Then come up with your own set of rules. Keep the list short — a maximum of 9 rules is a good target. Also keep them timeless so they can go with you for many years.

Visual Prompt

Once you’ve set your rules, determine the images that would support or remind you of those rules.

HABITS & BEHAVIORS

Journaling Prompt

Do you keep a habit tracker in your journal or planner? Or maybe you use an app on your phone for that. How successful were you with those habits in the past year? If you have some type of tracking system, take some time to go back and evaluate how you did with those daily habits.

Do you have habits that you’d like to work more diligently on this coming year? Or maybe you’ve identified a bad habit you’d like to eliminate. Are there additional habits you want to create?

Are there specific behaviors in your daily life that you’d like to change, reinforce, or adjust in some way? Take some time to write about those habits and behaviors and what kinds of changes you want to make. Identify one or two key behaviors that you’ll focus on first (it’s best to only make small changes bit-by-bit, rather than massive change all at once).

Visual Prompt

Identify the habits or behaviors you want to work on this year and create a collage of images, photographs, or words that represent those behaviors. Take this opportunity to draw out a new habit tracker that you can use in the coming months.

TIME & ENERGY

Journaling Prompt

How do you spend your time? Who and what uses up your energy each day? Are you spending those precious resources on the right things?

I once heard a comparison of our emotional and physical energy as being similar to a bank account. If you keep withdrawing, again and again, you’ll go bankrupt. You need to restore your energy levels with regular quality deposits so you can continue to withdraw in healthy and productive ways.

How do you replenish your energy storage? What rejuvenates your soul and gives you the renewed energy to continue? Are you spending your time in the most productive and loving way or are other people demanding so much of your time that you have nothing left for yourself?

Spend some time today thinking about how your time and energy are used in any given day … and how you want that to change (or continue) in the coming year.

Visual Prompt

Choose photos of the people and activities that you want to give your time and energy to in the coming year. Also, choose images of the activities that you can do that will help you replenish your energy levels.

STATIONERY, JOURNALING & PLANNING

Journaling Prompt

Of course, a Stationery Nerd journaling challenge wouldn’t be complete without a prompt about stationery.

Take some time to think about how you want to approach your stationery goals this year. Do you want to journal more often or about specific topics? Do you want to be more faithful in keeping track of tasks in a planner? Do you want to write more letters to family and friends? Or maybe you want to find a new pen pal this year.

Is this the year you finally get all your stationery supplies organized and more easily accessible so you can use them more?

Is this the year you want to try something new? Have you always wanted to try art journaling or making your own notebooks? Or maybe this is the year you work on your penmanship or learn brush calligraphy.

Visual Prompt

Choose images that represent your stationery goals for this year to add to your vision board or vision journal. Maybe this is your chance to try out that new journaling technique you want to try this year.

SET YOUR TOP PRIORITIES

Journaling Prompt

Today we’re going to go back through the past 28 days of journaling and vision board entries and determine which of the goals you want to focus on this coming year.

It’s best to limit the number of goals you set for yourself. Less is more! The prompts we just finished include about 25 different categories of goals. Whoa! That’s way too many goals for a single year. So today I want you to go back through everything you’ve written about and pull out about 3 to 5 goals that you want to begin working on first. What are the top priorities for this year?

Don’t worry… you don’t need to limit your annual goals to only 3 to 5. But it’s best to focus on a few at a time and then once you’re underway on those top priorities, then you can revisit your list and pick another 3 to 5 to work on later in the year.

If you focus on 5 goals per quarter, by the end of the year you’ve had time to work on 20 of those goals.

Visual Prompt

Once you’ve selected the 3 to 5 goals you want to work on first, choose images, photos or lettering that represent those goals. Start a fresh vision board or journal page so these goals become the focus of the next few months of the year.

MAKE AN ACTION PLAN

Journaling Prompt

Now that you’ve chosen 3 to 5 goals that are your top priorities, it’s time to create an action plan for those goals. The most important part of achieving goals is not just setting goals. The most important part of goal setting is making a plan and following through on the tasks that make up that plan.

• For each of the 3 to 5 goals you want to work on first, create a plan and task list for each.
• Create a milestone for the 1-month and 2-month mark. Where do you need to be with this goal in the next 1 to 2 months to see results by month 3?
• Create a 2-week action plan. For each goal, figure out what you need to accomplish in the next 10-14 days so that you are halfway to your monthly milestone.
• Create a daily action plan. What actions do you need to add to your daily task list that will help you achieve your 2-week goal?

How much time do you need to devote to each of those tasks? Can you accomplish a small task in 10 minutes? 30 minutes? 60 minutes? Set realistic daily actions.

Visual Prompt

Create a chart that will help you track your daily actions. This chart could be part of your journal or planner, or you could make it part of your vision board.