6 Tips To Finish Up Your Year Strong And Get Ahead Of Next Year

It’s almost the end of the year and everyone’s mind is turning towards holiday breaks, vacations, and upcoming New Year’s Resolutions.

If you’ve got unfinished business that you don’t want to drag into the new year with you, we’ve got you covered. Taking care of your unfinished business is an important part of ending the year and it is necessary if you want to ease into the new year a healthier and happier you!

Keep reading for some awesome tips on how to handle your unfinished business like a boss and come out on top in the new year.

1.     Cleaning House

Cleaning isn’t just for spring time! We’re all guilty of buying, saving, and collecting too many things. These objects can fill up our house and add to clutter – think about clearing some of that stuff out! Start first with objects that you haven’t touched in months; chances are you don’t really need it but are holding on to it “just in case”. After that, move on to clothes that no longer fit or are worn out, kid’s toys that don’t get played with, and gifts that are unwanted. Local charities and donation centers are great places to drop good condition items that you don’t need.

2.     Self-Reflection

One of the hardest but most fulfilling end-of-year tasks is self-reflection, the chance to look inside yourself and see what kind of person you are and what you’ve done throughout the year. Many New Year’s Resolution lists include improvement as a human being, but what does this mean? For most, this means extending kindness, helping others, thinking of others, and an increase in positive behavior. Seeking to become a better person can be a fulfilling journey and self-reflection can help you judge where you are on that path and how far you’ve come along.

Write down the biggest lessons you learned in the past year. During tough times, it can be difficult to see the lesson and acknowledge its benefits. Looking back, it is easier to see how certain situations made you stronger and what lessons came from them. 

At Connecting Hope, our positivity mascot can help you see the bright side of any situation. Pick up a Resolve Buster T-shirt to keep you motivated to take on just about anything in the coming new year!

3.     Make a List of Your Accomplishments

One of the best end-of-year activities that you can do is to write down your accomplishments. While the start of a new year comes with the prospect of hope and opportunity, it is important to reflect on what you accomplished over the past year. 

With this task, you can become your own biggest fan and write down even the smallest victories. Get creative and break down each of your accomplishments according to month.

Grab one of our  Catch Unfinished Business Journals to write down not only what you need to get done, but everything you've accomplished so far.

4.     Reach Out To 5 Friends

There’s a saying that we are only as good as the circle that surrounds us and it is no truer than with good friends. Closer, personal friends can help you form lifetime bonds that are both rare and invaluable in life. Friends can support you, help you, be with you in times of happiness, and you can call upon them during times of need. And with true friends, bonds last the test of time. If there are five friends that you haven’t spoken to in years, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t friends anymore. Children, work, and life have a habit of making time pass very quickly. Reach out to those five friends and re-establish the connections that brought your friendship in the beginning, you won’t regret it.

5.     Handle Your Unfinished Business and Step Into the New Year With Swag

Starting your new year off strong means handling your unfinished business. While this is personal to you, our guide can help you end your year like a boss and rock the new year with a lighter and more positive perspective. Clean and declutter your space, make time for self-reflection and a list of your accomplishments, and reach out to your friends that you haven't been in contact with for a while. 

If you don’t want to wait until the new year, you can make today your best day with some awesome swag from Connecting Hope.

6.     Be Inspired

One of the best motivators to spark the mind is creative inspiration. Inspiration can help us find new ways to tackle tasks, spark the processes of the mind, and give us new ways to look at problems.

Our December 2021 character collection features the space-bound Unfinished Business, who represents all the tasks left undone for the year.

Chasing him is Resolve Buster, a mischievous scamp who is “resolved” to finish up the year strong and turn Unfinished Business into Fulfilled Will by placing him in the Effort Machine.

Remember, inspiration can truly strike from anywhere so be open to different categories, subjects, events, people, and art styles. You never know where inspiration will strike!

When you finish tackling your long overdue unfinished businesses, you’re ready to start your new year off fresh with all-new New Year’s Resolutions! Check out Part 2 of our blog, sharing 5 New Year’s Resolutions and Tips On How To Keep It Throughout The Year - you can read and use our list to set yours up today!

Happy Holidays and a successful year ahead to you from your friend, ConnectingHope!