Permission to Dream
Permission to Dream! Reconnect with Your Values and Vision Before You Set Your New Year’s Goals
The start of a new year is a natural time for reflection. It’s a chance to look back on what we’ve accomplished, the moments that made us proud, and the decisions that shaped our paths. This is also an opportunity to carry forward the energy and lessons from those experiences into the aspirations, hopes, and dreams we hold for our professional and personal lives.
Yet, for many of us, the goals and resolutions we set in January can quickly fade away by March, overshadowed by the busyness of life. Why does this happen? Perhaps it’s because we skip a crucial step: reconnecting to our values and vision before rushing to create goals.
Our culture often celebrates achievement for achievement’s sake—measuring success by how much we can do or accumulate. But this relentless focus on “go, go, go” leaves little room for the deeper conversations we need to have with ourselves. Before setting goals, it’s essential to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters.
Values as a Compass
Our values are the compass that guides us. They clarify who we are, what we care about, and what we stand for. When we stray from them, we feel it—those moments of friction, misalignment, or unease. Yet, how often do we take the time to ask, “Am I living in full alignment with my values?”
When we do this, we gain clarity. This clarity informs a vision for our lives—a preferred future that inspires and energizes us. Creating this vision isn’t just about imagining where we want to go; it’s about grounding ourselves in the integrity of our values.
A Vision for the Future
So, before you set your goals this year, take a step back. Reflect on these questions:
What are my core values, and how am I living in alignment with them?
What lessons have I learned from the challenges I’ve faced, and how can I use these to move forward?
What is the picture of my preferred future? What would I need to change to step into that vision fully?
Who am I when I’m living in alignment with my values and vision?
When you start from this place of reflection and visioning, the goals and habits you create are more likely to stick. They will resonate with who you are at your core and feel meaningful in the long run.
Permission to Dream
Allow yourself to dream. Give yourself permission to imagine a future that excites you. When your goals are rooted in your vision and values, they become more than a to-do list—they become steps toward a life that feels fulfilling, aligned, and true to who you are.
This year, start not with resolutions, but with reflection. From there, let your vision guide you to the goals and habits that will help you create the future you seek.
Photo Credit: Karyme França on Pexels
