Legal Intelligence
Reflecting on 2014, while Preparing and Embracing for 2015
By Blanca Greenstein, Esq., & Nadia Hoosien, Esq. with Greenstein & Associates
It is that time of year again. Time we enjoy spending with our family and loved ones, and time to celebrate the holiday season. With Thanksgiving having passed almost a month ago, it comes as no surprise that the month of December usually comes and goes within a blink of an eye. The year has almost come to an end, and while many will spend the last few weeks only reflecting on 2014, it is also imperative to start planning and preparing for the New Year. This article will highlight and discuss the importance of reflecting on the year that has passed, as well as embracing the New Year, with an emphasis on balancing family, spirituality, work, and your financial goals.
Planning for the New Year can be a daunting experience, especially living in a world constantly changing that offers daily challenges. While 2015 will differ from 2014 for each of us, there are important lessons and experiences we can take away from 2014 in preparation for the New Year. Start off by breaking your life into the below categories, and consider the following questions for each of them.
Family
The common saying we are all too familiar with is that “Family comes first”. The relationships we have with our families can affect our work and business life, our health and spirituality, and our overall happiness. It is therefore so important to remember that each member of our family plays a crucial role, and that each relationship requires its own unique attentiveness and nurturing. Reflect on the time you have spent with your family either on vacation or spending some other quality time with them. What would you change in the New Year? Discuss with your children and spouse improving family quality time, and how feasible it will be in the New Year to plan vacations. How as a whole family can you plan to save more money for instance, or what projects can you accomplish, whether that be within the community or as individuals. Take some time and reflect on your families overall health and eating habits. What would you like to improve and how will it impact your family and finances. Perhaps planning more homemade meals, incorporating healthier recipes, or being more physically active can be a small step towards a healthier New Year for your whole family.
Work and Business
The time we spend at work or our business usually demands most of our time. Therefore, it is important for you to reflect on this past year’s accomplishments and goals, and ask yourself what new achievements you would like to accomplish in the New Year or what other goals you would like to set for yourself. Perhaps you could get more involved within your company, work on the relationships with your co-workers, or strive for a promotion. Work and business affects us all, whether you have a stressful or physically demanding job. But it is important to remind ourselves that the key to overall happiness is finding the right balance between our work and personal life. The New Year should inspire us to do better, to achieve more, and to challenge ourselves. Reflect on those unmet goals from the past year, embrace 2015, and all its challenges ahead of you.
Finances
While money cannot buy happiness, it usually has an enormous impact on it. Take the time this season to take a closer look at your finances and review them with great detail. Accountants can be a great tool in helping you understand and organize your finances, and there are many free web engines that you can help get you started. Review your monthly bills and expenses, whether that requires you to specifically list them out as weekly or quarterly. Organization will ensure that you get a deeper understanding of your overall expenses and will allow you to consider saving options, whether that means finding more affordable health or car insurance, or deciding to forfeit a night of eating out. Make sure to review your credit report and commit to paying down some of your credit cards. Contemplate whether the New Year will be the start of your commitment to a savings plan, or whether it is time for you to discuss your retirement portfolio. There are many tools that can help you get your finances in order, and those decisions can have a lifelong impact on your future spending.
And finally, wrap up 2014 by reflecting on everything you have learned in the past year, and question yourself how you would handle the same circumstances and situations in 2015. Reflect on the overall areas of your life and ask yourself where you would like to see the most improvements. Consider which of the above areas you have given the most priority in 2014, and whether any shifting of those priorities are necessary for your overall happiness in 2015. What events have you gone too that will benefit you in the future, and which relationships would you like to work on more? Lastly, take into account what realistic new goals and commitments you are willing to make in the New Year, and how those goals and commitments will affect not only you, but also those around you. Embrace the New Year and inspire yourself to commit to a better “you”.
Disclaimer: This column is not intended to provide legal information or advice. All data and information provided on this column is for informational purposes only as well as to give general information and a general understanding of the law, and not to provide specific legal advice. By reading this column you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the publisher. This column should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.