Many of us see the turning of a calendar page as a chance to begin anew. And, as a mark in time, it can be helpful, but the truth is that it takes more than just a date to experience true renewal.

That may be why so many of us end up disappointed pretty quickly as we venture into the new year to find that not much has changed. For that to happen, we need to do more. In fact, just about now is when we begin to feel those early pangs of what can quickly turn to regret.

But what is it we need to do? Do we need better goals? Perhaps a vision board? Those are tools in the same way our calendars can be, but they alone are still not going to bring the renewal that allows us to reclaim our best lives.

To do that, we need to take the time to immerse ourselves in the renewal process.

It is a practice we can all adopt and use at any time of year, but it can be especially helpful as we look ahead to what lies ahead as we move through life’s seasons.

What’s interesting is that when we take this approach, we find just as many things that need to end as any that need to begin.

Are you ready? Let’s get started.

R – REFLECT

Start by reflecting on where you are now. Look at your current commitments and investments of time, money, and energy. Take time to assess where you stand. Begin thinking about what may be missing or what may just be missing the mark.

E – EVALUATE

Now, we move on to evaluating the effectiveness and continued relevance of your existing commitments and investments. Are they aligned with what you want for yourself in this season of your life? Begin thinking about what you may need to let go of to make room for growth.

N – NURTURE

Ready for a brief pause? It’s time to consider that we may be disappointed with our results because we’ve failed to nurture our current goals and investments enough for them to deliver on their promise. Have you given the right amount of priority and care to what matters to you? At this point in the process, you begin to think about what resources you might need to shift or shore up to honor your priorities.

E – EVOLVE

With this step, we’re entering my favorite stage of the renewal process. Now, we open our hearts and minds to where we need to grow. Renewal is about growth. As you renew your commitments, be willing to adapt and refine them based on your current reality, but with a bias toward your desired future. Are you living today like you want tomorrow to be?

W – WRITE

Now, on to the mighty pen or pencil, if you’re like me. While this may not seem the case, this step could be the most important. I recommend that you write down your renewed commitments and investments. Putting them on paper can make them more tangible and help you stay accountable. Let them serve as a manifesto to guide you as you move forward.

And that is what renewal is about in the end: Moving forward.

It is a time to acknowledge that the old is gone and a new day has begun. We press that reset button and refocus on where we are and where we are going.

This process can be an incredible teaching moment. It allows us to seize opportunities that we might otherwise miss.

The renewal process is also a spiritual quest for me. Did you know that the Bible references renewal at least 66 times? That’s where I started my renewal practice this year. Diving into the spiritual element of renewal. I found this to be a part of every faith practice I looked at. The process becomes even more transformative when we allow ourselves to plug into a source of power beyond ourselves.

Let’s choose to let go of the status quo and deepen our understanding of ourselves and what is most important. And then move forward into that life with a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

This simple, five-step process can help you do that and bring everything you seek into alignment.

“If you want to know,
life is the principle of self-renewal,
it is constantly renewing and remaking
and changing and transfiguring itself.”

~Boris Pasternak,
Russian poet, Nobel Prize for Literature
for his novel Doctor Zhivago

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