Dear Reader,

In Japan, the beginning of the year is a big deal. It’s a festive time, where people typically have time off until January 3rd, during which they visit family and friends. There’s always lots of food, gatherings, and events.

But one thing Japanese people also often do aside from celebrating, is they pray. They may go to a shrine or temple to make their first prayer of the year, a tradition called 初詣 hatsumode, or they may visit their family’s grave to pay respects to their ancestors.

These New Year’s prayers involve sharing your wishes and dreams, but also entails setting goals and your vision for what you hope the coming year will bring.

In short, starting the year with a quiet reflection.

It’s not quite like setting a New Year’s resolution, which can often morph into a list of things we 'have to' do or else we fail (which usually stresses rather than motivates).

Instead, I see this tradition as an opportunity to build a map and compass for the year.

How I set achievable, sustainable goals inspired by Japanese traditions

1. In a quiet and clean space, I write a list of things that I’d like to accomplish throughout the year. My list tends to be quite varied, as they can be big, small, tangible, or abstract. I just go with the flow.
2. From my list, I choose ~3 intentions that I want to keep in mind for the year. Intentions tend to reflect my values, and are not necessarily measurable, but themes that I consider important for my wellbeing.
   • For example: Building self-confidence, being brave, finding freedom, or nurturing creativity
3. I then choose ~3 tangibles from my list that reflect my intentions. These are things that I can check off as a yes/no at the end of the year, and importantly, I feel are within my control. These tangibles should make me feel excited, rather than stressed.
   • For example: Run 5km (self-confidence), visit a new country (being brave), ask for a raise (freedom), or learn to knit a scarf (creativity)
4. I then write these things down somewhere where I’ll frequently see it. I write mine in the inside cover of a special notebook, but you can make it your phone wallpaper, keep a note above your desk, or fold a note in your wallet.
   • Note: It’s important to keep it close, so I’d avoid a random memo in a note-taking app where it can easily get buried.
5. Welcome to the start of the journey!

Why I find it helpful to have both intentions and tangibles

Intentions act as guideposts on my journey, while tangibles serve as checkpoints that remind me of the progress I've made.

• Intentions: Provides direction and clarity, an overarching value that can help me reflect on where I’m going rather than where I am in a moment.
• Tangibles: Provides specific markers of progress and opportunities for celebration, to help build motivation and confidence.

Goal-setting can be anxiety-inducing or stressful, especially if we feel we’ve failed to meet them in the past. But every journey benefits from a map, even if we don’t necessarily stay on course the entire time.

Remember, heading in the right direction is much more important than the precision or speed at which we arrive.

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​What are some of your wishes and dreams for the New Year?

What do you hope the coming year will bring?​
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Let me know! I read everything that comes my way 😊

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Warmly,

Kaki

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