I love the start of things, including a new year.  The feeling of a clean slate and a sense of possibility are exciting. Photo by Robotclaw666.

Here are my top 5 tips for starting off on the right foot:

• Set your intentions for the new year. Several years ago, I came up with Six Questions for the New Year. I use this with my coaching clients and for myself, as a way to close out the previous year, and prepare for the coming year.  It's not about goal-setting nor is it declaring a New Year's resolution.  It's about being purposeful on the experience you want to create in the coming year.

• Get inspired by seeing what others did last year.  Read Pam Slim's blog post on great things her clients did in 2010.  (I was one of them–look for me in the list under "C" for Carol.)  The diversity and creativity alone will get you thinking about what you can accomplish in one year.

• Create a clear physical space in which to do your best work. I did this before Thanksgiving in my office–moved piles of papers out of my line of sight–and it made a huge difference in how I felt.  It doesn't mean that everything is sorted and filed the way you would like. It means that visually and energetically, you have an environment that is conducive to creativity and productivity.  Photo Clarkston SCAMP

• Take stock of where you are today, without judgment. This can often be the hardest, because it means seeing reality clearly.  Some things I can assess on my own (e.g., my fitness level, where I am in my career.)  And then it's easy to be grateful for where I am today.  Other areas need some help. My husband helps me do this with finances.  When I had some regrets on spending money last year unwisely (e.g., training I paid for but didn't use), he gently reminded me that what is important is using that information for better decisions going forward.  

• Nourish your mind, body, and spirit.  For me, that looks like doing a jigsaw puzzle, reading an interesting book (I'm currently reading, Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson), taking a walk in the winter landscape, going skiing, and doing yoga.  For you, it could look completely different.  Photo by Alice Popkorn.

Happy New Year! I hope that 2011 is your brightest yet…..