Thoughts for a New Year

With Christmas and a New Year just days away, I can’t help but think back about the year with gratitude. I can’t deny that 2023 had its share of ups and downs. Yet nearly every day brought with it lessons and new opportunities to learn and grow. So many of us are always ready to move past the year once the holidays are over. We try to shake off the remnants of the year and we think with optimism about the potential of what’s to come.

But as I recall certain moments in 2023, it makes me think about some key lessons I don’t want to forget in the upcoming year. As I share them here, I keep thinking about the good that I can expect from the lessons learned this year. Here’s what I’m looking forward to focusing on in the upcoming year.

As I’ve said before, I encourage my team to be one percent better every day. While many of us think about starting off the New Year with resolutions, I think the goal of pushing yourself to do a little better every day is much more measurable and real. That’s especially true if you celebrate your small wins along the way and give yourself actionable goals to get there.

How exactly do you become a little better than you were the day before? Listen more and hear wisdom when it surrounds you. Simplify your life so you can get rid of distractions that don’t matter. Give yourself a chance to learn something every day. And be sure to reflect at the end of the day to see if you’ve met that goal. When you work on doing this daily, it will become a habit. And just imagine what you’ll accomplish by the end of 2024.

One of the most important things you can do in your daily life is to show gratitude for the support you receive from those around you. Sometimes it’s easy to be grateful for some of the things that are around you. You may say thank you regularly to the people who serve you at a coffee shop or even random strangers who are kind to you. But are you also showing gratitude for the people in your everyday life?

Saying thank you, helping out in return, being specific about what you appreciate, or even giving a small gift is a great way to show appreciation for your team, and even your family and friends. Plus, showing thankfulness and gratitude is beneficial for your health, too. Both you and the people you’re grateful for will feel better when you acknowledge those acts and show how much you appreciate it, and them.

One of the biggest issues that came out of the pandemic was the sense of isolation and a need for better mental health services. If you were trying to figure out how to navigate those issues with your staff in 2023, it’s time to beef up your empathetic muscles in the New Year. Fortunately, it’s as simple as putting in the effort every day.

Empathy takes listening without judgment. It takes trying to see something from that person’s viewpoint. It takes hearing without responding. And while it can be hard to hear a person dealing with a difficult issue, if you’re willing to embrace empathy, it helps you better understand them and ultimately builds deeper relationships. Empathy can be transformational, not only for you but for the world around you.

Obstacles are common in life, but it’s how you face them that shows your true character. While 2023 certainly had its share of challenges — especially in my industry, real estate — those of us who were able to navigate them when under pressure instead of giving up were the ones who found success. Being up for challenges just means you’re willing to face and overcome the obstacles others might see as setbacks. As Dory said in Finding Nemo, just keep swimming.

If things feel particularly hard, ask for help. If it feels overwhelming, break down the big task into smaller ones. Once you start overcoming these challenges, it’s just like building muscle: you’ll be stronger for it, and you’ll learn valuable lessons that will help you find more success down the road.

We can’t be completely happy absolutely every day. There will be challenges along the way. But that doesn’t mean you have to be miserable, either. Feel what you feel, and then start moving again.

To keep moving forward when things get hard, look back at your goals. The act of setting goals is proven to be motivating and can help you regain your momentum. Reframe your thinking to focus on the positive – and don’t forget to surround yourself with people who can help keep your outlook optimistic. The more you’re around people who inspire you, the more you’ll have a support network that can keep you looking forward.

Do you have advice or things to consider as we enter into 2024? Share your thoughts, and let’s inspire each other to be better, to do better, and to give back even more to those around us.

Jim Allen is a business leader and entrepreneur who has built one of the top-producing real estate groups in the Triangle. He is President of The Jim Allen Group, which is consistently named one of the top real estate teams in North Carolina and even North America.