There’s something special about the new year with its fresh starts and blank canvases. For a moment, you hear life’s urging to brush your dreams across the space of possibility.

When possibility presents, you only have a brief amount of time to break from inertia and get into motion. Soon, everyday living will squeeze out motivation. Most New Year’s resolutions only last for a month!

So this year, I’m approaching my New Year’s resolutions like a new business owner would develop a brand. I’m going through a process that will help me to discover and focus on what is most valuable for my life. I’ve set out on this quest with dependency upon guidance from above because I believe when Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven,” he had a purpose in mind for my life.

Here is an acronym I’ve creating to help me with life branding:

Brainstorm all of your values and talents.

Reorganize them into categories

Assess what is most important

Nurture those values and talents

Distribute them to others

Here are my top three:

Connected:

• To God: nurture my relationship with the Lord so I can discern His will
• To myself: take time for self-reflection so I can focus and move forward
• To others: spend time with kindred spirits so I can grow spiritually and creatively

Fruitful:

• Develop my painting, writing, blogging, and creativity business
• Put systems in place to ensure sustainability for the ed-tech reading intervention programs I oversee at work

Generous:

• Share inspiration, artwork, and life skills with others
• Look for opportunities to give time and money to those in need

I invite your comments if you’ve found this process helpful or if you’ve developed one of your own you’d like to share. I wish you an inspired and purposeful coming year!