First Day of the Year: Reflect. Refine. Execute.

Yes, I’m posting this a few days after.

That’s intentional.

January 1 is the one day each year that feels universally quieter.

Less noise. Fewer distractions. Slower pace.

Even walking down the street feels different.

That makes it the perfect day for reflection.

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Step one: Get out of the house

A different environment creates a dedicated mental and physical space to focus.

At home, it’s too easy to get comfortable on the couch…

…or take a “one-minute” break that turns into ten.

(Usually involving the dogs.)

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Where I start each year

An auto-scheduled email I wrote to myself the year before.

It’s grounding.

A snapshot of where my head was, what I assumed to be true, what I was working toward, and the goals built on those assumptions.

Some things change.

For example — I was laid off and had to call a few audibles…

…but it opened the door to an awesome new opportunity with GrayMatter Robotics.

Life has a way of doing that.

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Core areas of reflection

This isn’t a solo exercise. It’s done together with my significant other.

We block 4 to 6 hours.

Deep discussion. Honest tradeoffs. Long-term thinking.

🌱 Relationships

🌱 Family

🌱 Career

🌱 Finances

It’s surprisingly therapeutic. 😄

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Think beyond 12 months

Yes, the next 12 months matter.

But we also zoom out and talk about the next 3 to 5 years.

Some goals take time to compound.

We end the day with a reservation at a nice restaurant.

Not to celebrate — but to continue the discussion.

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The ritual

If you’re looking to start something similar, here’s the framework:

1. Write yourself an email — Schedule it for January 1st of next year
2. Get out of the house — Create a dedicated space for thinking
3. Block real time — 4-6 hours minimum
4. Include your partner — If applicable, make it a shared exercise
5. Cover all areas — Relationships, family, career, finances
6. Think long-term — What compounds over 3-5 years?

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What’s your January 1st ritual?