Achieving Peace and Order: How to Prepare for the New Year with Confidence

Feeling Overwhelmed? You’re Not Alone 

As we gear up for another new year, the prospect can feel daunting. Have you ever felt that mental load weighing heavier than your actual to-do list? You're not alone. Here's a truth worth holding onto: when life feels chaotic, order becomes your lifeline. Just like oxygen, you need it to breathe and maintain peace. Instead of trying to conquer a massive to-do list, focus on doing the right things. A Focus Five easily trumps a frantic fifty. Achieving Peace and Order: How to Prepare for the New Year with Confidence

Welcome to Financially Confident Christian 

Hello, friend. I'm Ralph Estep Jr., and I welcome you to Financially Confident Christian. Here, we strive to navigate life and finances with wisdom, clarity, and hearts grounded in God’s truth. Our mission is to help break the cycle of financial shame, establish steady faith-rooted habits, and walk in the peace God promises regarding financial life. 

If it’s your first time here, welcome home. If you’re returning, I appreciate your presence. Today is December 30th, a time that may feel rushed, but the potential for change is great. It’s the perfect time to quiet the noise, simplify your tasks, and approach the year-end with calm and confidence. 

Calm the Overwhelm: Prioritize with Clarity

A listener recently confided, "Ralph, I feel completely swamped trying to get ready for the new year." It’s a common feeling. However, clarity is within reach. When our to-do lists grow, our minds can spiral. Prioritizing becomes challenging, leaving us unsure of where to start. 

Your mind finds relaxation when your plan is externalized, transforming chaos into calm. Writing down your plan doesn’t just organize your life; it soothes your spirit. Research shows that people who use written plans follow through much more effectively than those who don't. My grandfather preached the value of “writing it down,” and I echo this simple truth: What’s on paper gets done. Your brain craves certainty, and your spirit seeks peace, both of which a checklist can provide. 

Introducing the Focus Five 

For decades, I’ve ended each year with the same tried-and-true ritual, which I call the "Focus Five": plan, automate, ensure, declutter, and confirm. Clients consistently report lower stress levels and fewer mistakes in January as a result. 

 1. Plan: Review Your Budget and Goals 

First, review your budget and goals. Assuming you already have these in place—if not, that’s step zero—give them a final review to ensure that your January priorities align with your real-world conditions. This helps clear the clutter from your mind and the upcoming year. 

2. Automate: Set Your Financial Path

Next, automate your savings and charitable giving. Automation helps maintain those financial commitments even when your energy sags. Set the start dates for January 1st or 2nd. Small automations, even as little as $10, can build significant momentum. 

3. Ensure: Confirm Your Insurance and Tax Readiness 

The third step involves checking your insurance and tax readiness. These checks prevent costly mistakes in January. Review your policy renewals, deductibles, and premium payments. These simple checks can save you from unexpected stress. Then, take a look at your tax information to make it April-panic-proof. Reviewing withholding or quarterly payments can prevent unpleasant surprises. 

4. Declutter: Organize Your Finances

Fourth on the list: declutter both your digital and physical financial spaces. Clear your inbox, organize your downloads, and sort out your statements. Creating new folders for ongoing and upcoming financial tasks can reduce decision fatigue and foster clear thinking. 

5. Confirm: Print Your Checklist

Finally, complete and print your checklist. Seeing a finished list provides confidence and a peace you can feel physically. Let your year-end maintenance nurture peace and focus for the new beginning. 

Spiritual Order and Stewardship 

As 1 Corinthians 14:40 reminds us, "everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." This applies to both practical realms and spiritual stewardship. When you organize your finances, you honor God, bringing a spiritual order into your life. 

In Closing: Your Action Step

Before midnight, write out your personalized five-point checklist. Break the task into hourly segments if necessary. Share the satisfaction of completion by taking a picture of your completed list and celebrate the tranquility it brings.  

If today's guidance resonates with you, consider joining our Financially Confident Christian community. Visit financiallyconfidentchristian.com/join and be part of a supportive circle working to bring practicality and peace to their financial journeys. 

Remember, friend, order breeds peace. Lay those plans down on paper today, and let tomorrow begin with a profound sense of freedom. Your future self will thank you for the groundwork you're laying right now. 

Let’s step into the New Year as financially confident Christians. You’ve got this. Stay savvy, and God bless.