Let’s Talk Goals
Everyone likes to hype themselves up as a new year approaches and talk about all of their "New Year- New Me" Goals, but I'm not really a fan. I don't believe we have to wait until the start of a new year to reinvent ourselves, to make changes in our lives, or to work towards accomplishing something on our to-do list. Each day is an opportunity to start over and get things done.
With that being said, I do believe in setting goals and crushing them (read about that here) & I do believe in taking advantage of a clean slate, I just feel as though our motivation shouldn't come only at the start of a new year.
HERE ARE A FEW EASY WAYS TO PREPARE FOR A BOMB NEW YEAR.
1. Set your intention for the year. "Most people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan" I am all about getting a new planner in the new year and mapping out your goals. The planner I am using this year is The Luxe Weekly Planner by Luxe Legal Papeterie (I will write a full post on the benefits of planners in 2021) but in the meantime buy some of my Etsy printables and START PLANNING!
2. Map out quarterly, monthly, and weekly goals. You can use your planner to do this, but also a journal works. Make sure you're writing the vision and working towards it daily. Seeing something on paper or written down makes it more real. One step closer to making an "idea or dream" a reality. Include the 4 main areas, that I discuss below and edit your goals as the year progresses. If you are struggling with this, grab my FREE Goal Guide to walk you through the process of creating S.M.A.R.T Goals in 2021.
3. Assess your relationships. It may be tough but it is so beneficial to cut off dead relationships. It's not about them(well actually it is) but this is mainly about your personal growth and elevation. You can still love someone but you don't have to keep toxic people in your life just because of who they are and the title they carry. As you change and grow as a person so will your relationships with people, and that is ok. Don't let anyone make you feel like it is not. To grow & discover new things about yourself, or move on from old relationships.
4. Establish Boundaries. PROTECT YOUR PEACE at ALL COST. You can do this by creating healthy boundaries in every relationship in your life. If you don't feel comfortable with how someone treats you, tell them. If you don't want to do something, DONT. If you are uncomfortable with talking about certain things with certain people, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. NOT EVERYONE will understand your boundaries, sometimes they will push the boundaries you create, but stand firm & eventually they'll get the point - and if they don't - their problem, not yours. One of the greatest gifts I gave myself in 2017 was the ability to say NO & be done with something. NO is a complete sentence, you don't owe anyone an explanation for anything. DO YOU. I still practice the art of saying No. I encourage you to as well.
5. Create a reading list. "Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light." —Vera Nazarian as I approached 30 I challenged myself to read 30 books. I share my reading list here. I am not in multiple book clubs and have read some of my 2021 Books already :)
Each book truly enriched a different area of my life. You should put some of these on your reading list in 2018.
As I reflect on 2017, it has been a year full of abundance and blessings. Highlights being the birth of our Rainbow Baby Ian, Relaunching and Growing my Blog & of course graduating from Law School!!
As I look forward to my 2018 Goals- the main thing I wish to accomplish; Passing the Bar Exam & personal GROWTH.
4 AREAS & GOALS I'D LIKE TO SLAY
Family- Spending more quality time together. I know 2020 has allowed us to do that since we were literally quarantined TOGETHER. However, my husband is in the medical field and had to go to work every day, including some weekends. As a result, I am hoping for more Quality Time and Adventure this year. (CAN WE GET A VACAY PLEASE ) Communicating better (we have a teenager, peeling back layer by layer to understand him is work) & also doing more of "experience" giving instead of acquiring more things in 2021 since we haven’t been able to do much in 2020.
Faith- Being intentional about my relationship with God. Spending more intentional time with him. Starting each day with God & purposefully working on my weekly prayer project journal as well as using my Strategic Prayer Planner (You can purchase here) Continuing to attend church regularly and allow him to GUIDE EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE.
Finances- We paid off over $72k in Debt this year. The goal in 2021 is to continue paying down our debt, (We want all our student loans before our oldest goes to College Next Year.) SAVING for our children's education{I have a post on that here} & retirement (Maxing out retirement accounts is a huge tax benefit) Also, sticking to our BUDGET(If you don't already budget-- in 2021 you should CREATE ONE! Here is my monthly Budget sheet.
This is the first step to truly mastering your finances and meeting your goals.) Lastly, lowering our expenses especially in the first half of the year, in order to save more. We have a huge move coming up in the summer and if the situation is right, we'd like to buy when we relocate.
Fitness- Since trying to conceive my body has been on a roller coaster ride of hormones and as a result, weight gain. I’ve talked about that in a previous post, read here. I've already started working on this goal but in 2021, I plan to continue to get back in shape. This quarantine 15 has been interesting. I have lost it and subsequently gained it all back because of the lack of “movement” in my new daily “routine.” I haven't set a number or goal weight because, in my opinion, the number isn't as important as how you look and feel, but I am looking forward to feeling lighter in 2021.
Here's to slaying in 2021
