Tag: purpose

Goal Check-In

Goal Check-In

Simply put, this year has had a handful of twists and unexpected turns. Whilst I do enjoy roller coasters (they tickle me and I laugh and laugh), I’d rather not experience anything similar in real life. However, as we all know, rarely do things go {read more}

Consistency

Consistency

Consistency and repetition equal results. Being consistent is just about the only thing that will actually produce sustainable results. Meaning, very rarely will a one-time action allow for a long term goals. Improving incrementally and applying the trial and error idea go hand in hand {read more}

Second Chances

Second Chances

Can you think of one instance in which a second chance would have been great? An interview? A relationship? A career choice? Thinking about these moments, name the top three things you would change before going into the second chance. Preparedness?  Deodorant?  Self-reflection?  Word choice?

Welp. Today, I am here to tell you some great news! The western world considers January 1st the start of the new year. However, some scientists, astrologers and most of Asia instead celebrates the LUNAR new year!  This means a second chance to kick-off 2021.  If you just felt a sigh of relief, this post is really for you!  If you have already started on your goals and do not need the second chance – there may be some encouraging information here at the very least!  Plus, I have included some new inspiration prompts below.  I sincerely hope you enjoy!

 

What is the Lunar New Year?

Personally, the lunar new year has been on my radar since beginning my career due to the international nature of supply chain. Not only did I quickly learn time zones and different holidays globally, I also realized how important the lunar new year is to so many! During this time, offices and factories take breaks, families celebrate and typically large festivals take place. It really is an exciting time for people to look forward, have feasts, set resolutions and enjoy one another’s company. You may know that due to the US culture, our celebrations are much shorter than most other countries. While we celebrate New Year’s Eve, most countries recognize the Lunar New Year have a FIFTEEN (15) day extravaganza! This fifteen day starts off on the New Moon cycle and ends on the next Full Moon.

Oprah Magazine provides a great overview of the lunar new year and how it is calculated (here).

 

This is your official second chance!

So yes, the lunar new year is your official second chance to set your year goals.   If you have not yet made progress on your resolutions or goal setting, now is the time! The 2021 Lunar New Year begins today (February 11) with the New Moon and ends on February 27th (on the Full Moon).

Use this time to make your 2021 goals more realistic, re-start those you have already set. Or perhaps you haven’t tried vision boarding yet and think that will give you a jump start! Either way, let yourself have this second chance. Reinvigorate your dreams, break them into smaller pieces until you get the feeling you can achieve them.

 

 

inspiration prompts

At times, it can be much easier to be inspired from our external world.  Therefore here are some questions and prompts to inspire thoughts:

1. Take ten minutes to think about all of your accomplishments to date in life.  Allow your mind to wander, and if you please write them down.  This can range from learned how to ride a bike to became an investor or perhaps raised two children, trained a pet, earned a degree, ran a 5k, stayed hydrated today.  Anything and everything you consider an accomplishment write it down!

2. What are the main areas of your life you would like to see change or grow?  Physical, Career, Emotional, Social, Spiritual?

3. In the areas you would like to see change, name a person who currently exhibits the changes or growth you would like to see.  What behaviors, attitude or habits does that person have, which you can begin in your own life?

4. Do you feel as though your dreams for yourself are too large to accomplish?  If so, use a mind map or other brainstorming method to identify smaller pieces.

5. List one action you will take TOMORROW toward each of your focus areas.  

 

 

Journaling

I recommend keeping a journal between now and the full moon.   List out the above reflections, your readjusted goals and any thoughts and feelings.  Write in this journal at least once a day after reviewing your thoughts from day one.  Keep track and give yourself credit for any action you take (including starting this journal!)  Below I have linked journals available on Amazon in a variety of styles which I’ve enjoyed.  The one thing I require of my journals is a spiral bound!  Therefore, each below has this in common.  The first is a simple, plain half sheet.  The second has a cute saying ‘Believe you can, and you are half way there’.  The third has the little elastic band which I really love!    

 

Let’s connect. 

Please let me know if you will give yourself this second chance!  I would also love to know if you are already a celebrator of the Lunar New Year! 

Resolutions & Goals

Resolutions & Goals

Please note today’s post is the first to include a bit of ‘story time’ with background on how I arrived on the self improvement journey. <3     New Year! New me? Made it to day 14 of the new year! A bit of research {read more}

Purpose: The ‘why’

Purpose: The ‘why’

Before we jump into today’s blog post.  After the recent historical events which occurred yesterday in the United States it is with hesitation that this post goes up today.   After reflection, today’s topic lends itself well.  When we may need stability within ourselves or find ourselves asking {read more}

Goal Setting

Goal Setting

Over the years, goal setting has become the one habit that has brought the most deliberate success. One of these days we will dive a bit deeper into why goal setting did not originally come natural to me and how I have cultivated my mind to want to sit down and organize my life in this way.

Yesterday’s post was potentially more fun for most. I can assure you I would much rather dream big, and find pictures that represent the aesthetic I’m going for rather than sit down and write out specifically what I am going to do to get where I want to go.  As much as the writing out part is not as fun for me, it does produce massive results through specific focus and solidifying the potential steps.  

I have also found that writing my goals and plans allows me to truly reflect on what I actually want.  The process of writing out the words allows me to put the intangible into a tangible form where I can fully express truly what it is I am wanting and why.

 

Let’s get started:

Fortunately we live in a time where information is so accessible and goal setting doesn’t have to be a re-creation of the wheel each time, HOWEVER, and that is a big however, I do believe finding ones own techniques to get to your goals is most important. What works for me, or anyone else, might not necessary work for you.

If you are new to this, please use this as a guide but always remember to put your own spin on things, test different ways out and determine what works BEST for you. When it comes to goal setting, something I found is that the harder I had to ‘effort’ to make something happen, the more likely it just wasn’t for me. The things that were for me came with hard work, small attitude adjustments and once in awhile a pep talk but I wouldn’t feel like I was uphill the entire way.

This post will go through a goal setting strategy using the focus areas from my vision board creation. Enjoy!

Be present.

Whether it be my daily journaling, monthly reflections or yearly goal setting, my first step is to fully be present.  Meaning, set aside any distractions.  Give yourself an ample amount of time to complete this exercise.  

Typically, I will make some coffee or tea, put some soothing music on and do even 5 minutes of meditation before I begin.

Be Present
Mind Maps

Theme & Focus Areas.

 

Theme

It is helpful to have already selected a theme for your year, this should be something somewhat broad, potentially just a word that means something to you.  I talked a bit about this in my vision board post and gave some ideas, check it out here.  My theme for 2021 is: CREATE.

My word of the year came easily to me this season because I knew I was ready to step into a season of decreasing my consumption of media and increasing my output.  Being a creator has been something long overdue for me and I knew by using this word to theme my year it would be a daily reminder of my purpose in life.  

In years past my word of the year has not come as easily.  Last year it was ‘Celebrate’ and well… we all know how that went (insert laugh track here).  

The important part when selecting your theme is that when you read the word or see it, it speaks to you and has meaning to you.

Focus Areas

If you have created focus areas during your vision board session, or have particular categories of goals in mind, start by writing those down, almost as an outline. 

As an example my focus areas for 2021 are:

  1. Mindfulness
  2. Fitness, Nutrition & Self Care
  3. Hustle & Create
  4. Enjoy Hobbies: new & old
 
Sometimes I create my focus areas AFTER I write down all my goals, but always after I brainstorm.  It can be more straight forward to have some goals in mind and then simply categorize them versus starting off with your focus areas already known.
 
Something to keep in mind, especially for those doing this for the first time – try to keep things in smaller lists, dream big but organize into manageable bites.  For this reason, I have decided this year to have only 4 focus areas.
  
In previous years I was not organizing my goals in this manner and often would feel scattered or overwhelmed.  This way, each day when working toward my goals I can do even 15 minutes of an activity and feel accomplished!

Goals.

It’s time to set your goals.  At this point, you have given yourself the space to DREAM BIG, organize your thoughts and get clear on how you want the year to feel, as well as categorize into your top focus areas.  Now is the time to be realistic and most importantly, EXCITED. Once this step is complete you will be well on your way!  

Using your previous brainstorm and theme for the year.  List up to 3 goals per focus area.   It will be important that each goal has 3 parts:

  1. Name 
  2. Specific Description
  3. Date Expected to Accomplish

 

Goals on paper
Goals January 2021

Let’s get real. 

Whenever I have embarked on any type of personal development or goal setting, the most encouraging examples are personal and from the heart.  To keep things real, here are my goals, by focus area for 2021; I have decided to timebox my goals into month, so these are specific to January 2021. I will provide updates on progress 🙂

1. Mindfulness 

  • Daily Meditation Practice
  • Daily journal, prayer and bible study before the day begins
  • Read at least 15 minutes per day

2. Healthy Body

  • Yoga 2x per week for an hour each
  • Strength & Cardio 3x per week
  • Hiking 2x per month

3. Career & Hustle

  • Create realistic individual development plan using tool at work & update system
  • Create blogging schedule & expand audience x 3

4. Hobbies (New & old)

  • Improve upon photography by taking class
  • Try one new thing with a friend and document experience

 

I tend to be rather intense when I set goals, so one of the things I’d like to keep in mind as I go about January, is to make sure I am enjoying the process and not just making a tick mark at the end of each day!

Okay! Now it is your turn!

If you are up for it, comment below your top goals or just one you are most excited about!