New Year New Goals

I love setting goals for myself. They drive me and give me a sense of accomplishment when I achieve them. The New Year is always a perfect excuse to set new goals for yourself for the upcoming calendar year. And why not set a big goal! You have a whole year to chip away at it! For many of us, our goals die off because we are not revisiting them or setting out milestones for ourselves. So if you like the idea of creating goals for your 2019 but are thinking ‘resolutions never stick so why bother’, here are simple ways to make goals and keep them this year! Think about what you want your life/lifestyle to be like and set your goals to meet that vision. While this in and of itself sounds daunting it can be a really simple thing! For example, when I think about my life and how I want it to look in the future, I think about having more financial freedom to travel and do things like go out to nice dinners with my husband without worrying about how that treat might mean a bill can’t be paid on time. So that translates into financial goals for me such as paying off our student loans because having less monthly payments to those loans will mean more disposable income for us to enjoy time together. Give Yourself A Timeframe One of the biggest reasons we lose focus on our goals is not giving ourselves a time in which to complete them. Having that ‘deadline’ gives us a perimeter to work within. Keeping with the example of paying off student loans, my timeframe is the 2019 calendar year. This gives me 12 full months to accomplish my goal. Depending on what you want to achieve, you may set 30 days, 6 months, or a few years. Set Milestones How are you going to actually reach your goal?? Map out what it will take to get you where you want to be. Maybe there are a few things you have to knock out in order to get yourself on the right track towards your goal. Those steps should be part of your plan and should have a date when they will be completed to meet your overall goal within the overall timeframe set. Some of our biggest goals seem daunting but just need a few pieces completed one at a time so that they feel more manageable. Put Your Plan In Writing! This sounds like a simple ‘throwaway’ task but is actually the absolute most important part of the entire process. Studies have shown that people who physically write down their goals and plan to meet them are more likely to actually follow through and accomplish those goals. Given that this is a commitment to yourself, it should not be on just any old paper napkin. Break out a fresh sheet of paper or your gorgeous notebook that you haven’t found a use for (but had to buy) and write it out! I have a planner that I use religiously to keep myself on track and on budget. If you don’t have one but feel it is the time to get your @h&# together, Leaders in Heels has the best inspirational planners and notebooks that are focused on motivating and inspiring you throughout the year. Leaders in Heels’ Make Your Mark Journal is perfect for goal-setting and personal growth. Shop their incredible planners and journals HERE!

Treat ‘Yo Self As you are hitting your milestones have a planned treat for yourself! Maybe you love getting massages but don’t regularly. Use a massage as incentive to hit that milestone or overall goal! Self care is vital so working that into your goal-setting process knocks out a few things at once!