#3 Moving into 2024

#3 Moving into 2024

 

A bumpy start… 

The best intentions for the New Year don’t always go as planned…I diligently wrote my updated post last week in WordPress only to have it disappear before I could actually post it live to share with you.  

Ahhh….it’s a steep learning curve!  I haven’t had my material disappear like that in many years….actually since I was first introduced to computers back in the mid 80’s!  I foolishly assumed that all platforms automatically saved your work as you went.  So…lesson learned….I am using a more familiar platform, Microsoft Word, to write my material going forward.  Onward and upward!.. 

Making a plan…. 

So as we begin the New Year, how do you bring in the year….or do you mark the start of the year?  Many people make a New Year’s resolution for planned goals of the coming year….while this is not for everyone, perhaps you do as I do by just taking the time to review your past year’s achievements or shortcomings to formulate some plans for moving forward toward your next goal? Do you just make plans for your holidays, family visits, weddings, graduations, workshops etc?  Maybe you like to shed your skin and shake off the past year and sail with positivity into the New Year with trepid anticipation of what the year may bring….no planning at all….Maybe the coming year creates some negative feelings of fear or hopelessness?  I do find having some sort of plan in place helps to achieve more in a year or it tends to slip by with very little accomplished.

I am not a big New Year’s resolution person, but I do like to have some larger plan or idea of what I would like to accomplish for the year ahead.  Every year I reset my goals related to my health – nutrition and fitness goals.  This is one of the biggest areas of resolutions shared each year, thus the rush of memberships at various gyms and purchases of endless choices of diet plans and coaching services.  As shared in Forbes health magazine, according to a Statista survey, 47% of respondents said they wanted to eat healthier and 50% said they wanted to exercise more.  Secondly, I am always reassessing my finances. 59% of respondents to the survey wanted to save more money.  Then, thirdly on my list, I revisit making personal time prioritized by trying to make more effort to spend more time with friends and family as do 40% of the respondents.   Well…here we are, 12 days into the New Year and I see Fortune magazine sharing that today is considered to be “Quitter’s Day”……just 12 days in???   Noooo!  I can do it!…..No you can’t…screams through my head.  Is this true for you?  Did you give up on your plan already?  Maybe you didn’t even realize you were drifting away from your goal? 

“From craving instant gratification to losing motivation and choosing the path of least resistance, it’s not surprising that lofty goals end up back on the resolution board a year later… But there’s an art to making a resolution that can stand the test of time.“   says Dr. Judy Ho, a triple board-certified and licensed clinical and forensic neuropsychologist and Forbes Health Advisory Board member, based in Manhattan Beach, California.

 

Three steps to success in the article are suggested: 

1.  Make bite sized goals:

•            Where will you do it?  
•             How will you do it?  
•             How will you get there?

      2. Find out what is standing in your way 

             Attach your goal to an activity you enjoy              

      3.  Adopt a growth mindset  

                 Dr. Ho tells us: “The best goals stretch us, which means some missteps and goal failures are likely…..It’s important to have a growth mindset about goal pursuit, which means recognizing that missteps are part of the journey and they can help us learn and grow and succeed with greater likelihood in the future by rethinking our path.”

 

To get started, clearly outlining your goals helps to maintain your focus.  So to begin this year, I want to share with you where I hope to take this year…. 

1. Health and Fitness goal:   

•      Daily hiking for 45 to 60 minutes 5 or 6 days a week. 
•      Clean eating – dominantly fruits and vegetables 
•      Calorie awareness…. mindful of the tendancy to stress eat or mindless snacking 
•       Work/life balance – maintaining restricted work hours 

 

       2)   Financial Goals 

•       Consistent weekly budget planning 
•        Build solid emergency savings 
•        First year University costing/planning for my son 
•        Minimum one hour a day work on my business in the             #Affiliate System          – that’s here….with you…. 
•         Complete my tool shed siding 
•         Replace car  ?  Ok…..that’s on my wish list!

         3)   Spend more time with friends and family 

•          Schedule social time with friends more often  
•          Plan family events/holidays 

     Listed out it seems like a huge commitment!  But this can be broken into bite size pieces as I address each goal individually and then fit them together….I can do it….I hope! 

I would love to hear what plans you have for the coming year!  Please share in the comments below.  Let’s make a declaration together and make this our best year so far….