Resolution Revolution Preparing for Your Most Epic Year Yet

The New Year is fast approaching. For many people, this time of year is a time for setting goals. We see a new starting point, to visualize ambitious plans and to kick the bad habits, find new challenges; to transform ourselves into the best version of ourselves.  

Believe you can and you're halfway there. - Theodore Roosevelt

This year let’s ignite a Resolution Revolution! Instead of setting yourself up for failure with vague aspirations, let’s focus on strategic preparation and intentional action. Here’s how to gear up for your most epic year yet.

Know Your Why

Take time to sit back and ask yourself; what is it all for? What do you want to achieve in life, and how can you take steps toward that goal in the next year?

Ditch the List

Instead of overwhelming yourself with a never-ending to-do list, prioritize. Choose 2-5 key resolutions that truly resonate with you and will have the biggest impact on your life. Remember, quality trumps quantity.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Once you’ve identified your goals, make sure they’re S.M.A.R.T.  Make sure you set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This will define your goals, create a clear roadmap, and set you up for success.

Prepare Your Environment

Your surroundings can make or break your resolutions. Declutter your physical space to remove distractions and temptations. Surround yourself with positive influences and resources that will support your goals. Visualize your success; use vision boards to display your goals. Out of sight out of mind. Put the vision board in a place where you can see it every day.

Become Award of Your Habits

To create real change in your life it comes down to habits and lifestyle. Identify the habits that are holding you back and replace them with positive ones that will set in motion a plan forward. Remember, Continuous Improvement Incrementally yields big results.

How can the habit of Awareness drastically change your life?

Share Your Goals

Find an accountability partner or group who shares your goals. Sharing your journey with others can provide encouragement and support. It may also give you some perspective on how others go about the same task. What is their important goal?

Celebrate Your Wins

Don’t wait until you reach your final destination to celebrate. Acknowledge and reward yourself for every milestone along the way. This will keep you motivated and on track.

Embracing a New Year: Celebrating Wins and Setting Exciting Goals.

Track Your Progress

Use a journal, planner, or app to monitor your progress and stay motivated.

3 Easy Ways to Track Your Progress Towards Goals

Be Kind to Yourself

Self-care is vital. Change takes time and effort. Do not stop because you stumble along the way. Just pick yourself up and keep going. Continuous Improvement Incrementally.

Be Kind to Yourself Today!

With the right preparation and mindset, you can turn your resolutions from mere wishes into reality. Let’s make this year the year we conquer our goals and create the lives we truly desire!

I hope this blog helps you prepare for your most epic year yet! Remember, the key is to take responsibility, zero excuses, and stay committed to your goals. With dedication and perseverance, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

It is about intentionality, action, and progress.

My Story: Triumph Over Adversity: A Journey of Resilience and Creativity

Challenges – Life is Messy

From the age of nine, life pitched its fair share of obstacles to me. With 37 major surgeries and 150 hospital stays, chronic illness became a constant companion. Despite the odds, I not only faced these challenges head-on, but went on to lead a life that defied the expectations set by my health. A journey marked by health challenges.

Education became a cornerstone of my journey. Two college degrees stand as a testament to my dedication and passion. The pursuit of knowledge became a driving force, helping me navigate the delicate balance between health concerns and academic aspirations. A journey of triumph through education.

Faced with adversity, I turned to the written word to leave a lasting legacy. A book for my family became a heartfelt testament to family, love, and the resilience that defines my story. But that was just the beginning. Writing my story helped to clear my mind and let me see what my best self would look like in the future.

Life Planning Tools

Fast forward to November 2023, and I published “Resolutions: Life Planning Tools.” A guide and exploration of goal setting, this book not only shares personal experiences but provides steps to improve your life. A journey for others seeking their hopes, plans, and dreams.

Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination. - Joseph B. Wirthlin

An Artistic Journey

Amid these literary works, I have embarked on a new artistic venture—a large-scale immersive multimedia art show inspired by a painting that took me over a year to paint. A painting that was started for no reason but to paint. Everyone kept asking what are you going to do with the painting? I keep telling them, the painting will speak to me at some point, and I will know. The idea of an art show became my next goal. An artistic journey of creativity.

A Book of Resolutions

My journey started long ago when I started keeping diaries in 1972. In 1980, I wrote my first book of personal resolutions. From construction, paper covers stapled together, and magazine cutouts to provide me with a visual book of goals.

I write my resolutions from birthday to birthday and amend them as the new year approaches; this is my approach to personal growth. The resolution book becomes a historical record, a psychologist, a friend, and a guide, helping navigate life’s twists and turns. A journey of my personal growth.

Conclusion

My story is more than a narrative of personal triumph; it’s a testament to the transformative power of vision, determination, and resilience. As I continue my journey with words and art, all of my life goals have converged to where I am exactly where I was always meant to be.

My goal is to share my journey, and the lessons I have learned over the years, on how to stay on the road to personal growth. To help you find ways to face adversity, a reminder that even in the face of challenges, one can not only survive but thrive. A journey that has only just begun.  

My goal for 2024 is to be a catalyst for inspiring people to take responsibility for their destiny. To help guide readers to explore their capabilities, dreams, and passions; and to believe in themselves. Cultivate a culture of taking responsibility with zero excuses, encouraging individuals to acknowledge their potential, cultivate resilience, and actively design the course of their lives.

The Writer’s Roadmap: Setting Clear Goals for Your Creative Journey

We all have hopes, plans, and dreams. What aisle in the store do I pick up a map to get to the hopes, plans, and dreams? Can I buy it on Amazon? A roadmap is a good way to think about this journey. There are different roads you can travel, some have heavy traffic, and others are less traveled. This journey is personal and unique. Each of us has vastly different goals. No roadmap could be developed.

One step you should take before writing next year’s goals is to take a look back at what you have accomplished this past year. This can boost your confidence and motivation. It is a reminder that you are capable and can inspire you to continue the journey. Reflecting on the past year can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge is important for setting goals, focusing on your strengths, and addressing your weaknesses.

Remember, your goals are not static, they live and breathe with you, and may need to be altered as you travel your road. Do not be afraid to adapt, refine, or even completely change your goals if needed.

Setting goals is about taking control of your life. It is about your creative passions, purpose, and direction. Every step brings you closer to your destination.

Also, celebrate your achievements along the way! Reaching a goal, no matter how small, deserves a victory dance. Keep yourself motivated and celebrate the joy of progress!

How to use your creativity in developing a plan of action for 2024.

The new year is like a blank canvas, full of possibilities. But how do you decide what is important, and where you need to spend your time and energy? Well, let’s get creative.

Dream Big

Think beyond the should-do, must-do list. What truly excites you? What skills could you add to your current skills that will help you reach your big dreams? What do you long to experience? Write a list of your wildest dreams. What if they could come true? What is standing between where you are now, and this dream?

“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” – Robert H. Schuller

Embrace the Unconventional

Your goals need to become actionable steps. Creativity thrives on thinking outside the box. Break out of the rut, do this for yourself, and set unique goals that fit your view of who you want to be tomorrow.

What it Means to Truly Think Outside to the Box, by Sabrina Meherally, Harvard Business Review

Take an online class to start building a new skill. Read some books to increase your knowledge of what it takes to reach your goals; add some of the book titles to your goals. Volunteer, get outside of your comfort zone. This could open new possibilities. Challenge yourself. Push a little harder. Explore – experiment!

Find like-minded people who inspire you. Join online communities, attend workshops, and share your ideas. Collaboration can spark inspiration. Collaboration is a cross-pollination of ideas, giving you a new perspective. Take time to embrace the unexpected connections.  

Celebrate the Journey, Not Just the Destination

Be here and now; be present. Enjoy the process of learning, the thrill of experimentation, and the joy of overcoming challenges. Track your progress through milestones achieved.

Embrace the stumbles and setbacks as steppingstones, and don’t be afraid to adjust your course as needed. Your creative plan is a living document. Unleash your inner artist and paint your 2024 story.

Here are some additional tips to ignite your creative spark.

  • Keep a creative journal, and note your ideas, inspirations, and sketches to revisit later.
  • Take breaks and play. Then come back and write your goals, it frees your mind.
  • Challenge your assumptions. Question the “how” and “why” of things and explore alternative perspectives.

Remember, the most creative plans are often the ones that start with a simple question: What if? So, ask yourself that question, dive into the possibilities, and watch your 2024 unfold as a year unlike any other.

Recommended Books

Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals, by Michael Hyatt.

Goal Setting: What You Need to Know About Setting Goals and How to Create Action Plans and Habits for Success that Don’t Require Immense Willpower (Reaching Goals), by Deon Hillman  

Finish What You Start: The Art of Following Through, Taking Action, Executing, & Self-Discipline (Live a Disciplined Life), by Peter Hollins  

New Year’s Resolutions with Substance: Why Referential Integrity Matters

Every year, as we move into the New Year, we feel a clean start and optimism for what comes next. Many of us set goals, to start a business, go back to school, learn a new language, or how to play an instrument. Some people set goals for their relationships and jobs.

In your New Year’s goals, referential integrity means basing your goals on a solid foundation of values, resources, and self-awareness. Referential integrity is a term borrowed from database management; yes, computer stuff. However, there are many overlapping pieces of data that need to be brought together to make it useful. In terms of our existence, these overlapping areas are mind, body, and soul. It is our intellectual abilities, our need for belonging, our jobs and school, our psychological, physical, and nutritional health.

Part of the problem lies in a concept that is relevant to both personal growth and database management: referential integrity. In simple words, this means ensuring the data references something that actually exists.

Here’s how it works:

Internal: Your Inner Values: Every resolution needs a core value anchoring it. What are your top priorities, health, career, or creativity? Identifying your core values acts as the primary key, ensuring your goals remain aligned with your deepest desires.

Identify what really matters to you. Is it personal growth, or maybe financial success? Your core values. Who are you?

External: Skills and Resources: Learning a language takes time, dedication, and access to learning materials. These are your external keys, the external factors needed to support your goals. Without them, your resolutions become forsaken aspirations, floating aimlessly without a path to fulfillment.

Do you have the time and resources needed to achieve your goals? Are you willing to use your energy for this goal?

Limitations: Time and Energy: No matter how much you want to write a book, unless you set time aside regularly, it will not happen. Setting realistic goals acts like a database trigger, preventing you from overloading your system with impossible dreams. It keeps you focused and grounded.

It helps you to picture a week with 168 hours; and how you will spend your time.

34% sleeping, 6% eating, 34% working, 6% exercising, 8% entertainment, 2% grooming, 4% home management – well, this is 94 hours. Where are you going to add your goals? There is a need to plan what goals to tackle, what is important, and what is not. What is your long-term plan? Time and energy are valuable resources.

Break down your goals into smaller, achievable steps. Factor in your schedule, limitations, and potential obstacles to creating a roadmap that feels sustainable, not overwhelming.

So, this New Year, instead of blindly writing down wishes, take a data-driven approach. Prioritize values, assess resources, set realistic limitations, and watch your goals blossom with the integrity of a well-designed system. Happy (and achievable) New Year!

Recommend Reading

The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal, by Jim Loehr, and Tony Schwartz.  

Focus: Bringing Time, energy, and Money into Flow, by Pedram Sholjai

The Energy Advantage: How to Go from Managing Your Time to Mastering Your Energy, by Ricardo Sunderland

We Cannot Become What We Want by Remaining What We Are: Embracing Growth and Transformation

An artist digs deep, seeking to paint a masterpiece. An athlete desires to break records. Humans yearn for growth, for transformation, for becoming something more than we are today. Large and small goals drive us to reach higher, to seek our potential. This is part of the human experience.

Think of a musician afraid to try new notes, stuck playing the same old tune. Or an athlete who never pushes past their limits, always running the same lap. Staying safe keeps us stagnant!

ChANGE

Yet, we cannot change by remaining who we are today. Personal transformation requires reaching goals, requires moving out of your comfort zone. Reaching for your full potential is not a passive activity. There is no pill or magic formula. It requires work.

“If You Always Do What You’ve Always Done, You’ll Always Get What You’ve Always Got.” – Henry Ford

Your Comfort Zone

A place where you feel safe. However, it is also a place that can keep us trapped. Fear of failure, of the unknown, may hold us back from doing new things, going to new places, and meeting new people. Become aware of your comfort zone and ways that it may hold you back.

It took me longer than it should have to publish my book.

What if?

What if it is not good? What if no one buys the book? What if I don’t know what I am doing? Yes, we have these internal dialogues without even paying attention. We can defeat our goals with our self-doubts. Fearing failure. Many times, this is just a fear of change. It is safer to stay in your comfort zone.

Embrace Change

Personal growth requires change and challenge. It is necessary to step outside of our comfort zone; into the unknown. Yes, we might fail. But we can get back up and move forward, learning from our failure. If my first book is a failure, I can always do better in the second or third book. I moved out of my comfort zone and learned new skills. Skills that can be improved with each attempt.

“A mistake is only a mistake if you don’t learn from it.” – Albert Einstein

The Journey of Transformation

Each challenge you face and overcome will make you stronger and more resilient and move you closer to your goals.

Personal growth: Embracing transformation on the journey of life – FasterCapital

Some tidbits for your journey:

Identify your goals. Who do you want to be? What do you want to achieve? Set short and long-term goals. Step outside your comfort zone. Find new challenges, learn new skills, and push yourself.

Embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks. Instead, use them to learn and grow.

Surround yourself with supportive people. Find your tribe, a mentor, friends; people who believe in you and who will encourage your personal growth.

Acknowledge your achievements. No matter how small.

“The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.” – Joel Brown

Difficult Roads Lead to Beautiful Destination.

In Conclusion

Set big goals and stop letting fear of leaving your comfort zone hold you back. Remember that failure is often just one of the steps to reaching your goals.

The author J. K. Rowling faced many rejections before her manuscript was accepted. Everyone has heard of Harry Potter.

Walt Disney’s first animation studio went bankrupt. He never gave up. Everyone has heard of Walt Disney and his successful enterprise.

Michael Jordan, an outstanding basketball player, had many failures on the road to greatness.

Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) did not achieve his success until he was 65. It is never too late to dream, to achieve your goals.

Remember, the key takeaway is that failure is not the opposite of success; it’s a part of the path to success. So, keep moving forward, learn from your mistakes, and never give up on your dreams!

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
— Albert Einstein

Recommended Reading

Everyday Thoughts and Perspectives, by Kayume Baksh

Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation, by Daniel J. Siegel

Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential, by Brian Johnson, yes, I had this as recommended reading in my last blog, BUT – this is an excellent book for self-discovery.

Setting the Scene: Writing Resolutions That Stick

How to decide what goals you will pursue in 2024?  

By setting goals, you will need to make changes in your behavior and lifestyle. Change is often uncomfortable. People who are successful with their resolutions or goals develop a plan of action.

One problem is that people write their resolutions a few days before New Year’s Day. People have a tendency to write one-liners. I will lose weight. No plan of action, no definition of what the goal actually requires, how much weight? How will you lose weight? You need to set goals that define the action.

who, what, when, where, why, and how

If you need some ideas on goals that you can tackle in the new year, here are a few areas to consider. Where do you need to improve?

  • Education
  • Career
  • Exercise
  • Health
  • Relationships
  • Spirituality

So, again, how to decide what goals you will pursue in 2024?

On American Family Insurance’s website, they have listed 100 Life Goals & How to Set Them. This is an excellent list to help you think through what you want to accomplish. If what you dream about is not on the list, at least it will help you with ideas.

What Are Life Goals?

Life goals are all the things you want to accomplish in your life. Often, your life goals are very meaningful to you and can make a lasting impact on your life. They can be large and challenging goals, or they can be smaller and more personal. It all depends on what you want to achieve.

“Every year you make a resolution to change yourself. This year, make a resolution to be yourself.” – Unknown

Once you set your goals, what is next?

The Power of Written Goals – Get Everything you Want Faster, by Brian Tracy. Wealth Mindset.

I start my goal setting by dividing my goals into three areas: Mind – Body – Soul. Then I make a list of each heading. For example:

Body

  • Weight Maintenance
  • Exercise
  • Appearance
  • Health
  • Nutrition

I like to think about each area, and often write focused essays, or you can record your thoughts. But, thinking about the subject with some depth, then writing a short essay, helps you think through the ideas. So that you set realistic goals that are achievable.

I follow a plan of consistent improvement – incrementally. Meaning, I take small steps. If you are changing your diet, don’t go guerrilla warfare overnight and throw out all the foods you love. Change one item at a time until you are comfortable with the change. A good place to start is soft drinks; they are filled with empty calories, and do not provide any nutritional value to your body. Remember, food is fuel for our mind and body. 

Don’t over consume, use smaller plates, spread your meals out; make slight adjustments you can live with; then you can move to the next item. I did not like avocados, but knew they were good for me. So, I started eating them and eventually fell in love with this fruit. Break the goal down into smaller steps, so that you are not overwhelmed. Be specific about what you goal is and what the outcome will look like.

Here are some free Goal-Setting Templates & Worksheets for Achieving goals from PositvePsychology.com. Use tools to help you write and monitor your goals.

Tricks to Make your New Year’s Resolutions Stick. This is just to give you a heads up on what is next. This video gives you some simple steps that might help. Especially if you are new to setting goals. 6 Psychology Tricks to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick, Psych2Go.

Recommended Reading

The Power of Discipline, How to use self control, and mental toughness to achieve your goals, by Daniel Walter

Goals: How to Get the Most out of Your Life, by Zig Ziglar.

The  workbook for SMART goals – the scientifically proven template for successful goal setting: SMART goal setting templates with guided questions, tips and examples, by Clove books

Ink Your Intentions: Crafting Resolutions for the Year Ahead

What are Resolutions?

Resolutions, in the context of personal development and goal setting, are firm decisions or intentions to do or achieve something specific, usually over the course of a set period, such as a year.

"What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year." - Vern McLellan

Resolutions often involve making positive changes in one’s behavior, habits, or lifestyle. They are typically set at the beginning of a new year, symbolizing a fresh start and a commitment to self-improvement.

The History of Resolutions  

“The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make New Year’s resolutions. Some 4,000 years ago, they were also the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year.”

Today, setting a New Year’s resolution is a tradition of writing goals for the coming year. The goals could be to continue doing something well or resolve to change a habit, learn a new skill, or plan a vacation.   

Resolutions most likely conjure up the faithful list as people prepare for the new year. Yet resolving to improve your life or make profound changes in your habits goes way beyond the New Year’s list. Follow along with my blogs and I will share ways to move in a progressive direction.

We define ourselves by the choices we make. If we decide to be in control, we allow ourselves an excellent opportunity to manage the outcomes in our lives. The other option is to let your friends and family decide on your path.

What areas should you set goals?

This is personal. What do you want to accomplish in 2024? Maybe get a promotion at your job, build a stronger relationship with those close to you, or learn to dance. It is about where you want to focus your time. The only way to make changes is to focus your time and energy on a destination in mind. We each have 168 hours in a week. We focus much of that time on areas of work, school, eating, sleeping, and grooming. Did you really mean to spend 3 hours on the Internet, or 5 hours watching TV? Is there some other way you can use your time to make your tomorrow’s better? I have been maintaining resolutions for most of my life, and now have a plan of action that works for me. You will need to develop your own system. That is why I want to provide other sources for you to see how others go about setting goals. Then you do it your way.

Maintenance Goals –A different kind of New Year’s Resolution – YouTube

Own your personal development: self-improvement goals that motivate.

Keep it Simple

2024 New Year's Resolutions Have gratitude Be present - Be award of the here and now Fill my plate with fruits and vegetables Take a walk every day Tell the people I love, that I love them Use my creativity every day Embrace each day

Four Steps to Write a New Year’s Resolution You’ll Keep

How To Write a New Year’s Resolution in Four Simple Steps (languagetool.org)

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

I would like to introduce S.M.A.R.T. goals. I encourage you to use this goal-setting method as we move through this journey. S.M.A.R.T. goals are a method of follow-through, answering all the questions about the goals.

George Doran, Arthur Miller, and James Cunningham, in their 1981 article “There’s a smart way to write management goals and objectives developed S.M.A.R.T. goals.”  The same principles apply to an individual’s goal setting.

S – Specific (simple, sensible, significant)

M – Measurable (meaningful, motivating)

A – Achievable (agreed, attainable)

R – Relevant (reasonable, realistic, and resourced, results-based)

T – Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, time-sensitive)

For example, – Specific: A specific goal is much more likely to be accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal, you must answer the six “W” questions:

  • Who: Who is involved?
  • What: What do I want to accomplish?
  • Where: Identify a location.
  • When: Establish a time frame.
  • Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
  • Why: Specific reasons, purpose, or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific goal would say, “Join a health club and workout 3 days a week.”

For more on S.M.A.R.T. Goals, check out UMass Dartmouth’s website – Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals | UMass Dartmouth.

Recommended Reading

The New Year Resolution 2023: A simple resolution that guides you to create positive changes, achieve your goals, and improve your life in 30 minutes, by Ewin Hutson

My book Resolutions: Life Planning Tools, Hopes, Plans, and Dreams, by Linda L. Pilcher

Smart Goal Setting Templates, Journal Contains 88 Pages of Templates for your Current and Future Goals! by Keith Junor.

The Written Goal: The Mindset Behind Writing Your Goals & Reading Them Daily (Success with Swag(ger)), by Sam Kabert.

#Goals, #GoalSetting, #NewYearResolution, #NewYear, #Goals, #Lifeplan

Dream, Plan, Achieve: My Blueprint for a Successful New Year

Resolutions are used for personal development and goal setting and are firm decisions or intentions to do or achieve something specific, usually over the course of a set period, usually written as a New Year’s set of goals. They are often direct resolutions for making positive changes in one’s behavior, habits, or lifestyle. They are typically set at the beginning of a new year, symbolizing a fresh start and a commitment to self-improvement.

This blog is about taking steps to make your hopes, plans, and dreams become a reality. By developing a blueprint and preparing to write New Year Resolutions.

Dream until it becomes reality.

“A dream written down with a date becomes a GOAL. A goal broken down into steps becomes a PLAN. A plan backed by ACTION makes your dreams come true.” 

– Greg Reid

My goal for December is to help you make a plan for the New Year, write resolutions, and prepare for 2024. To help you go on a journey of self-improvement, working toward reaching your fullest potential. To help you find your hopes, plans, and dreams.

Why set goals?

  • Is there some area of your life that you want to improve? Even in areas where you are on top of your game, there is always room for improvement.
  • Do you lack direction, have unhealthy habits, or just lack focus?
  • Are you a procrastinator?
  • Do you need to manage your stress better?
  • Do you need to take more control of your time management?
  • Do you want to reach your fullest potential?
  • Are there relationships you want to nurture?

I will create blogs that lead you to other resources on each topic. There are many resources to help motivate and educate yourself on doing a better job. For example, I love TED talks, videos, and blogs. Sources could include experts in their fields of self-improvement, setting goals, and achieving those goals. I strongly encourage you to follow the links in the blogs. Saturate yourself with how to dream big and set goals you can achieve. Follow me on this journey.

Once you have your goals set, as we move into January, we will switch gears and cover topics of momentum, persistence, consistency, and intentional living.

What is your dream?

It is time to prepare for the new year 2024 and answer this question. First, let’s look at a major roadblock on your new journey.

I can or I can’t

The difference is:

I can, or I can’t. These two simple statements can make a difference in how you approach each day. Check out this Ted Talk by Charles Parker; What should I do with my life?  What is the first statement you go to? I can do this, or I can’t do this.

STOP using, I can’t. Ignore your inner doubt.

Believe in Yourself!

How to achieve your dreams

How to actually achieve your goals, according to Eb Gargano; Productive Blogging. How to actually achieve your goals: The Real Secret to turning your dreams into reality.

Setting Goals

What is your goal? A Goal is a dream with a plan, transform your dreams.

Write your goals out on paper. This helps you to visualize as well as revisit as often as needed. Out of sight - out of mind!

I use many tools to help me gain a big picture of what my next year will look like. What do I want to accomplish? My journals are divided into Mind/Body/Soul, so that I set goals for my entire essence. I use spreadsheets to track my goals, and a daily list to make sure I keep on track – just a little notebook. My Google calendar is my best friend. As I schedule my life, I make a note on the calendar. For example, writing blogs. I have a task noted on my calendar as a prompt. I will not offer 3 steps to success, or 5 ways to reach your dreams, because we all approach life differently; you need to develop your own system. I will only offer guidance to resources, and some of the tools I have found along the way.

I truly believe that we each need to find what works best for us. In the next blog, I will start discussing how to write your resolutions.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”  – Eleanor Roosevelt

Recommended Reading

Start with the Vision, by Robert R. Shallenberg

11 Secrets Successful People Know about Goal Setting: A Science-Based Guide That Turns Goals into Reality, by Kevin Kruse.

How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks.  This is a great book if you are setting goals for improving relationships in your life.

#intentionalliving, #goals, #happiness, #lifesatisfaction, #lifejourney, #selfreflection, #fulfillment, #settinggoals, #dreambig

Finding Your Path to Life Satisfaction & Well-being

Navigating the Maze

Our life is a journey. It is essential to have a plan to guide you. A key to fulfilling your life and finding quality is to explore yourself. Embrace self-reflection; it takes time to understand yourself, your values, and your passions. Always ask questions and seek the answers. What is profoundly important in your life? It is important to take time to reflect on your strengths and your weaknesses. Part of the journey is looking back on experiences that have shaped who you are today. Many of your experiences are based on your upbringing, family culture, location, values, and beliefs. An understanding of who you are today is needed to start planning for the you – you want to be tomorrow.

“If you don’t have a goal in mind, you can’t expect to achieve it.”

Frank Sonnenberg, The Path to a Meaningful Life

Hopes, Plans, & Dreams. What path are you going to take to reach your goals?

This is an introspective journey. It helps to develop a foundation or framework to help you understand what truly matters in your life. Clarifying values is vital; what do you hold dear in your life? What parts of your life reflect the authentic you?

You will need to clarify your values in life and what gives your life meaning. We want to set authentic goals as we move forward. This blog will be about this path to life satisfaction and well-being. Our storyline will be “Who am I today? And who do I want to be tomorrow?”

As we move into December, we will start laying the groundwork for setting goals for the new year. Your New Year’s Resolutions. Beginning in January, we will look at tools to help you set priorities and understand all the building blocks that have formed who you are today. We will learn about the toolboxes of skills, knowledge, and abilities that you have to help you with this journey. Some of the toolboxes are education, social skills, natural abilities, learned abilities, psychological and emotional skills, and career.

January will be about self-exploration and examination, working to develop a solid plan of action for the year. A year is often too big to wrap our heads around, so we will learn to break down the steps necessary to reach our goals. The philosophy will be continuous improvement – incrementally, small steps.

Your goals should align with your hopes, plans, and dreams. They should reflect what you want to achieve in different areas of your life. The goals could be about your career, relationships, personal development, or hobbies.

Through intentional living, we want to build healthy habits. Physical and mental well-being are essential to your life satisfaction. Creating practices that nourish your body and mind through regular exercise and a balanced diet is essential. Other sources of life satisfaction include adequate sleep and social relationships. Together, these things bring satisfaction to your life.

Conclusion

This journey is about challenges, but we will see these challenges as opportunities for growth. Finding your path to life satisfaction is an ongoing process of self-discovery, growth, and intentional living. It’s about aligning your life with your values, setting meaningful goals, navigating challenges, and building resilience. Life is like a roller coaster. Sometimes, you are flying high, but life is a maze of unknowns, and sometimes we hit lows. Resilience and consistency will help you navigate the difficulties. A strong sense of clarity, direction, and defining what gives your life meaning will build personal strength. Follow along, and we will create a framework for your life plan. Embrace the journey.

Life is a journey wordcloud

Recommended Reading

Amazon.com: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition (The Covey Habits Series) eBook : Covey, Stephen R., Collins, Jim, Covey, Sean

This Feeling Matters More Than Happiness | Psychology Today

How To Be More Satisfied With Your Life – 5 Steps Proven By Research | Time

#intentionalliving, #goals, #happiness, #lifesatisfaction, #lifejourney, #selfreflection, #fulfillment, #settinggoals

Embracing Clarity

Seeking Purpose and Direction in Life

Seeking Purpose and Direction in Life

In our busy lives, it is easy to get lost in the fog of ambiguity and uncertainty. The lack of a clear purpose, vision, and direction can confuse us, making it difficult to make decisions, set goals, and follow our dreams with confidence. But in this uncertainty, clarity can be the guiding light to finding purpose and direction. Clarity can pave the way to a more productive and fulfilling life. In this blog, we explore how embracing clarity can help you move away from ambiguity and uncertainty, opening the way to a more purposeful and productive life.

What does clarity mean?

Clarity means to have a clear understanding or view of something. This includes the ability to see things distinctly and without doubt. It can mean that the person has a clear mental image, understanding, or insight.

Clarity is the key to letting go of doubt. The goal is to understand your core values through self-reflection. Take some time to reflect on your core values, desires, and aspirations. Check out these journaling prompts for Self-Discovery. What truly matters to you? What are your long-term goals? Once you understand your values, you can build a foundation for clarifying your sense of purpose.

Clarity increases in a focused state. Identify the distractions that are pulling you away from your goal and eliminate them. Eliminating distractions could mean decluttering your physical space or limiting your digital distractions. By creating a clear and focused environment, you can enhance your clarity of purpose.

Clarity is essential for success and personal growth. It is up to you to go from dreaming to making your dreams come true. Clarity is a powerful force for imagining the future you want. It can be a gateway to productivity. With a clear sense of purpose, the decision will become more straightforward. Clarity allows you to align your choices with your goals, making it easier to weed out options that don’t contribute to your vision.

When you have clarity of purpose and direction, it empowers you to focus on personal and professional growth. It motivates you to seek opportunities for learning, skill development, and self-improvement.

How do you create clarity?

Ask and answer some of the deep, probing questions about life. Get to know yourself.

  • What are my actions?
  • Do they reflect my core values?
  • What is my purpose?
  • What is most important right now?
  • What is most important for my future?
  • Who do I want to be?

Develop a mission or vision statement for your life. Become aware of your values and beliefs.

Photo by Nila Maria on Unsplash

On a clear day, you can see tomorrow!

On a clear day, you can see Forever Lyrics by The Peddlers.

Rise and look around you
And you’ll see who you are
On a clear day
How it will astound you
That the glow of your being
Outshines every star
You’ll feel part of every mountain,
Sea and shore
You can hear
From far and near
A word you’ve never, never heard before…
And on a clear day… On a clear day…
You can see forever…

I find clarity when walking my dog. It seems as if my mind lets go of work and daily life. A time that I can be completely present. By not focusing on concerns or ideas. My term is popcorn. It seems ideas and plans just start flowing as soon as I let go.

Hours slide by like minutes. The accumulated clutter of day-to-day existence — the lapses of conscience, the unpaid bills, the bungled opportunities, the dust under the couch, the inescapable prison of your genes — all of it is temporarily forgotten, crowded from your thoughts by an overpowering clarity of purpose and by the seriousness of the task at hand.

Jon Krakauer

Conclusion

We each seek quality and life satisfaction. We are indeed a work in progress. In the journey of life, finding clarity of purpose and direction is like discovering a treasure map. It guides you and keeps you on track. Embrace the process of self-discovery.

Cyrus Aram, in a TED talk, discusses ambiguity and how to manage it, which touches on self-discovery, identifying where you are at, and setting goals. Having hope will help you move through the ambiguity. Uncertainty Tolerated: The Surprising Clarity when Managing Ambiguity, Cyrus Aram.

Cyrus Aram: Uncertainty Tolerated: The Surprising Clarity when Managing Ambiguity | TED Talk

Recommended Reading

Focus, The Hidden Driver of Excellence, by Goleman, Daniel

Stolen Focus, Why You Can’t Pay Attention and How to Think Deeply Again, by Hari, Johann

Deep Work, Rules for a Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Newport, Cal

#purpose, #selfdiscovery, #clarity, #purpose, #settinggoals, #definingyourself, #corevalues, #selfreflection, #personalgrowth, #skilldevelopment, #selfimprovement