2019 could be your best year yet. The tool to make it a great year – it’s planning. Here are my 10 steps on how to prepare your year.
You might think, why is planning so essential in a world where everything seems available at our fingertips.
You might think, all will work out somehow.
You might think, you don’t have time to plan with work, family and other activities going on daily. You’re happy keeping your head just above the water.
Too tired and exhausted to plan?
Are you one of the moms who want to lose weight, exercise more, focus a bit more on themselves, change jobs and just feeling calmer and more joy? Yes – but everything will start tomorrow.
I know, I’ve been there. Yet the truth is, it won’t happen by itself. It needs planning and preparation.
Some of us resist change because they feel it bounds them to the plan and they feel confined and restricted in their spontaneity or liberty.
Well, often it turns out, that if you run around the whole day or week like a hamster in a hamster wheel, doing this and that, that you’re not going anywhere. And you’re not
That’s the beauty with plans, there a guide a path you can go down and always adjust on the way.
It can create more space in your life with the option to be more spontaneous if you want to. How strict you will be with your plan and how detailed you will be is up to you. But having an idea and a path as a guide throughout the year can make all the difference, to make room for all the things that are important to you.
So let’s plan, take that little extra time and effort now and enjoy the ride later.
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Review
Before looking into the future, let’s look back.
What did go well and what didn’t?
Have a quick look back at last month, last 6 month or even last year. What are the highlights of this time? What worked well? What were some of the struggles you were facing?
What are your accomplishments?
Are you like me and always focus on what could be better or should be changed? Sometimes it’s great to stop and look at what is already working and what you have achieved?
Giving birth to a child, wow that’s a considerable accomplishment.
You have been more outside on walks and hikes with your kids than before? Fantastic, that’s the way to go.
What do I want to continue with?
Now have a look at the two answers from above and see what you want to continue.
Dream
Dream, envision, get creative and wild in your head.
How is your perfect live looking tomorrow, in a month in a year, in 5 years or even 10 years?
The more specific you envision your year, the easier will be to take baby steps towards the dream.
How are your mornings looking? Do you want to expand your family? Wish to start a new sport? Do you want to have more dinners together at home? How about more date nights?
Whatever it is, in your dreams everything is possible.
Dream, brainstorm all the ideas you would like to do the next 6 or 12 month.
Best have a notepad ready and write them down.
Like the 3 week vacation, more weekend hikes, a great birthday party, painting the kitchen, buying a new car, declutter your house, eat healthier, exercise more.
Plan
Choose your word of the year
I like to set a theme for the year. What is it that describes how my year should look like? It could be to do the less, connection, communication, growth, rest, new beginnings. Read my blog Word of the year to find out more.
Desired Feelings
Look at your list above, how do you want to feel this year? Full of joy or more grounded, calm or energetic. Choose 3 to 4 words to describe how you want to feel this year.
Decide
Now go through your list from your dreaming exercise and check to what you want to commit and what you can let go. See what is aligned with how you want to feel.
Further, check in with your why. Why do you want to commit and why is that important. You may realize it’s not as important as you thought it is.
Cross everything out that doesn’t lighten you up or would just feel like a burden.
And think long term, starting a new exercise may feel like a burden in the short time, but you may meet new people and feel fitter and healthier and fit into these jeans and I assume that would spark joy in the long run.
Put it into the calendar
Time to put it all into one calendar. You can download the year plan I’m using or any other.
When do you want to go on holiday? When do you want to start preparing for Christmas? Planning a birthday party? Write it down.
Add everything from your list into the calendar.
Be aggressive, but realistic. Don’t overdo it or you set yourself up to fail.
Hang it up
Now that your calendar is filled out using it as your guide throughout the year, hang it somewhere where you can see it.
Bit more details
What do you need to make your dreams happening? What will be your support system? What will be your self-care system that gets you through the tough times?
What do you need to do to make your dreams happening?
Write down the actions you want to take that get you closer to your dreams.
For example, if you want to exercise more, you can commit to signing up for a gym or an exercise class, you can engage with a friend to walk together once a week or go to a Personal Trainer.
Do you want to feel more present with your family? An action could be to set clear boundaries and say no to everything that takes you away from your family. Or you could add a family game night.
In the next posts, we will look at monthly and weekly planning, there we will go into the details and make sure you have the space to go towards with your dreams.
Until then, good luck and enjoy.
Make it fun, put music on and get crazy.
Talk soon
Cathleen
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