Intention and Goal Setting For 2019 and Beyond
This is the blog post in which I list off what my intentions and goals are for the new year. Well, I'm not sure what they all are yet. Somewhere in the past month, I started to feel bad that I didn't have my list of goals ready to go. I live for this stuff, so what's the deal?
I picked up my notebook where I have been writing lists and notes for the past few years and came across 2018's goals and intentions lists. I accomplished a few things. Goals like relaunching my blog (hi, thanks for being here) and purchasing investment pieces (not all our furniture is from IKEA). I intended to be kind to my body and prioritize my mental and physical health. I changed my mindset around money and in June started my yoga practice.
Some things I did not accomplish. I did not pay off my debt. That has made it to many a list over the years. I didn't hit the number of Instagram followers that I wanted. I didn't try something new each week. So why did some things work out for me and others didn't? I think it was I had a reason, and because of that, I knew what I was working toward.
Earlier today, I was listening to the RISE podcast by Rachel Hollis with guest Brendon Burchard. He said that New Year's resolutions are usually people trying to fix a problem. They are reactive and not motivational and most likely not related to their lifelong dreams. I knew that I needed to change my mindset around money because it will affect me for the rest of my days. I won't be able to pay off any debt if my mindset around money is negative. I'm in a much better place mentally to be able to pay off my debt than I ever was beforehand. I knew I needed to work out because I don't want to feel tired and blah all the time, but I never had the motivation. There is a gym in my apartment building, and I never use it. It took me finding Bikram for me to connect to a practice that resonated with me. Since practicing yoga regularly, I started making other choices to better my health.
Figure out what you want to accomplish, what is your dream, and then list out the steps needed to get to your end goal. So let's use getting out of debt as the end goal, what do I need to do to make that reality?
End Goal: Pay off debt
How do I get there?
- Keep an active, positive mindset about money
- Know exactly how much I owe and to whom
- Take Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover out of the library
- Promote services four times a week on LinkedIn and Facebook
- Find out if I can get a lower interest rate
- Make a budget and stick to it
When do I want this done? July 2019
I know I get discouraged when I make a due date and it doesn't happen. I love to remind myself that time is a social construct and means nothing, but billers definitely believe in time and want their money now.
Having a strong why is going to help me pay off debt. The why isn't so I can be debt free. I want genuine freedom. I want to never worry about paying for that dinner or buying myself new clothing for the winter. I want to be able to take care of my family and friends. Having debt is limiting me from living my best life.
The reason why we set goals and intentions is to guide ourselves into living the life of our dreams. It is a constant practice, not something that happens because it's a new year. No matter the time you come across this blog post, you are capable of making the choices to get you to the place in life where you want to be. So don't feel bad if you don't know what your goals are for the new year or what your guiding word will be (I don't know what mine is). A bolt of lightning will not strike you as the clock ticks to midnight on NYE if you haven't declared to all your Instagram followers what you will achieve in 2019. Take some time off when you can and figure out what are the big things you want to accomplish, figure out your why, and then list out the steps you need to take to make it happen.
Here are some resources to help you out.
MuchelleB's how to reset your life for 2019 YouTube playlist. I rewatched a number of these videos.
These two episodes of the RISE podcast: What I Did Right and What I Did Wrong in 2018 and Daily Habits that Change the Game with Brendon Burchard.
This oldie but a goodie blog post from Jasmine Star on how to set goals.
