Putting Hopes into Action

If you don't set goals at least once a year, I have news for you.  You're wandering around aimlessly.  I mean, no offense.  I know we're all busy. But you need to decide where you want to go or you'll never end up there.

Today, we want to focus on just one year. This year.  Don't know where to start with making goals?  Think about some things you would like to change.  Tired of being broke?  Wish you could be more organized?  What are some things you might want to start doing?  What are some things that you want to stop doing?
Now breathe.
Relax.
I won't leave you.
I promise.

I break my goals into categories.  Here's how I do it:

• Home - These are projects I want to do this year around my house.  It might be as large as re-doing your kitchen or as small as having a coffee bar somewhere.
• Me – Ladies, you cannot skip this category.  The first thing to go in our lives is…well…us.  What are some things you want to do for yourself?  Take time to get your nails done once a month?  Read more?  Always wanted to do one of those painting classes (you know, the ones that involve drinking wine?) Well, why aren’t you?  BE SELFISH.  I give you permission.
• Health -  This is usually my shortest list and usually says the same thing every year (insert laughter here)...eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more water, go to bed by 9.  What are things you can do for a healthier, more energetic you?  
• Social – These are things I want to do with other people, including hubs.  Want to have date nights? Want to spend more time with friends?   Always wanted to go to a cooking class with a girlfriend?
• Finances – Do you need to pay off some debt?  Buy a new car?  Have more money?

Here's the awesome news.  You do not have to figure out how you're going to do all this yet.  That would be overwhelming!  Get a piece of paper and write down goals in these categories (or make up your own!). And yes, you HAVE to write them down.  My goals take up a whole page. Some are really "small" and some are going to require more work.  Write down everything you can think of, this is like a brain dump.  Give yourself at least a good hour and some peace and quiet and think about what it is you want.  What would your ideal you look like?  What would make your year awesome?  This is not meant to be a quick assignment. Sorry.  But you don't have to do it all in one sitting.  Breathe again.

Now, the thing with goals is, you have to be specific.  “Need more money” needs to look more like “Need $100 more a month”.  But if you start out vague, that is ok.  (Keep reading.)  The other thing about goals is...you gotta look at them.  I know, right?!  Geez.  You need to put these goals somewhere you will see them.  Often.  Because seeing them often is key.  I keep mine in my discovery journal, because I am in that a lot.  When you are flipping through your discovery journal, you can look at your goal page.  The more you look at it, the more you will get ideas on how and when to accomplish these things.  Remember, you are still and quiet when you are looking through your journal.  Things will come to you. One of my goals this year is to have at least one date a month with my hubs. Sounds easy, right?  Wrong.  I know because that was one of my goals last year.  I kind of sucked at it.  Oh, I was great in Jan. and Feb....but then, what happened (sound familiar?)?  Remember...be specific.  (I thought "once a month" was specific!) This year, I decided that every last Saturday of the month was date night.  And yes, I got my calendar and wrote it in on every last Saturday.  But when I first wrote my goal it just said "date nights with Chris".  Things will come to you.

OK.  Again we are breathing.

This year I decided to put my most important goals in a picture frame.  I saw this idea here:
                            New Years Goals Photo Display
and totally loved it.  Also, taking her idea (and adding to it a little), I put my 'frame' goals into this format:

• Start:
• Stop:
• Learn how to:
• Try:
• Be More:
• Project:
• Trip:
• Bucket List:

I loved this format for my "main things" and felt it was a great way to focus for the year.

Based on how many goals you want to display, get a collage picture frame.  I went to Hobby Lobby and found a frame that had 9 spaces.  I got it on sale half price, it was about $12.  Now there are probably a million ways to print out your "cards" but I did mine on  PicMonkey.  I didn't know anything about using PicMonkey and it was super easy.  And pretty fun.  (go to design and select 4x6 canvas).  You can make a background color and add text in all different fonts.  You can make patterns, frames or add pictures like hearts, stars, etc.  Here is one of mine after I cut it out of cardstock:                                                                

Trust me, if I say it is super easy on the computer, it's super easy on the computer.  Check it out! PicMonkey  Or save yourself a ton of money on ink and print it on already colored paper.

And here is my final product....

Again, $12 frame...some white cardstock and a color printer.  That's it.  I love how it turned out and I love that I can look at my "main things" for 2015 every day.  Now, what I would REALLY love would be if the colors actually matched something in my house.  Word to the wise...think about where you are going to hang this first, THEN pick out your color scheme.  I'm not sure what the thought process was in my head when I picked green and blue.  Sigh...

We start each new year full of hope.  We hope for wonderful, new things.  We might hope things get better.  We might hope that things change.  But we hope.  This year, let's put our hope into action.

Here's to making dreams come true!
K