Better late than never.
Happy New Year!!
I've been revelling in finally having a break, a chance to start some new routines and most exciting of all, not having to worry about work or returning to work... not just yet anyway.
I have a few weeks before I start my new role and although I was initially worried about what I would do in terms of productivity and finances - everything has worked out perfectly and on my terms. A blessing. Truly!
So with all this time off I've been researching and implementing new ways to stay on top of everything and focused on all the things I want this year. I mean, hello? World domination ain't no walk in the park!
I thought I'd share some ideas and resources to help us all plan for a better year, no excuses!
Reflecting
This is something I do often, whether on here or in conversation. I think it's good practice to do this throughout the year and not just the week before New Years. I tend to be proactive about any changes around September - it's just before my birthday and still gives me enough time to experiment with new methods and systems and see what's most effective to continue with. Thinking about my systems is somewhat of a new process for me and was inspired by my current read 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear (I put off reading this for the longest but highly recommend!). The book talks a lot about how the right systems being put in place to achieve a goal is just as, if not, more important than the actual goal itself.
A systems-first mentality provides the antidote. When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don't have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. You can be satisfied anytime your system is running. And a system can be successful in many different forms, not just the one you first envision.
Simple enough right?
I think going back and considering systems in the past that have worked for you is just as important as looking at what hasn't worked. As we all know, there are times when I have been an inconsistent Queen, even with things like completing my morning routine and having to cut it short because I hadn't given myself enough time to one particular morning. Before you know it, I've gone a whole month without remembering to do my 5 minute yoga practice
, even though I know it helped play a big part in maintaining a positive mood before heading to work 🤦🏾♀️.
The Year Compass is a excellent tool to get you thinking about 2021 and how you can make 2022 better for you. It's FREE.99 (but they accept donations!) and you can fill it out digitally or print it out. It is a little lengthy but has some great prompts that will definitely get you thinking not just about your objectives but your systems too.
Vision Board
At this point, I'm sure we're all aware of that these are and how people have successfully used them as a reference point for manifesting what they want and practicing the law of attraction. This is the first time I tried creating a physical one and it's a really empowering experience. Mine kind of turned into a to-do-list/words of affirmation collage but that's the beautiful thing about it, it's YOUR vision and YOU make it YOURS in order to fulfil YOUR goals. Again, there are many different formats you can try out, I've seen scrap books, apps that let you create virtual ones and you could make it even more intentional and create a long term vision board like a 5-year-plan one.
High Self Vision Board is a great app I've been using for about 2 years now that let's you create yours digitally. I like it because it's simple to use and it comes with tips on techniques and how to maximise the potential of you having your dream life. You can also set reminders for AM and PM to remind yourself daily on what you're working towards and create multiple boards.
Journaling
There are a huge variety of offerings on the market for journals - there are gratitude journals, productivity planners, financial planners, self care journals - you name it! But the point remains the same, there is power in writing something down!!
I've been journaling years and years before I knew there was any correlation between it and creating a better life for myself and I strongly encourage it. Whether you do it to record your thoughts for the day or to plan how you'll tackle the next 3 months it motivates you to not only reflect and improve but to hold yourself accountable and keep focused. Emphasis on those last two, because of the current climate of the world it's super easy to get distracted or become unmotivated but remembering your whys should give you the boost to keep going (note to self!)
I'm still on the look out for the "perfect" physical journal - I promise, that's not an excuse to not get one. I plan on buying one before the start of next week. I'm just determined to find one that isn't mundane and will encourage me to keep wanting to fill it out. I've got my eye on The 6 Minute Diary on Amazon which has gone down in price (is that a sign?). The reviews are mostly positive but it seems quite repetitive. Don't be surprised if I end up just creating my own!
My digital planner is courtesy of WomenMakingMoves on Etsy, the Personal Development & Goal Setting Planner/Journal using Law of Attraction Techniques, which I bought last year. You have to buy GoodNotes in order to use it so it's perfect if you have an iPad or tablet device. It's really convenient and truly combines the planner, vision board and manifestation aspects all in one so you're getting the most out of it. There's so many helpful pages and prompts for you to fill out such as 'Letter to Future Self' how to create morning and night time routines, end of day reflection etc. You can add more pages as it suits you and alter it to your liking. I would love this in a physical format!
It's also black-owned!
Check out some more black-owned options:
Calendar Planning
Some people like things way more simpler, I get it, so this is a great idea if this is you.
Buying a large calendar and placing it somewhere in your house or room that you can look at daily is just as effective. All you really need to do is mark down important events, appointments, deadlines etc on the day they fall and keep it moving. It's ideal for reminders, especially if you get creative and colour code your entries according to what they are, e.g. blue for appointments, green for birthdays, red for deadlines and so on. I'm yet to try out this method as I'm so used to using the calendar app on my phone, however, as I have actually missed appointments/events in the past because I hadn't recorded it elsewhere, I do want to try this out.
There are tons of offerings for apple and android users as well as other types of devices out there, it's important to use what works for you and not to believe the hype. We all have different ways to get to the same destination, hence the variety available so don't feel pressured into forcing something that doesn't work for you even though it may have worked for someone you know. There's beauty in the journey and discovering what's helpful and what isn't, so embrace it and do you, boo!
Having said that, feel free to let me know if any of the suggestions above have worked for you or what tools you use to plan out your year/goals.
Wishing you a successful and blessed 2022!
🥂