With 2018 just hours away, the pose-mortem questions are surrounding us – ‘Where did the year go?’ ‘What could I have done differently this year?’ I remember having a timeline of things that I wanted to accomplish by the age of 30. According to society, by the time that you are 30, you should be in a committed relationship or married with at least one child and another on the way. You should be in control of your career (as opposed to your “job”). Since I am older and wiser (semi), I thought I’d share some knowledge of what I know now but didn’t know back then.
Here are 5 daily goals for 2018. Setting these daily goals will help you leap into 2018 like the BOSS that you are.
1. Invest in people who treat you well
“….have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” – Steve Jobs
Social media will have you spending money that you don’t have to impress people that you don’t even like. Stop it. Stop living vicariously through others and create your own happiness instead of turning to external factors and people. Now is the time to be grateful for what you have, love yourself and accept who you are. Learn to say “No” to people and situations that do not add value to your life. Enforce boundaries and dedicate your time to people who make you happy instead of those who suck the happiness out of you while overlooking your worth. If someone isn’t making time for you then guess what – They Don’t Want To! You should not have to fight for a position in someone’s life. Good friendships are hard to come by but there are so many people in this world and therefore no shortage of friends to be made.
2. Stop with the Lack of forward thinking
“Learn from the past, live in the present and plan for the future” – Audrey Farrell
You can’t figure out the future because you never know what can happen, there are just too many variables that cause life to not go according to plan. This is the same uncertainty that forces us to be prepared. You should have a 1, 3 and 5 year plan. Now is the time to make things happen instead of waiting for someone else to create an opportunity for you. Think about what you want in life and not what others want for you. Forward thinking enables us to make decisions that are based on long-term initiatives. Go to a quiet place and make a list of long-term and immediate goals. Here are some tips for making you very own vision board to help you visualize that list of goals.
3. Financial Security
Based on GDP per capita, The United States is number 10 on the list of most affluent countries in the world. Claim piece of that wealth by starting a path on the road to not living check to check. You should be contributing a portion of your salary to saving for retirement, decreasing your debt, a weekly spending budget, savings and bills.
It is up to you to make the decision to make a commitment to work towards a goal of financial freedom and security. The urge is always there to spend all of the money that you make immediately – this is called immediate gratification. Instead of immediate, try delayed gratification. Discipline yourself or you will never be financially free. Try these 7 steps to gaining financial security.
4. Respect your Health
There is no time like the present to start caring more about nutrition. Start eating healthier, drinking more water and bringing fruits and vegetables into your diet. You can gradually get rid of unhealthy foods. I am not suggesting that you give up cake or ice cream but maybe try eating the low-fat version. When combined with physical exercise, a healthy diet can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and will also assist in reducing your risk of getting diseases like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. By making smart food choices, you can help protect yourself from a multitude of health problems. Try incorporating these 8 healthy eating goals into your diet.
5. Let Go of The Past
There’s no time like the present to let go of bad habits, negative experiences, people and unhealthy relationships. Letting go of the past will make you more present with yourself. Stop allowing the fear of what happened in the past to take over your mind and dictate your actions in the present. Good, bad or indifferent, your past has shaped you into the person you are today. In order to move forward you must embrace and appreciate everything that has aided in you becoming the person that you are today.
We can’t change the past but we can take responsibility and learn from it and this leaves room for your present to flourish and your future to become clearer.
In order to move forward into this new year you must dispassionately assess yourself, learn from your mistakes and move ahead with grace and dignity. Keep yourself open to change and always push to do better. I challenge you to make just one simple change in your life that will make you happier. Always embrace change and transformation.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you home and a future,” – Jeremiah 29:11
Happy New Year Coordinated Brides!
