Every year people get very excited about the approaching New Year. We consider it a time to reinvent ourselves, take our lives to the next level and create a ‘new me’. The reality is, those resolutions soon get thrown out the window and we quickly fall back into our old ways.
So, instead of making resolutions this year why not create a plan instead? This is no wooly resolution, this is a well thought out and organized plan for 2020. Resolutions don’t work because they lack real thought and dedication.
All you need is an afternoon of planning time with paper and pen. Here are the 4 main areas of your life you should consider.
Love and Relationships
What goals do you have for your love life and relationships? This could be to find a new partner, date more or date less depending on your current situation. You should also consider your existing relationships. Is your marriage strong? If not, what would make it stronger? How is your relationship with your kids? How often do you see and spend time with your friends?
When it comes to love and relationships there is always room to strengthen those relationships. Think of goals that will help improve your current relationships or help you find new love this year. Quality relationships are essential to our happiness.
Parenting
Nobody is a perfect parent and there is always room to improve. This year why not set goals that help you build stronger bonds with your children? This doesn’t always include spending more time with them, it could mean spending less time with them too. Maybe you should prioritize time for yourself this year, dedicate bonding times with your kids, ask for more support from friends and focus on one aspect of parenting you found challenging in 2019.
If you are thinking about having kids this year, plan in that trip to the fertility clinic, go on parenting workshops, speak with other mothers and join online parenting communities.
Health and Exercise
One of the most common areas for improvement for people in the New Year. Instead of saying to yourself “I’m going to get fit this year’ make a specific plan that details exactly how you are going to do that. Will you join a spinning class, military boot camp or just do exercise videos at home using YouTube. Getting fit does not have to mean killing yourself in the gym.
When you plan your health goals think about the foods you eat, the amount of food and times when you eat. Do you have a good relationship with food or is it making you unhealthy? Make goals that aim to overcome any bad food habits.
Finance
Money makes the world go round and it certainly feels like it stops when we struggle to make ends meet. Ask yourself, are you financially in control? Most of us aren’t, we don’t budget, we don’t plan, we don’t save and we have no nest egg to fall back on. It’s all very stressful.
This year, make goals that work towards financial freedom. Start putting away a small amount each month into a savings account, research into investment opportunities and see if there are anyways to reduce any debt you may have. If you don’t take control of your finances they will certainly take control of you.
Don’t Stop There!
Your plan for 2020 can include far more than the 4 areas above. You should also consider your goals for your social life, intellectual stimulation, career, quality of life, emotional life and spirituality. The more you plan and the more goals you set the more control you will gain over your life. Take control.
This is a collaborative post.
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