HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It's that time again!
Maybe 2021 was better than 2020? I don't know. This Covid/Quarantine mess just doesn't seem to want to end. As always, I'm holding out hope that 2022 will be the best yet, and I'm already working on a project list for the months ahead.
So, if you're like me and want to accomplish all the things this year, here are five things to keep in mind:
1. Write the Goals Down
It's proven that just in writing your goals down, you're more likely to accomplish them. Make a list and keep it handy. (But don't overload yourself. Limit your list to the three to ten things you MOST want to accomplish.)
2. Make them Specific
Don't just say you want to "read more" or "write more." Write down how many books you want to read a week. Determine how many words you want to write a day, and which story (or stories) you want to write.
3. Create a Plan and Set Deadlines
What will it take to read a certain number of books in a year? Trips to the library? Penciling "reading time" into your schedule? If I wanted to read six books a month, that's one book every five days. With due dates, that's two individual trips to the library. The first and fifteenth could be designated library days. I could find a quiet place and read for thirty minutes after dinner every evening. . . .
Get an action plan together.
4. Get Out of the Way
I fully believe that we are in control of our own destiny. I'm not a fan of assigning blame or even letting past events or situations affect our today and tomorrow. Don't sabotage your goals with a negative mindset.
Believe in yourself.
And that voice in your head that says you can't? He's a liar. Tell him to shut the hell up.
5. Remember WHY These Goals Were Set
Maybe it's to become more well-rounded. Maybe it's to step outside of a comfort zone. The "why" is just as important as the "what" and "how." This is what you will return to when the road gets tough.
So . . . what do you want to accomplish in 2022?
Your goals don't have to be reading or writing-related, either. Make this the year you get healthy--both physically and spiritually. Make this the year you save for that trip. Learn that language. Work for that promotion. Make that career change. Go back to school.
Step into your "discomfort" zone.
Live intentionally.
Figure out what matters most to you and make those tough decisions (if necessary).
Get moving.
And, as always: Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
