Life can get weird. We fall, and even sometimes get pushed off track, we become unsure of ourselves, and things just happen. After I graduated, I felt like I wasn’t sure what I was doing, and I was really hoping that I wasn’t the only one who felt this way at this point in life. I mean, as graduates, we’re supposed to have everything figured out, right?
Not quite. I quickly began sharing, or maybe more like speed venting, to a client of mine who has also come to be a close friend (shout out to you Mark!). He listened carefully as I told him my thoughts and concerns during rest periods of his lower body supersets. I could see his gears turning, and suddenly he was throwing ideas at me left and right. Ideas to help me get me out of my comfort zone, to help me to discover new things that I may enjoy but had never done before. Cooking classes, expanding my knowledge in photography, going out and meet new people, taking a night class on something that interests me. Hookin me up with alllll the ideas in the book.
Considering I felt like I was all over the place and just straight up CONFUSED about what I was doing, he told me the best first step was to go buy a notebook right after work. He told me this notebook should be used and only used to organize my goals, thoughts and plans for the next few years. The thought overwhelmed me, yet simultaneously made me feel a wee better (organization is my ish). I got pretty excited, and you best believe I went to CVS to get that notebook right after work.
I may add, that CVS doesn’t really have any appealing notebooks. And if I can teach you anything, it’s that Marshalls will NEVER let you down, in all aspects of the shopping world. Check my cover photo for the super cute (and also totally perfectly themed) notebook I found there.
I have always been one to journal and have a million notebooks. I actually have separate notebooks for work, for the gym, for personal journaling, for nutrition, so why not add this one to the pile? That being said I kiiiiinda took the whole thing a step further, and organized this notebook month by month for the next year. I’m also a holiday junkie, so each season got added into the notebook for all basic activities that are ABSOLUTELY necessary (watch hocus pocus, drink apple cider, might be basic but don’t like no Starbucks). Add em to the list 🙂
I made REALISTIC goals for work, personal thangs, the gym, saving money, etc. I referred to my lists throughout the month, and checked off everything I accomplished or felt that I had improved on as soon as I flipped the calendar over. For me, focusing month by month was a lot less overwhelming than focusing on the big picture. If I felt I hadn’t given much attention to a certain goal, I added it to the next month until I was able to cross it off and feel like I had made a change for the better!
I’m not exactly sure if I’ll ever be able to cross off some of the goals on my list, but breaking it down (literally and figuratively) definitely eases some stress, and helps me to realize that these things take time! Below I’ll share a few goals that I have reached, or have become just shy of reaching:
- Be confident at work
- Avoid rushing, leave earlier
- Clean out my closet
- Wake up on Monday, and be happy that I’m ABLE to start another week
- Be more decisive
- Take money from every paycheck… save that flow.
- Live in the moment
- Realize that failure is OK!!!!!
- Make a fall sangria 🙂
- Unplug.
- No more online shopping
- O mist with Steve Tadros
- Don’t be afraid to ask a question
- Relax your mind!!!
- Start a new hobby
- Plan a trip
- Try to find the positives and cancel out them negatives!
OK, so I definitely haven’t stopped online shopping. But…… I’m working on it (I said these things take time didn’t I??).
Take Mark’s advice and go buy a notebook. Break it down, whichever way you please.
ames 