Make 2017 Your Best Year!

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To get started, buy yourself a pretty notebook and write down the steps below. This way, you’re able to hold yourself accountable.

1. Reflect on 2016

Your experiences from 2016 can help you create an amazing 2017, but you have to be willing to evaluate your experiences and work on your own personal development.

To evaluate your last year, grab a calendar, pull one up on the internet or on your cell phone and analyze how you spent your time each month, week, day.

Once you’ve taken a look back at your year, ask yourself how you did in the following life categories:

  1. Health (Physical, Emotional and Spiritual wellbeing)
  2. Family Relationships
  3. Social Relationships
  4. Service (giving back to your community)
  5. Finance
  6. Career
  7. Personal Development
  8. Recreation (fun!)

Now, for each category, ask yourself the following two questions.

  1. What positives did you accomplish in this category?
  2. What are some things in this category that disappointed you?

Make a header for each category and write down your answers. Once you’ve taken inventory from the last year, it’s time to move on to step two.

 

2. Design Your Ideal Life

What are your deepest desires? How do you want to be remembered? Write down any dreams or visions you have for your life.

EXAMPLES:

  1. Find authentic and intimate love
  2. Become financially independent
  3. Emotional Mastery
  4. Connect with your higher self
  5. Make the world a better place

Writing down the vision you have for your life gives you a sense of direction and you’ll begin to live life with intention. The clearer you are about what you want, the more likely it is that you will live a fulfilling life.

 

3. Set SMART Goals

To set goals, use the SMART method.

  • S- Specific
  • M- Measurable
  • A- Achievable
  • R- Realistic
  • T- Timely

Write down realistic goals and give them a deadline, deadlines will hold you accountable.

EXAMPLE:

Save $3,000 for a year-end vacation by January 1, 2018 by putting $250/ month into a savings account.

You want to set goals that push you outside of your comfort zone, but not so far that they’re unattainable. 

 

4. Find Your Reason

You need to know why you want what you want, without it, it won’t be possible for you to accomplish your goals because your reason won’t be strong enough. Think about all of the things you listed above that you want to do with your life and ask yourself why.

EXAMPLE:

Tammy has to work for herself, her reason isn’t because she wants financial freedom or to build a business for her family. Her Reason is because she relied on someone to provide for her and when the relationship ended she was left with nothing.  Now, she can’t work for other people because she has to be in financial control. Realising this makes her focus and commitment greater.

Knowing your reasons propel you forward, they keep you going when things get tough.

 

5. Implement

Finally, you need to set these wheels in motion!

EXAMPLE:

Use your digital calendar in your cell phone and put in your deadlines for goal accomplishment, also use monthly check-ins to reflect and revise your plans based on your progess.

 

Recap

Follow these steps to make 2017 your best year:

      1. Reflect on 2016
      2. Design Your Ideal Life
      3. Set SMART goals
      4. Find Your Reason
      5. Implement

Living intentionally and designing your life isn’t limited to the beginning of a new year. YOU are in control of your own destiny.  Cheers to making 2017 your best year ever!