Time to pause and reflect
Pausing in life is hard to do. We have commitments which demand our attention and friends who we love to see and spend time with. But taking the time to stop and pause can be so beneficial to our mental health and also beneficial to planning our lives. I know that im guilty of charging on ahead and not stopping to really think about what the next year, or 5, or 10 will have in store. I feel like we need to look at our futures in order to make sure we are living in the present and using our time, even our down time well. Its been nearly 3 months in lockdown and I don't feel like I have achieved much. That's not to say I haven't done anything, because I have done a lot! But I don't feel like I have used this time to my advantage.
So now I am asking you all to join me in some reflection and planning. How?
- Get a notebook, a coffee or tea, or wine and write down one thing you want to achieve today.
- Then five things you want to achieve this year.
- Then ten things you want to achieve in the next 5 years.
- Then finally 20 things you want to achieve in the next 10 years.
These don't have to be great all arching ambitions. I know my dad recently told me he wants to learn to make risotto! It could be giving the house a deep clean or finishing a university degree or starting a small business. I know most of us would want to clear debt and get on top of money but make these goals into a plan.
Which brings me to the next step. Make a plan. Break those goals down into steps to get them done.
I will visit my budget monthly to see where I can save money.
I will research the market before renewing my home/ car insurance
I will register for a business accounting course to achieve my goal of running a business from home
I will make a business plan for my etsy store
I will learn to make a new meal every week this year
I will save $50 a week and learn to speak Japanese for a trip to Japan in 1 year
I will save $5000 this year by not eating out and making a balanced meal plan
I will write in my nature journal at least once a week
I will get a job at..... by taking any opportunity to learn that my work provides
Remember though, these don't need to be set in stone. You can go back and change and update them depending on where your life leads you. But by writing them down you create a visual reference which creates order to your thoughts. You might think a goal is just a dream, something you would like to do but never really gave thought to how you would get there. Well, this is the time to make that plan!
This is also a super excuse to buy pretty stationary and pens, just saying haha
Some other posts you might find helpful:
Saving money on your groceries
13 time saving hacks for busy mums
Going back to Uni
