Where does the time go? Already we are six months into what was the new year although it seems like it was just a few weeks ago that we were planning strategies as to how we could conquer this new year, making resolutions and deciding where this year will take us.
We are now half way through the year so it is time to take stock of where we at and what we have accomplished since we made those deliberate plans. The snow has finally disappeared; the trees are now lush and overflowing with green leaves. Flowers are blooming and the chill has gone out of the air; at least some days it appears that way. You can almost smell summer and all the excitement it brings.
Spring offers the opportunity to start anew, to put away the trappings of winter and breathe new life into our dreams, goals and desires; a time to firm up our plans, get our creative juices flowing and plan for the remainder of the year. Depending on your goals, summer may be a slow period, but that does not mean that you have to wind down. To the contrary it means that you have to get yourself prepared in advance so that you will be ready for the upswing.
Take a step back and re-evaluate what you want to do, where you want to go and how you are going to get there; step by step. To stay on track or to make up for lost time, you need to re-set your goals and construct a realistic action plan. Whether your goal is to lose weight, learn a foreign language, run a marathon, declutter your home, sew a new wardrobe, start a new business or increase your earnings the time to begin is today. Not tomorrow, today, right where you are, with what you have. Putting things off, very seldom get them completed. Remember you have only accomplished your goal when you have completed it.
Begin to focus on what you want, write it down, plan around it, set deadlines for yourself and follow though, there is not point setting a deadline or making a plan which you do not follow through on. Itemize what needs to be done to accomplish your goals.
Start planning your meals for the remainder of the week; make sure they include healthy choices, if weight loss is at the top of your list. Park your car a few blocks from where you need to go and walk, try to get in fifteen to twenty minutes of walking daily. Get yourself a pedometer and begin counting your steps. If you can, go to the gym or join your community centre, swimming is an excellent way to lose weight.
Join a group that offers the language of your choice, or buying and using a program like Rosetta Stone can be easy and fun, put aside time every day to practice your new language. There are many opportunities to join walking or running clubs or charities that challenge you to do a marathon and help very worthy causes at the same time. Get your gear together and get out there, you may find that you enjoy it so much; you want to make it a permanent part of your life.
Begin with a small area, one room, a dresser or closet and completely declutter that space before attempting another area. The problem with declutting is starting with too large a project, then it becomes daunting and you can quickly become discouraged. Sewing a new wardrobe can be challenging, but if you love to sew and you attempt items that are not too complicated and you are consistent, in a short period of time you will find that you own an expanded wardrobe of which you can be proud.
If your goal is to go into business for yourself, begin by doing your homework, find out if your plans are viable, get input from others in the same industry; be sure that you have a reserve of cash not only to invest in your business but to tide you over for at least six months in the unlikely event that your business does not take of as you expected.
A goal for increased income, needs quite a bit of planning; you must know the how; how you are going to make the increase; the where; what avenue streams are open and accessible to you; what sacrifices you will need to make in order to gain your desired increase.
Each new day is a new opportunity to start afresh, so carp diem.
Joanna Parris is a leading expert when it comes to good manners and proper etiquette. She is a speaker, an author and offers training programs and interactive workshops for anyone needing to enhance their image and etiquette. Joanna can be reached at joanna@bossselfpro.com
Tags: accomplishing goals, making goals a reality, Setting goals
