Just Be Brave….

It’s the third week in January and my goals for 2022 are set. I’ve already been busy pursuing my goals with the help of a few tools in my toolbox. My question to you, is what’s in your toolbox?

You see, I am very well aware of one of my flaws – procrastination! Because of this, I need a certain amount of accountability, beyond my own willpower, to achieve my goals. In fact, I think most people would agree that without accountability, we all tend to “slack off” or make excuses.

To combat my propensity to “put things off”, I have developed of few strategies or “tools” that I use to stay on track. Here are some of things in my toolbox.

My Planner

Writing down your goals is the first step toward achievement. When we write things down, they become more firm or “fixed”. Also, I am a visual learner, so I need to see it in order to follow it.

One of the ways I do this is with my daily planner. Yes, I still use a paper planner. In fact, I use a custom planner from Agendio that is already set up to help me track my goals weekly. My planner is also understood to be the “MASTER PLAN” in our household. Robby knows to check the planner before making plans and if he ever wonders where I am, the planner will tell him!

My custom planner allows me to track my exercise, cleaning and “to do” list as well as appointments, etc. I even have blank pages for my long and short term projects. Every Sunday afternoon, I take time to look at the week ahead and plan my “to do” list and carry over anything that hasn’t been completed.

This may seem like a lot of work but visually seeing what I both need and want to do each week helps me move them to “to done”!!! Nothing makes me happier than marking something off the “to do” list.

Oh yeah, I also have a typed one-page document setting out my 2022 Goals that I keep in this planner. I purposefully read it each week to keep my goals fresh in my mind. I know, I’m a true “nerd”! LOLOL

My Phone/Computer

Because I’m a little “old school” with the planner, you may think I am not a fan of technology. That is definitely not true. While it may seem like overkill, I use the “Google” calendar on my phone and computer to track my appointments, commitments and things I need to do as well.

Yes, it takes extra time to put entries into both my planner and phone/computer, but it is definitely worth it. Since I don’t carry my planner around with me but I do carry my phone, I can easily see what’s on my agenda anywhere, anytime. This is convenient for making appointments or plans when I’m not at home.

Another benefit of using the electronic calendar, is that I can send important dates to my family to put on their calendar. As an empty nester, I can easily keep our adult children “in the loop” regarding our travel and other important events. Robby finds it very helpful when I send him calendar notifications that he needs to keep track of as well.

Apps

While we are talking about technology, another tool in my toolbox is Apps. I currently use two apps that help me track my goals. One of the apps I use is the free Health App provided on my phone. This app helps me track my health/exercise goals.

I use this app to track my daily steps, weight, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and stress. The best part is that it only takes a few minutes each day to read and log in my health levels and it automatically keeps up with my steps/activity. I can easily see daily how I’m doing and every Sunday I receive a weekly report. Love it when I meet my goals and get rewards!!!

Another app I use is Asana Rebel. This is a paid app ($30 for year) that provides yoga/pilates type exercises and all kinds of motivational and calming music as well as guided meditations.

One of my goals was to add a different kind of exercise to my daily walking routine. This app helps me do that. I am able to choose the length and difficulty of yoga/pilates sessions whenever it is convenient for me.

As an introvert, I am simply not going to attend a class, so having access to these sessions in my own home is ideal. Of course, an app is only helpful if you use it. This app gives me daily prompts to take action. It’s kind of like having a digital personal trainer. So far, I am really enjoying it!

Final Thoughts

Fully believing that “nothing drifts toward excellence”, the tools in my toolbox are vital to my success in achieving my goals. My tools help me stay accountable and measure my progress.

My hope is that by sharing what I do to stay accountable will encourage others to take action to achieve their goals. We have never lived in a time with easier access to people and resources. Take advantage of those resources and fill your toolbox with with the right tools to help you reach your goals.

I would love to hear what’s in your toolbox. Drop me a line in the comments!

Best Wishes! Leigh

Well Christmas 2021 has come and gone and now it’s time to reflect. As I put away all the gifts and Christmas decor, I also take time to think about the past year. While I don’t make “resolutions”, I do set goals for myself each year. And what’s the point of goal setting if you don’t take time to see how you fared.

The Goals

In 2021, I set four main goals for myself. Three of these goals were areas in which I wanted to “grow”. The fourth goal was to lose some weight. It’s not hard to guess where I was the most successful!

For the past 6 years, I have taken this task very seriously. I put the goals in writing and keep it in my planner. It’s not enough to simply set goals. You also must establish a plan of action. Without developing ways to pursue and measure your progress, the goals are nothing more than words on paper.

In Pursuit

One of the ways I pursued growth was through reading. In total, I read 25 book in 2021. My goal was 20 books, so this was definitely a win. The topics of the books related to spiritual growth, leadership development and writing.

I love to learn new things and really embraced the books as tools to help me grow and improve in my weakest areas. As a social introvert, I am not naturally strong in the leadership department. I learned concepts that were completely new to me and was able to put them into practice and see the fruits of my labor.

Hopefully the things I learned about writing have helped improve my blog content. If nothing else, I definitely find it easier to put a post together! Pretty sure this goal will carry over to next year as well. There is so much more that I still need to learn!

In addition to reading, I attended several virtual training events, seminars and masterclasses. I even took a few mini-classes to further grow my knowledge base. I know, I’m a true “nerd”!

Losing weight has been my biggest challenge. I did not meet my goal, however, I did lose some weight and improved my overall health. Menopause has been “kicking my butt” in this department. I’m going to blame it on the hormones and continue to pursue eating more whole foods along with adding some variety to my exercise routine.

Setting New Goals

For me, self assessment is something I enjoy. Taking time to reflect and recognize my areas of weakness doesn’t cause me to feel bad about myself, rather, it gives me a goal to work toward. After all, no one is great at everything.

So, in 2022, I will continue to work on the things that don’t come naturally. My reading goal will be 25 books. The topics will remain the same, but I plan to add a few biographies of successful women for encouragement.

Currently I have a leadership role in two small groups, so continuing to grow my leadership skills is a must. Being task driven makes me a terrific manager of processes, but leading/managing people takes a different skill set.

There is also plenty of room for growth with my writing skills. Improving and further developing my writing style will definitely go on the 2022 goals list. Perhaps a creative writing class will be in my future!

As for losing weight, I will continue to “fight the fluff”. Eating more whole foods and smaller portions is step one. Step two is to continue my daily walking routine and add some kind of low impact weight training. Adding some variety will hopefully help me achieve my goal.

Final Thoughts

Some may ask “why go to all this trouble?” My answer is that nothing drifts toward excellence. Purposeful pursuit gets you where you want to go.

Here’s a reality check, my lifetime isn’t increasing and I want to be intentional with how I use my time and abilities. A great life doesn’t happen by accident, it is created through the choices you make each day.

I hope that you too will take time to reflect and I would love to hear your goals for 2022!

Happy New Year!