Welcome 2017!

I love January. I think it’s the fact that everything has settled down after the holidays, when my kids were younger it was nice to have the house back to normal and to get back to my routine as they returned to school. It’s still the same though my youngest is a sophomore in college.

I’ve always been a goal setter and I guess it could kind of be like a resolution but really these are concrete things that I write down and I’m not at all bragging when I say I usually accomplish all of the things on my list. It’s not that I’m some sort of super woman (though if you want to picture me wearing a cape that’s okay by me!) it’s just that I know myself and what it takes to motivate me.

Here are some tips to help you with your goals for this year:

Make a list. I like making lists, I like checking things off on the list. And I do that frequently. Every week I review my goal list for the year and I break it down into chunks that I will work on during the week. I take a monthly look at my goals, put it on a Post-It note and then stick it on the bottom of m computer monitor so while I’m working I can see it. These things keep me focused on what I need to be doing each day. Working from home means that I could watch YouTube videos, playing online card games or do nothing all day and no one would know. So these daily reminders keep me on track.

Review your goals and it’s okay to strike something off the list. I love the idea of walking every day but I live in the UK where it is cold and rainy most of the time and I grew up in Florida wearing flip flops most days and enjoying the sun and heat. So the reality is no matter how many layers I put on if it’s cold and rainy I’m probably not going to leave my house and go for a walk. But somehow in January that seems like an achievable goal. So I put it on my list and then start getting frustrated that I’m not walking. And if you are frustrated by your goals list chances are you aren’t going to want to review it and won’t achieve the things on there. That’s why this year I didn’t write walk every day I chose to do something healthy for my body. I put down yoga, which I love and is easy to do inside :). Stair climbing – we have a three-story house. And dancing which is just for fun and helps get my brain active in the afternoon when I need to do one more writing sprint.

Do something that scares/excites/challenges you. This one is harder for me. I’m a creature of habit and hate change. I don’t think that’s unique to me. I’m pretty sure that everyone isn’t a huge fan of change. But finding something that scares or challenges me is always in the back of my mind. Sometimes it’s reading a book on a topic that I really don’t know much about. Other times it’s trying my hand at a type of art that I think amateurs shouldn’t attempt.

Lastly, have fun. The goals should be a list of things that make you enjoy your life. I’m not someone who things I have to be happy all the time but I do like to feel like I’m living the good life. For me that can mean something as simple has having a video chat with my daughter, mom or good friends. Or even eating a really good chocolate truffle. Sometimes it’s having a cheeky text exchange with my husband. I should have mentioned earlier that I always put my friends and family on my goal list. I try to keep the connections with them strong. Living in another country means that sometimes it’s very isolating and reaching out to others keeps me feeling connected to my real world.

I hope that 2017 brings you lots of love and laughter and fun.