4th Quarter of 2023 - Plan to Succeed with Joy
Three Months Left!!!
What is most important for you to accomplish by year-end? And how are you going to get it done? If you follow the method below, you can do it WITHOUT feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and burnt-out. The last few years have been unbelievably hard, and this year promises to be just as, if not more, hectic. Almost all in-person events are back and your calendar is about to get CRAZY if you don't plan and create space for YOU.
Realistic Goal Setting
Getting clear about what you really want and need to accomplish this year is key to ensuring it happens. But I don't want you to just reach your goals - I want to help you do it in a way that doesn't exhaust you.
Imagine that? Imagine ending the year with a feeling of triumph, victory, and joy instead of overwhelm and as if you might just fall over from the weight of it all?
It is possible if you are intentional. Sometimes self-care is a good planning session. So let's jump in. For each of these questions, think through all aspects of your life including your health, family, career, relationships, finances, and community.
List out everything you WANT to do by year-end. EVERYTHING. This is a wish list, so let your mind run wild and get excited.
List out everything you HAVE to do by year-end. Possibly less exciting (like filing your extended tax return, attending certain events, etc.) or mandated by your organization (trainings, deadlines on projects, etc.)
List out all of the likely invitations/events before year-end.
Now that you have a comprehensive list, what else is missing? Fill it in.
Find the two things on your WANT list that are the most energizing and exciting, and put a star next to them. These are the most important to schedule into your calendar FIRST.
Look at everything that is left and start to prioritize by putting numbers next to them. Don't feel overwhelmed - just number them and be real with yourself. This is YOUR prioritization of these items, not society's view or what you think you "should" do.
THIS IS THE HARD PART - the bottom items you need to delete - these aren't getting done. If anything, they need to be delegated to someone else or moved into next year. These just aren't going to happen before year-end and it is OK!
Most of my clients won't do this yet. So instead, we jump forward to the next critical step - CALENDARING. Take each item and put them physically into your calendar alongside your days off from work, the kids' sports schedules, your doctor appointments, and the holidays (yes - the holidays are right around the corner, don't even get me started).
This is where most people finally realize that it isn't possible to fit it all in. GREAT! You need to do less, not more. Again - delete some of these tasks, delegate them to someone else, or move them to next year.
The most important part of calendaring is that you must reserve SPACE. Literally blank space. Why? Because the world doesn't run perfectly.
People get sick, things get pushed back, cars break down, layoffs happen, flights get delayed, your partner magically destroys your go-to office outfit the day before the conference. Oh - and the world is insane. Like literally - do you remember 2020?? And all the things we had planned that couldn't happen?
Yeah - that is why we need space. Not just space to make up for things that didn't go perfectly, but space to just BE. To recover from the onslaught of stress and non-stop demands. To be present with ourselves and our loved ones. To start living instead of just doing.
This process works. Not perfectly, but really well. Inevitably, things come up that you didn't think of during this exercise, and that is where the space is really helpful. Something that is important today may be irrelevant by November. Your overall circumstances might change and affect more of this scheduling than you want. It happens.
But overall - this process allows you to get really clear on what is most important to you and allows you to enforce your boundaries to get these done without feeling guilty or torn. You don't have to explain to others why you said yes to the networking event and no to Aunt Rosie's annual pre-thanksgiving shindig.
Nobody else has to like your calendar of events other than YOU. And quite frankly, no one else really knows all the ins and outs of your calendar. Everyone is too busy with their own stuff to care too much about yours.
When you meet everyone else's expectations, you close out the year feeling exhausted, run down, and not excited to start a new year.
But when you honor your desires and plan for them in an intentional, realistic, NOT INSANE way, you get to be who YOU want to be. You get to show up for your family, career, and the holidays the way you intend.
You get to give the world the best of you, not just what's left of you.
And that is how you achieve success AND enjoy this life you are working so hard for :)
Cheers to an amazing finale of 2023,
Sharon
Close out 2023 with INTENTION
You deserve a life you love with less stress and more joy. I can help you gain clarity on how to enjoy life AND succeed, and the tools you need to make it happen. Whether it is to better enjoy the present moment or to set yourself up for success going forward, I offer clarity sessions, consistent support, and accountability through several options. Schedule a free, confidential strategy call by CLICKING HERE (Choose Free Strategy Session) and we can decide what's best for you. I offer time to help you put your year-end list together - let's do it!
Life is too short to keep putting off what you really want. Don't stay stuck feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and unsatisfied. I've helped so many improve their happiness, well-being, and success because they chose to schedule a call and take one step towards the life of their dreams. I can help you too.
