 With the first quarter ending, it's time for our quarterly review. Regardless of how your year has been so far, it is important to check in to see where you are, measure your progress, and strategize your next moves.
In this blog post, we will complete our quarterly check-in for 2023. I will also take stock of my goals and the reality of what happened. Check out some of my "Her Plan" posts to help you have a great year. How has your year been so far? Here are some questions you can go through when reflecting on our year so far.
MC's Story: How has 2023 been so far for me? This quarter has been one of the wildest I have had in a long time. Two weeks into the year, I had to check in with myself because the year had already started looking different than I had hoped for. And then, three weeks into the year, a significant event at work shook me. In the last two months since then, I have spent time adjusting to the new normal. With all the unexpected things that have been going on, there have been a lot of great things that have been happening as well. Let's check in on my 2023 Goals:
Final Thoughts As I reflected on this year and the changes I have been through, I am very proud of everything I have accomplished so far. I have learned to celebrate my ability to adapt to unexpected situations as I progress toward my goals. We often see changes in our plans as a setback; imagine how different our lives would be if we see them differently as progress. Call to Action
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 2023 has been a very interesting year so far. We are only in week five of the year. A lot has happened in this short year. When the year started, I was excited about everything I would accomplish. After a month, I am checking in on the progress I have made so far and adjusting my expectations. If you are feeling like me, this blog post is for you.
This blog post will explore five things we can all do to bridge this phase in our lives. Check out some of the "Her Plan" posts for tips and resources for having your best year yet. #1: Take care of yourself With everything going on in our lives, it is crucial that we prioritize our needs. Taking care of our mental and physical health is very important. Remember that you can only pour from a full cup. Questions to consider
#2: Accept things that are out of your control The biggest lesson I am learning this year is that so many things are out of my control. I made plans, some things worked, and life happened. It can be tough to accept the fact that things might turn out differently than we planned. Questions to consider
#3: Adapt your plans and be open to more change As the end of the first month came, I got nervous about where I was with my goals for the year. I have had to focus on adapting to things that I did not plan for. From my professional life, I know that a good plan is one that can change with real-world circumstances. Questions to consider
#4: Connect with people around you The people in our lives are very important. Especially when life gets complicated, you need to surround yourself with good people who care about you. It is very easy to forget the power of human connections. Questions to consider
#5: Keep going and chasing your dreams We need to continue working towards our goals. I know that when things go differently than we planned, it is easy to abandon our plans. Once you have updated your plans, it is a good time to recommit and start taking steps toward your goals. Questions to consider
Final Thoughts You are doing great!!! Remind yourself of the fact that you have everything it takes to be successful when your mind starts trying to tell you that you are failing. We all still have 11 months to experience and accomplish great things in 2023. Let's keep going.  At the time of writing this post, we have marked the end of the second week of 2023. It already feels like it has been a very long two weeks. Some of us are having the year we set out to have, and some are not yet there. As I wrapped up my day, I reflected on how hard we can be on ourselves for not following our new goals, intentions, or resolutions for the year.
In this blog post, we will rekindle our fire for this year with the help of five thoughts. Check out some of the "Her Plan" posts for tips and resources for having your best year yet. #1: You still have 50 more weeks in 2023 The new year has just started, and there are many more weeks left in the year to accomplish your goals. Staying strong for the journey's length helps you be successful. With that being said, there are lessons that we can learn from how the last two weeks went. The main realization that I came to was that I am packing my calendar because I keep telling myself that I need to frontload all the work so I can have a more relaxed year. I need to allow myself to relax in line with my intention of settling down this year. Questions to reflect on
#2: You will need some patience Especially if you set bold goals for your year, you will need time and patience as you work towards them. The changes that we need to make in our lives in order to accomplish bold goals are very significant. Be patient with yourself and others around you. It is essential to keep working towards your goals and not give up on the next 50 weeks only because of how the first two weeks have been for you. Questions to reflect on
#3: You need to practice new behaviors When life gets busy, it is very easy to fall back and do things that come naturally to us. One of the things that became very clear this year is that I have been doing what I wanted to leave in 2022. I need to start learning new habits to have the year I want. Questions to reflect on
#4: You can learn valuable lessons from reflecting Taking the time to reflect on the last two weeks allows you to adjust for the coming weeks. One of the valuable lessons that I have learned about accomplishing goals is that it is important to check on your progress regularly. That way, you know the progress you are making and are aware of what you need to be doing differently. Questions to reflect on
#5: You have what it takes to have a great year Many of our worries and concerns come from a place of not believing that we can succeed. Some things will come to you more effortlessly, and others will take much more work. The truth is that you have what it takes. Keep believing that you will be successful and have a great year. Questions to reflect on
Final Thoughts I really wanted to write this blog post to encourage others and myself who need the extra spark at this time of the year. In a few months, we will look back on this time and the feeling we had and smile about the progress that we have made.  Happy New Year, and Welcome to 2023! I wish you and your family a great year with many lovely memories. As we start this new year, I am very excited about the experiences, celebrations, and lessons we will learn.
In this blog post, I will share tips for starting your year right and share my goals for an incredible 2023. Check out some of my "Her Plan" posts to help you start your year right. How can you set yourself up for success in 2023? Having a comprehensive planning process is one of the foundational steps to setting goals that you will accomplish. The five steps below help me reflect on the past year and create a solid plan for the year ahead.
MC's Journey - My plan for 2023 This year feels very different for me. The last three years have focused on planning and working very hard to accomplish the best I can in all areas of my life. As I kick off this year, I really want it to be a year when I enjoy the great things in life and settle into my new phase. The thought of slowing down the pace is very new to me. I have a lot to learn about settling down and discovering my own unique way. Following the tradition over the last five years, I will share my goals for 2023 across the different important areas of my life. My theme for 2023 is "finding rest and reconnecting with myself. " Some of the high-level goals that I want to accomplish include the following:
Final Thoughts One of the practices that I learned a few years ago was to imagine you are at the end of the year and look back at your experiences. At the end of 2023, I would like to say the following things:
Time to Reflect
Great resources Check out some of my other posts that will help you start your year right  Writing my final post of the year is always a special milestone for me. It symbolizes that we have made it through another year. Over the past years, I have made the practice of reflection and gratitude a part of my routine. I enjoy taking the year's final weeks off to reflect, rest and reset. Let's wrap up this year together!
In this blog post, I will share my highlights, the lessons I learned throughout this year, and my hopes for 2023. Check out my other "Her Plan" for tips and resources to help you plan and accomplish your goals. Questions for your reflection As we wrap up a very eventful year, I invite you to reflect on how things went.
MC's Journey: Reflecting on 2022 and hoping for 2023 At the beginning of this year, I identified my theme: to "be brave to take on great things and take care of myself.” As I reflect on how 2022 was for me, there have been many highlights and some lowlights that taught me valuable lessons. My Highlights When I set my goals, I had yet to learn how my year would go. I am very grateful for every good thing that has happened in my life. My top three highlights in 2022 are:
Lessons I learned from my lowlights Reflecting on this year with a growth mindset has helped me see all the lessons I learned from my lowlights and highlights. The top three lessons I learned this year are:
My hopes for 2023 As I dream and plan for next year, I am very excited about what the year will bring. I look forward to better caring for myself, creating new memories with my family, and connecting with great people. The lessons I learned in 2022 will guide me as I explore a new chapter on my journey. Final Thoughts - Thank you!!! I want to wrap up the year with an appreciation for your support throughout this year. Thank you for reading my blog posts, sharing your stories, encouraging me, and being a part of my journey in 2022. I'll see you in 2023. My first post will be on January 10! Take care of yourselves and enjoy life!  Planning for the next year is very exciting. We get to dream about our aspirations and set goals that we want to accomplish. Reflecting and learning from our past is crucial as we prepare for our future. I have learned a lot of valuable lessons in 2022 that will guide me as I plan my 2023 goals.
In this blog post, I will share the five things I plan to do differently in 2023. Check out my other "Her Plan" for tips and resources to help you plan and accomplish your goals. Restart my planning routine Before the pandemic, I had a routine that I followed for my weekly, monthly, and quarterly planning. It helped me regularly check in on my goals and the progress I was making. As life got busy, I stopped having my planning routines. Although I kept working on my goals, I did not feel as connected to myself as I typically do. My 2023 Commitment
Take time to rest This year is the first time that I am starting a year and committing to rest. My typical mode is to plan to do as much as I can. Prioritizing rest will mean that I will have to change how I think about being productive. All my life, I have been equating rest with being lazy or wasting time. I need to redefine rest for myself as a way to preserve my most valuable resource - myself. My 2023 Commitment
Reconnect with people One of the side effects of the world changing and being very busy over the past three years is that I have been spending less time with people than I typically do. As someone who gets energized by connecting, sharing, and learning from people, something significant is missing in my life. In 2023, I look forward to more personal connections with amazing people. My 2023 Commitment
Take care of my mind and body Over the past years, I have been dealing with gastritis and back pain. I have wanted to spend time working with a doctor to understand the cause and treat it versus taking medication. It is important to me to feel psychically stronger again. Alongside my psychical health, I also want to improve my mental wellbeing. There are some experiences in my life that I have not yet processed. At the end of 2023, I want to feel the best I have felt in years. My 2023 Commitment
Chase my passions and dreams Over the past months, I have been thinking about some of the passion projects I have been dreaming of. For the last three years, I have focused more on doing things that provide stability for my family and me. It is time for me to tap into the ideas and explore how to make them a reality. I am excited to feel the new energy that comes with following my dreams. My 2023 Commitment
Time for Reflection What did you wish you did differently in 2022 and why? What are you committing to doing differently in 2023? At the end of 2023, what would you be proud that you did?  Over the last weeks, I have been in a reflective mood. As I reflect on this year, there were things that I did differently that helped me have a very successful year. The greatest lesson I learned is that we have to do things differently to accomplish our big goals. There is a well-known saying, "what got you here will not get you there." I needed to get comfortable changing how I approached working towards my goals.
In this blog post, I will share the five things I did differently this year. Check out my other "Her Plan" for tips and resources to help you achieve your goals. Focused my energy on one area of my life I typically do an excellent job balancing multiple things and working on many goals simultaneously. However, this year, I knew that I needed to be ultra-focused on work to accomplish my goals. Being a working parent requires you to make lots of choices. This year I had a great opportunity at work, and I knew that it was the right thing for our family for me to prioritize work. Asked for and accepted help Very early this year, I realized that I was overwhelmed with everything I was doing and needed help. For the whole of 2021, I cared for our son and worked. This arrangement had to be changed in 2022, given my increased responsibilities at work. Asking for and getting help is not something that comes easily to me. I opened up and asked for additional help from my husband, hired a nanny, and then found a daycare for our son. Having a support community freed up my time and my mind. I could accomplish as much as I did because I knew our son was in great hands. Spent Money on Fun Experiences In some of my previous posts, I have shared that I have struggled with spending money on myself and fun things. This year, I permitted myself to enjoy the finer things in life a little. I really enjoyed the vacations we went on as well as the freedom I felt by ordering meals, so I wasn't cooking all the time. When I think about my year, I am delighted that we made wonderful memories this year with our family. Accepted that I have to pause working on some of my Goals In 2020 when I had a baby, I took a break from making videos for my YouTube channel. I thought I would get back to creating videos in 2021. After returning, I decided to focus on work and caring for my baby. As I planned for 2022, I wanted to relaunch my channel. However, I was stretched thin with all my responsibilities at work and as a mother. Instead of being hard on myself, I gave myself permission not to work on this goal. It was the first time that I did not progress on a plan I set, and I am totally fine with it. This was the right thing for me to do to thrive this year. Learned from Setbacks Especially when we have a lot of growth, there will be some setbacks. I approached things that went differently than I had planned with an open mind. I was looking for the lessons I could learn from them. My typical reaction would have been to be hard on myself and keep thinking about what I should have done differently to avoid them. I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from this mindset change. Final Thoughts 2022 has been a very long year for a lot of us. As we close out this year, it is crucial to reflect on our growth. The lessons learned from our reflection will improve our lives next year. Time for Reflection What did you do differently this year? What difficult decisions did you need to make this year? What pleasantly surprised you this year?  One of the traits that I admire in people is their ability to dream and work toward the things they desire. As life gets serious, it is easy to get caught up with "doing things" and forget to dream about the future. I like to think that the things I dream of today will be my reality someday. It is crucial always to continue dreaming.
In this blog post, we will explore ways to allow ourselves to dream of our desired future. Dream about things no one around you has ever done When I speak to immigrants or first-generation folks, they often share that it is difficult to dream of things you did not see people around you do. The ones who have allowed themselves to be inspired and dream beyond their current environment. have gone ahead and done great things. Many people outside of our circles have done great things and can be an inspiration. I go out of my way to look for inspiring stories and broaden my perspective. Questions to reflect on
Dream about things that you do not yet know how to attain People like me who are planners might need to do more self-work to get comfortable dreaming about things without planning. It is interesting how we sometimes limit ourselves to only dream about things we know how to get or accomplish. Allowing ourselves to dream about something and then later figuring out how to get it would give us more freedom to dream big. One of my coaches encouraged me to write down about 30 things I want and not limit myself to what I think is possible. It sounds very simple, but I still tried to be rational while dreaming. Questions to reflect on
Dream about things that people have told you that you can't accomplish A lot of us grew up in communities where people told us what they thought we could or could not accomplish. Those things translate into limiting beliefs about what we can achieve in life. As I have grown older, I have been working on freeing myself from the words that were said to me as a child. I know now that those words have no hold on my life unless I believe them. Questions to reflect on
Dream about doing things that you are afraid of Fear is a big reason why we do not let ourselves dream and chase those big dreams. At a conference for young women that I attended a while ago, a high school student talked about how being afraid of who she might become held her back. I asked to chat with her after the conference because I wanted to learn more, and she shared that being very successful scared her. Her words resonated with me because I have been afraid of things working out too well. Another fear I know has been holding me back from dreaming is the fear of failure. Questions to reflect on
Encourage your children to dream When I hear kids talk about their dreams for the future, it gives me hope. They are born with the ability to dream, and it is our responsibility to continue to let the flame burn. Refrain from allowing your adult mind that has been trained to only think of what is possible in your current circumstance to limit your ability to dream. Let them talk about their big dreams and hope with them that they come true. Questions to reflect on
Final Thoughts: MC's Reflection Lately, I have been feeling like I have accomplished many things that I dreamed about, for which I am beyond grateful. I now yearn for new dreams and something I can work towards. I have been too busy working towards my goals and have yet to allow myself to take time to dream. I want to confidently respond when someone asks me what my top dreams are. As we wrap up the year, I have made some time over the next weeks to dream, and I hope you do the same too.  As the third quarter of the year comes to an end, it is a great time to check in on our goals and start preparing for next year. There is something powerful about this time of the year, summer is over in the northern hemisphere, the new school year has started, and we are ready for the final months of this year. A few years ago, I started aligning my personal planning timeline to the one I use at work. We kicked off planning for the next year already in August. This gives us enough time to reflect on our progress this year and sufficiently prepare for the next year.
In this blog post, we will start dreaming of the year we want to have in 2023 and check the progress we have made toward our goals. Check out my other "Her Plan" posts for additional tips and resources to help you accomplish your goals and live your best life. 5 Questions to kick-off planning for 2023 #1: How will you prioritize your wellbeing? Our physical and mental wellbeing are the solid foundation that is needed to live an amazing life. By knowing what contributes to your wellbeing and then prioritizing it, you will have a great year. Strategies to consider
#2: What memories are you looking forward to creating with your family and friends? We are fortunate to have people we get to experience life with. Being intentional about spending time with the people we care about helps us build the best memories. Strategies to consider
#3: What brave thing do you want to do? You will be proud of being brave when you look back at the year. Challenge yourself to overcome your fears and be brave. There are so many experiences that still await us. Think about something you have always wanted to do and commit to completing in 2023. Strategies to consider
#4: What progress do you want to make at work or in your business? We spend a lot of time at work or in our business. It would be awesome to know that we are also making progress professionally. Being strategic about skills we need to learn and steps we want to take in our careers will yield the desired success. Strategies to consider
#5: What is on your financial vision board? Every step we take toward our financial goals will get us closer to financial independence. In 2023, you will have many opportunities to gain financial freedom and build wealth. Strategies to consider
MC's Journey: Progress update Q3 2022 These past months have gone by very quickly. I feel fortunate to be where I am in my life at the moment, even though I feel tired. Below, I will be reflecting on my goals and the progress I have made.
Final Thoughts As I reflected on my progress toward my goals, I realized that the biggest lesson I learned is to be patient and wait until it is the right time to do certain things. In order to make progress in one area of my life, I have had to accept that other areas will be on hold for a little while. I am learning to be ok with that, not be hard on myself, and celebrate my progress. 2022 has been a great year with lots of hard work, and I am seeing the rewards. Call to Action What are three things that you have enjoyed in the last three months of the year? What are you looking forward to over the next last three months of the year? What type of year would you like 2023 to be?  We made it through the first six months of 2022. I say this in every goal check-in; it seems like the time is going by very quickly. We have had a mix of great and not-so-great experiences. There is so much that happens in our lives in only six months.
In this blog post, we will check in on our progress towards our goals in the first half-year, and I will share an update on my top goals. Check out my other "Her Plan" posts for additional tips and resources to help you accomplish your goals and live your best life. Step 1: Reflect on H1 2022 This is a great point to reflect on the last six months. Remind yourself of your goals for the year and the actions you took towards accomplishing them. I have learned the importance of reflecting on the progress I am making multiple times during the year versus only once a year. Resource: Check out "10 questions to reflect on your year" for some tips Questions to consider
Step 2: Celebrate your Accomplishments One of the critical activities that we neglect is reflecting on the good that has happened in our lives. There is a lot to be learned from the goals that you have accomplished. Make the time to evaluate the progress you have made towards the goals you set. Resource: Check out "How to start celebrating your accomplishments" for some tips Questions to consider
Step 3: Reflect on Lowlights and lessons learned I am sure you can easily list the things that did not go as planned this year. As you reflect on those things, it is critical to think about the lessons you learned from the experiences. Some of the most valuable lessons that we learn come because we are intentional about reflecting on things that did not work out with the intent of improving ourselves Resource: Check out "How to develop a Growth Mindset" for some tips Questions to consider
Step 4: Refresh your plan for H2 2022 Now that you have reflected on your accomplishments and lessons learned, it is time to start planning for the next six months of the year. Think about the goals that you want to accomplish and the actions you want to take to make 2022 your best year ever. Resource: Check out "How to make the next months count" for some tips Questions to consider
Step 5: Commit to taking action It is great to set goals and have aspirations for the future that you want to live. However, what brings the results you want are the actions that you take. You have the power and ability to work towards your goals - one step at a time. Resource: Check out "How to get things done in a very busy world" for some tips Questions to consider
MC's Journey: Progress update H1 2022 These past six months have been very intense for me. I have been doing a lot in my private and professional life.
Final Thoughts Taking time to reflect on your last six months and plan for the next months is crucial. I am very thankful for all that I have experienced in 2022, and I look forward to the next six months. Call to Action What are three things that you have enjoyed in the last six months? What are you looking forward to over the next six months?  This year has been going by very quickly. I think I say this every year. However, I still cannot believe it's been three months already. So much has happened in such a little amount of time. It is highly crucial not to lose sight of our goals with everything going on in our lives. A quarterly review is one of the amazing tools to help you stay on track.
In this blog post, we will complete a quarterly review with the help of 10 questions, and I will share an update on my top goals. Check out my other "Her Plan" posts for additional tips and resources to help you accomplish your goals and live your best life. 10 Questions for your intentional quarterly goals review Making time to reflect on the past three months will help you accomplish your goals. The exercise will provide you with information on how you're doing and insights on what to focus on for the following months. Some great questions to help you take stock of where you are compared to your plan include the following:
MCs Journey - Q1 2022 Goals Check-in 2022 has been a very busy year for me so far. Starting this year, I knew that I would have a lot going on in the first six months. However, I did not realize how much I would be juggling and its impact on me. Reflecting on my goals for the year, I have made progress on some and not on others. Generally, I am very thankful for where I am today. This year, I have learned that I need to pace myself not to burn out. Let's check in on my progress towards my top goals for 2022:
Final Thoughts Quarterly check-ins are a great opportunity to reflect on the progress you have made, celebrate your accomplishments, and plan for the upcoming months. We have nine more months to have a great 2022. Stay hopeful and take action towards accomplishing your goals. Call to Action
 Over the past two years, a lot of us have been in "survival mode." We have had to put some things on hold and focus on the basics of living in unprecedented times. It feels like we have been holding our breath for so long and waiting for life to "go back to normal." It is time to start living again while being safe. With that in mind, in 2022, there are some things that I want to do more of that have brought me joy and helped me feel fulfilled in the past.
In this blog post, we will discuss some steps to identify what you want to restart this year, as well as the five things I am restarting this year. How to create your restart list If you are wondering how to go about creating your list of things you did in the past and want to continue, here are some steps to consider:
MC's Journey: What is on my "Restart List"? Thinking about my list of things that I wanted to restart made me very excited. I had missed doing them. The five things on my "restart list" are the following: #1: Prioritizing Self-care Especially with the pandemic and having a baby, I had to stop doing things that were part of my self-care routine. Although some of them are available and safe to do, I found that I did not make time. I remember how good I felt when I prioritized self-care. In this phase of my life, I need to redefine what self-care means to me and plan for it. What is my plan? To make it happen, I will incorporate more self-care into my daily routine and schedule time once a month for things that take a little longer. Resource [Blog Post] Make Self-care a priority #2: Doing what I love doing Working on my passion projects gives me a lot of energy. I really enjoy writing my blog, making videos, speaking at conferences, sharing my knowledge, and connecting with people in my community. Sadly, I stopped doing many of these things over the past two years due to the pandemic and needed to reprioritize my time to care for my son. This year, I have many opportunities to do things that I love again, and I want to seize them. What is my plan? I really want to reconnect with people on a deeper level in the near term. I am blessed to have so many amazing people around me who I can reconnect with, and I also look forward to meeting new people. Resource [Blog Post] How to find or revive your passion #3: Learning and getting inspired One of my top five strengths is being a learner. I am great at it and have incorporated different learning goals into my yearly planning in the past. In 2021, I was not intentional about learning like I usually do. It has left me with a desire to learn more this year. Over the holidays, I went back to reading books and listening to podcasts. It has been a while since I last read. The inspiration that I get when I learn and discover new ways of thinking has helped propel my life. What is my plan? I want to continue my new routine of reading every evening and listening to podcasts while doing chores. I also plan to attend at least one virtual event or conference. Resources [Blog Post] How to be a life-long Learner #4: Planning long term If you know me personally or have read my blog posts, you know that I am a planner. Creating plans in my personal and professional life brings me a lot of joy. I started creating something I called an orientation plan about ten years ago. It was a 3 - 5 year plan that outlined the high-level things that I wanted to do or achieve in my life. It gave me a sense of direction, and I changed it as I evolved in my life. Over the past two years, I have focused my energy on surviving and living in the present and have missed planning the past year. I am at a pivotal time in my life, and I know that I need my orientation plan again. What is my plan? The first step is to refresh my 3 -5 year orientation plan. It will take a lot of soul-searching to see what I want to do and who I want to be five years from now. Resource [Book] The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World by Dorie Clark #5: Dreaming big and setting bold golds As I planned for 2022, I started experiencing a strange and familiar fear that comes up when things are going well, and I have big things planned. I was afraid to have too much hope or do new things, so I was not disappointed. As a result, I planned very "safe" goals. I know from past years that when I set bold goals and took risks, I accomplished things that I could never have imagined. I do not want to stunt my growth and possibilities because of self-doubt. What is my plan? To get back into the mindset of working towards bold goals, I will reflect on my journey and what I have accomplished so far. While I work towards my goals, I will also practice gratitude and not let fear stop me from being brave. Resource [Book] How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown Final Thoughts Writing my "restart list" got me thinking of how fortunate we are to do things we love. Some of the things on our list may seem small, but what really matters is their impact on us. Ask yourself if it brings you joy, makes you excited for the future, helps you grow or highlight your strengths. If it does, then the objective has been met. We all deserve to live our best lives and achieve greatness. A Moment to Reflect
 As I started planning for 2022, I knew that I needed to do things differently to thrive and accomplish my goals. As a planner, I need a structured approach to this challenge. I believe that to succeed, we need to put systems in place to do things differently and not just let them happen by chance.
In this blog post, we will explore the process of identifying what you need to do differently, and I will share three things I plan to do to set myself up for success this year. How to discover the changes you need to make to accomplish your goals It is essential to think through what you want to do differently as you start the year. Sharing some of the questions you can ask yourself to analyze what you need to put in place to thrive:
MC's Journey This is one of my posts where I share something that I am working on in real-time. Although I do not have it all figured out, I would like to share my process with you and hopefully some of the fantastic results down the line. #1: Getting additional support One of the areas where I realized that I needed help was childcare. Over the past fifteen months, my husband and I have taken care of our son while we were both working full-time jobs. We are very fortunate to have made it work as I primarily worked from home. Our son has also integrated himself perfectly into our lifestyle, and we are a great team. However, as he grows older and wants to explore more, we want to give him the opportunity to keep learning and have some more dedicated care while I get work done. What is my plan? We just found part-time care for our son. Very early, we knew that when we were ready as a family, we would want to have someone to help out for a few hours in our home. Being a babysitter for many years, even through college, I expected the process to be more straightforward for me. I pushed it out of my mind for as long as I could, and then one night, I decided to face my fears and start the search for a nanny. As I write this, I am very aware of the privilege to have the option available to us. We are willing to make this huge investment to ensure that I do not burn out trying to do too many things at once. I am learning a lot through this process. The biggest lesson is that I need to trust the person and the process. Like others entrusted their children into my care when I was a babysitter, I have to do the same thing now. So far, the transition has been smooth, and our son, who has not been exposed to people due to the pandemic, is adapting very well. #2: Setting Boundaries around my time Like many people around the world who have the privilege of working from home, I find myself working very long hours. My workdays consist of caring for our son while running meetings, events or getting project work done. I feel that the times I pause work to feed or care for him needs to be made up for after he goes to bed. However, the truth is that I end up working much longer than I did on regular workdays without a child. I pack my workdays so full and always feel like there is still much more to do. There is a term for what I have been doing; it is overworking. Over the holidays, I reflected and realized that I worked for 10 - 14 hours a day. This is subtracting the time that I spent caring for my son. And that has led to me not getting as much rest as I need. What is my plan? I will be limiting the time that I spend working every day. It will be hard to walk away from work that I think needs to get done. I will also be eliminating the constant sense of urgency by prioritizing my tasks and setting realistic timelines. #3: Starting new routines There are things that I want to start and others that I want to stop doing. Knowing myself, the best way to do this would be to develop some new routines. I am a creature of habit, and things are more manageable if I do them in the same way regularly. Although I need to make relatively minor changes, I want them to stick. One of the ways that I am thinking about my new routines is that I need to create space for things that make me feel more efficient, energized, and inspired. The great news is that I have the resources I need to start my new habits, and what I need to do is start. What is my plan? I have started new habits and routines that are good for me. I want to start a few habits, including reading, going outdoors, and resting more. I need to create the time to do the things that help my mental and physical well-being. Final Thoughts This year started very busy, and I already have to remind myself of what I committed to doing differently. Writing them down has been an excellent way to keep them top of mind. I am excited to see where this journey takes me and look forward to sharing some of my learnings with you. Time to Reflect What are three things that you want to do differently this year? How will you make sure you take care of yourself this year? How will you celebrate your progress this year?  Happy New Year, and Welcome to 2022! I really hope this year brings lots of growth, laughter, and happiness to you and your family.
There is something powerful about starting a new year. It often feels like a wonderful opportunity to be hopeful, reset and start new things. We are all truly fortunate to be alive and able to live out our dreams in a new year. Although the last two years have been different and challenging with a global pandemic, I am still extremely optimistic about this new year. At the beginning of every year, I like to share my goals and vision. In this blog post, we will focus on our 2022 goals and how to start the year right. In my other posts in January, we will plan to accomplish our goals. How to start your year right To have the best year we have ever had, there are crucial actions we can take to achieve our goals. Some of which are listed below.
MC's Journey - My plan for 2022 Goal setting is one of my favorite activities in both my private and professional life. Each year, I set time aside and document goals in all the important aspects of my life. This year, planning was slightly different. My goal list is typically quite long as I seek to accomplish as much as possible. However, as I listed what I wanted to accomplish this year, I kept thinking about the word "sustainably". The thought of accomplishing my goals while avoiding burnout was front and center for me. With that in mind, I decided to have a shorter list of goals and prioritize setting up a support system to make sure I am taking care of myself. I will share more about this in my future posts. Over the past years, I have shared my goals as a way to commit and also have you all as my accountability partners. I am excited about growing and learning how to do things differently in 2022. My theme for 2022 is "be brave to take on great things and take care of myself". Some of the high-level goals that I want to accomplish are:
Final Thoughts Over the past two years, our world and lives have changed significantly. We have had to redefine what is important to us and possible with the resources at our disposal. Now is a great time to reflect on what really matters to you. For me this year, I really want to enjoy life in the process of accomplishing my goals. I would like to invite you on this journey to plan for our best year yet. In the upcoming blog posts, I will share about what I am restarting in 2022 and how I am setting myself up for success. Time to Reflect
Great resources Check out some of my other posts that will help you start your year right  This year has been great for me. As I reflect on the year, I am amazed and extremely grateful for everything I experienced and accomplished. It was significantly different from the past years. One major change was that we went through the whole year as a family of three and were responsible for caring for a little human.
In this blog post, we will reflect on this year, and I will share my 2021 retrospective with you. How to intentionally reflect on your past year I would like to invite you to join me as I reflect on my experiences this year. The following five steps will guide you through the process of holistic and intentional reflection.
MC's Journey - 2021 Retrospective Reflecting on this year, I cannot believe all that has happened in my life and at work. My theme for 2021 was "go big and explore new things." Thinking of what would make me proud at the end of the year, I wrote that "I would be proud that I navigated motherhood, work, and my business like a champ." It feels great to know that they both came true in unexpected ways, and I learned a lot of lessons on the way. Goals: What were the top five things I planned to accomplish in 2021? Every year, I write down a list of goals that I want to accomplish in different areas of my life. Looking back now, I probably had too many things that I wanted to achieve in a year with major life changes.
Highlights: What went well?
Lowlights: What did not go as planned?
Lessons Learned: What did I learn in 2021? It is crucial for me to reflect on what I learned from experiences that did not go as planned. Some of the lessons I learned include:
What will I be doing differently in 2022? I like to take action based on the lessons I learned to increase my chances of success in the new year.
Final Thoughts I am very proud of myself this year. It has been a very busy and intense year. I am taking the next three weeks off to recharge, celebrate Christmas with my family, and prepare for an amazing year ahead. My first 2022 blog post will be published on January 11. A special note to you Thank you very much for being part of my journey this year. Writing these blog posts is very important to me. It is one way that I stay connected to my community and the people I really care about. Take care of yourself and see you in 2022!  With the summer being over and fall slowly starting for most of us, it is a great time to be introspective and plan for the months ahead. Over the past years, I started a practice of planning my next year in the final quarter of the previous year. When I began my planning early, I realized that I had enough time to reflect, wrap up my current year, and get excited for the next.
In this blog post, we will explore five questions that will help us kick-off planning for a great 2022. Check out my other Her plan posts for more tips on setting and achieving your goals. #1: What have you dreamed of doing? If the last years have taught us anything, we all don't know what the future holds. It is time to stop sitting on your dreams and start living them out. Recently, I read an article that reminded me to go back and think about all the wonderful things that I wanted to accomplish in my life. Strategies to consider
#2: What are you afraid of doing? We all have things that we are afraid of doing but know that we need to do it to get where we want to go. Starting to think about what you have been afraid of doing, will make them less scary. Ask yourself what makes it scary and think about how you would celebrate finally doing it. Strategies to consider
#3: What are you planning to learn? Learning new skills and gathering knowledge is crucial to living a fulfilled life. Reflect on your personal development goals as you start thinking about what you want to accomplish next year Working on your learning goals will help you continue to grow in your life. Strategies to consider
#4: What do you want to stop doing? There are things that we are doing that don't serve us any longer. This might be a great time to commit to stop doing them. We focus on things that we want to start and often forget that we need to stop others to create space. You might be doing too many things that are distracting you from what you really should be doing. Strategies to consider
#5: How are you going to enjoy your life? When we look back on our years, we want to feel satisfied with the life that we have lived. To enjoy your life, you have to be intentional about it. Waiting for great things to fall into your lap is not a sustainable strategy. If you want an amazing life, you need to go out and do things that bring you joy. Strategies to consider
Final Thoughts When you set your goals early, you give yourself the opportunity to set up your goals more intentionally and be thoughtful. From my experience, I know that your year will be much better than you expected. Time to Reflect How have you planned your previous years? How are you celebrating how far you have come? What are you excited about for 2022?  Knowing what is on your plate is crucial. The word "plate" in this context refers to everything you think about, are responsible for, and do regularly. We all have a lot that we are taking care of simultaneously, and sometimes it feels overwhelming.
In this blog post, we will explore how to ensure that your plate is well cared for and not overflowing. #1: Evaluate all that you have on your plate On any given day, you have a lot on your plate that requires your attention and taps your energy. Taking stock of what is on your plate is very important. You will feel more in control when you know everything that is on your plate. This increases your awareness and helps you see things you did not think you were taking on. Questions to consider
#2: Take some things off your plate To avoid overfilling your plate, it is crucial to know and set your boundaries. There are things on your plate that do not belong there. We tend to say yes to too many things, and they end up making us feel overwhelmed. It is essential to de-clutter your plate regularly. Questions to consider
#3: Add some things that are important to you After you have evaluated what is on your plate and removed the things that should not be on there, it is the perfect time to add things that are important to you. After I did this exercise, I noticed that I was not doing anything fun, and we decided as a family to explore new things. Questions to consider
#4: Guard your plate You or other people might be tempted to add things to your plate that should not be there. It is your responsibility to ensure that nothing gets added to your plate if you do not want it to. If you are not intentional about guarding your plate, it will continue getting crowded, and you will be overwhelmed. This is a critical life lesson that I have learned. Questions to consider
#5: Be kind to yourself The truth is that you are a hero for doing everything that you are doing. Show yourself some grace and be kind to yourself. Seeing how far you have come and how amazing you are doing will motivate you for the journey ahead. Questions to consider
Final Thoughts: MC's Story Over the past months, I realized that I had too much on my plate. My initial response was to think that I needed to plan better, and everything would work out. That strategy had worked in the past, but it was not working this time because the things on my plate increased substantially. I had to try something new and respect my "plate" better. Great resources How to Deal with Constantly Feeling Overwhelmed Your To-Do List Is, in Fact, Too Long How to Avoid Burnout and Improve Your Well-Being 7 Tips To Manage Attention and Avoid Overwhelm 11 Things To Do When You Have Too Much On Your Plate Time for Reflection When last did you feel like you had control of your life? What were you doing differently then? What are new things that you want to start doing to help you enjoy your life?  As I was reflecting on the progress I have made so far in 2021, and I realized that there are some things that I planned to do but have been procrastinating. I know that if I accomplish these things by the end of the year, I would be immensely proud. If you also have a list of things you have been putting off, this post is for you.
In this blog post, we will explore steps to unfreeze and complete a task or goal that we have been procrastinating. Setting the foundation Let's start with the definition of procrastinate; it is to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done. #1: Re-evaluate how and why the task or goal is important to you When you added this task or goal to your list, you had a good reason why. Now that a few months have gone by, it is crucial to remind yourself of the reasons. Take the time to re-evaluate why you wanted to work on it in the first place. Ask yourself what the positive impact will be after you have completed the task. Write what you learned down so that you can remind yourself of the importance when you feel like dropping it again. Why is this important?
#2: Think about what has been holding you back You might have good reasons for procrastinating. It could be that you have had too much on your plate, the timing was not right, you didn't have the resources, or you did not know how to do it. To do this exercise well, you have to be really honest with yourself to uncover all the reasons and move on. Why is this important?
#3: Plan and break the tasks into smaller chunks One of the biggest reasons we procrastinate is that we do not know precisely what needs to be done or how to complete a task. Take the time to write down the smaller parts of the task or goals. Your objective is to be able to see what it would take for you to accomplish your goal. Now that you know the tasks, create a plan to complete them. Why is this important?
#4: Set a due date and commit to doing it Now that you know what needs to be done. Set milestones and dates by when you want to complete the task or goal. Be realistic with setting the due date. You want to avoid being discouraged when you miss an unrealistic deadline. Why is this important?
#5: Have an accountability partner and get support There is something powerful about having people who are your companions on your journey to achieving greatness. You want people who could serve as cheerleaders, accountability partners, advisors, or mentors. Surround yourself with people who make you want to accomplish your goals. Why is this important?
Final Thoughts: MC's journey I have been procrastinating creating videos for my YouTube channel. My goal at the beginning of the year was to restart creating videos in March. Looking back, the timeline I set was unrealistic because I had just gone back to work while caring for my little baby, restarting my weekly blogs, and trying to find time for myself. Although it was and still is an important goal for me, there was no way I could have accomplished it in the first months of this year. Now that things are beginning to settle down and we have a better routine, this is the perfect time for me to get back to refreshing my YouTube channel. I am committed to restarting my planning process this month and releasing videos before the end of September, which would mark a year from when I took my break to focus on my baby. Look out for my videos coming up this quarter. Time for Reflection What goals or tasks have you been procrastinating? What were some of the barriers, and how can you unblock yourself? When are you committed to completing it? How will you celebrate when you complete the task or goal?  We are approaching the half-point mark of the year, and it is a great time to reflect on your goals and review your plan. I typically start these posts by wondering where all the time has gone. It is the same this time as well. I cannot believe that it is June already. 2021 has been a very fast year. We have all experienced so much in only six months.
In this blog post, we will do a six-month retrospective to see the progress we have made and identify what we will do to accomplish our goals this year. In addition, I will also share my retrospective. Review the past six months with the following steps Step #1: Take stock of where you are today compared to your plans This is the perfect time to review the goals you set for 2021 and the progress that you have made in the past six months. This step is the beginning of the process, and the objective is to help you clearly see where you are now compared to where you want to be at the end of the year. Questions to consider
Step #2: Celebrate your accomplishments In the previous step, you took stock of your progress and know what you have accomplished. It is time to celebrate the good things that you have achieved in the past months. Questions to consider
Step #3: Document your learnings from the things that did not go the way you planned There are a lot of great lessons to learn from the disappointments or setbacks you experienced this year. When you think about the things that did not go well this year, it is important that you do not let them get you down. Questions to consider
Step #4: Plan for the next six months When you reviewed your goals, you probably identified things that you want to do more of or new things that you want to do over the next months. Take the opportunity to create your plan for great impact and win in 2021. Questions to consider
Step #5: Take action Now that you have reviewed your goals and updated your plan, it is time to take action. Do the activities that will help you make progress towards your goals over the next months. Questions to consider
MC's 2021 Journey so far As I reflect on the last six months, I am proud of what I have accomplished and have learned many valuable lessons. This year has been an exciting year all around. The Highlights Reflecting on my goals for 2021, I have made some good progress:
The Lowlights With the progress that I have made, I have also experienced some setbacks
The lessons I learned
What I am looking forward to The rest of the year is going to be exciting for us. I am looking forward to a few exciting things:
Time for Reflection What was one surprising thing you learned or noticed during your review? When is your next review planned?  When the world started shutting down in March 2020, no one imagined that we will still be in this state sixteen months later. With everything we have all experienced, we have many different feelings. Especially with things slowly reopening or going back to normal, we are facing new emotions, decisions, and thoughts. If you are excited and ready to go fantastic, and if you are like me and need more time to get used to the change, that is perfectly fine too.
In this blog post, I will share the things I am working through that are helping me adjust to the new normal. Hopefully, these will also help you on your journey. Acknowledge and accept how you are feeling No matter how you are feeling, it is ok to feel whatever you are feeling. It is normal to feel apprehensive or worried about the changes after living a different life for the past sixteen months. You might be experiencing mixed feelings, including excitement for some things and sadness for others. It is crucial to accept the way you are feeling and not judge yourself. Questions to consider
Ask yourself what you are concerned about If you feel concerned or worried, there are typically some underlying topics that you may not have explored. Identifying what exactly you are worried about is crucial. It will help you start working through it. I did some soul searching and realized that my main concerns were around adapting to a new post-pandemic life with our son. So many things that would have been easy to organize, such as childcare, are a little more complicated. Questions to consider
Identify what you do not want to change Over the past sixteen months, our lives have changed in many ways. We have reshaped our lives and started new routines. There might be some healthy and good things that you started doing over the past months that you want to continue. It is ok to hold on to those routines or new ways of living over the next months. For me, the quality time I spend with my husband and my son is now a major priority in my life, and I do not want to give it up. Questions to consider
Start thinking about the future and create "warm-up" plans There must be something that you have not done in a while that you are looking forward to. Just because you are anxious when you think about all the changes coming your way, it does not mean there are not a few things that excite you. Thinking about those exciting things that you want to do will help you prepare for the change ahead. They could be as simple as getting a pedicure or coffee with a friend. Questions to consider
Take care of yourself To thrive on the new journey ahead, you need to be physically and mentally healthy. If you feel like you need support with your mental health as you transition to your new normal, please get the help you need. Prioritize self-care and make sure you check in with yourself over the next months. You have got this! Questions to consider
MC's story This post is one that I am writing for myself as well. I have been struggling with thinking about the months ahead. As someone who likes to plan, I have been learning to do things a little differently. I am accepting the fact that there are still a lot of unknowns, and we will need to learn as we go. My approach to warming up towards our new normal is to take small steps. Over this past weekend, I got my first professional haircut since February 2020. It was one of my first steps back into the world. Time for Reflection What are you feeling? What are your top three fears or concerns? How are you going to make sure you are doing well through the transition? |
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