Simple tips to start the year right!

As one year closes and another year opens, many people reflect on goals achieved or not achieved.  I know I am and upon reviewing some of my goals, perhaps they should have been re-visited half-way through the year when I knew that realistically they were not going to be achieved.  I feel both defeated that I didn’t achieve the goals, however hopeful that tomorrow is a new day and that it will be a fresh start.  

I know that setting goals can be scary, stressful and even overwhelming because one doesn’t know where to start so I thought I’d put together some suggestions to help get started.  

Most people’s resolutions, goals typically fall under these 7 categories:

• Career
• Finances
• Family & Friends
• Health & Wellness
• Spiritual
• Community
• Fun & Recreation

Some may be more important to others and perhaps some may not even enter into your goals, everyone is different.

If your looking for some guidance and want to ensure you’ve created some positive steps for living your most blissful life ever, here’s a few suggestions to help you feeling accomplished 365 days from now.  Most people’s goals tend to revolve around the first four, so I’ve decided to tackle these ones specifically in this posting.

Career:  If your looking to either change your career or enhance yours skills, read 10-15 minutes everyday on that particular topic or if you don’t like reading, listen to audio books to and from work.  Knowledge is power and when broken down in small chunks, you’ll realize how manageable it is to find 10 minutes to read and all of a sudden you’ll have read through an entire book in no time.

Finances:  Paying off debt or saving money is always at the top of people’s lists and somehow at the end of the day, for 95% of the population there is never enough.  You should always pay off high-interest cards first before saving money, however it’s good to put it out to the Universe that you want to save. So start with a $1 a week.  Don’t start next week or next month, but this Friday open up a bank account and transfer a $1, next week put in $2, the week after $3 etc, at the end of 52 weeks you will have saved $1,378!  I guarantee it will leave you feeling accomplished.

Family & Friends:  In this digital world, particularly Facebook, posting a Happy Birthday greeting on someone’s page seems to be the norm.  However, to make someone feel extra special, what about a handwritten card; a phone call or a Facetime date – it’s that added touch that strengthens the relationship because let’s face it anyone can write “HBD” on Facebook – does that really tell your loved one your thinking of them?

Health & Wellness:  This is typically at the top of everyone’s goal and you see it all the time at the gym - the first week in January the gym is packed, by mid-month or the third week in it’s back to the norm because people have already forgotten about their goal!  Start slow - make a date with a friend to keep you accountable and go for a 10-15 minute walk, 3 or 4 times a week or if you can’t make a date in person call up a friend to keep you company.  Every week add another 5-10 minutes.  Before you know it, you’ll realize how much you love the feeling of breathing in fresh air and moving your body!  Of course don’t forget to stretch when you get home.

Every day is a new day and a new opportunity, so let go of the past and start realizing that you are truly capable of anything you set your mind to.  Surround yourself with your cheerleaders and a positive support system and you’ll be amazed at what you’ve accomplished a year from now.

Have a happy, healthy and prosperous start to the year!
xoxo,
Kimmy

Reflection

With only two days left in 2013, I'm definitely looking forward and not backward as this year was filled with many changes.  Mostly career wise.  I've heard it said before that 2013 was not a banner year for business and I can definitely agree that was the case for myself in Q1.  I found myself needing to go back to the corporate world, after having worked for myself in the network marketing industry over the last few years.  I'll be sure to share some of my experiences about the industry in the future.  I'm definitely grateful and happy for the experience.  

Thankfully, when one door closed another one opened and I found myself in the signage industry in outside sales.  There is comfort in having a 9-5 job, especially one that allows you to grow as a person and learn new skills and I realize that I love the routine of going into an office and having a purpose every day.  However the entrepreneur inside of me still remains.  Thus the reason for this blog, I have learned how important it is to have multiple streams of income and lets face it, if most of us eliminated TV, there is a whole lot of extra time for other endeavours and passions.  

I've decided that 2014 is the year that I achieve the financial goals I've had year after year.  The first is to get out of credit card debt.  I happened to find my goals from 2007 and on the top of the list...pay off credit cards.  Well, I'm not ashamed to say it because I know a LOT of people are in the same boat, but I pay off a credit card and then it gets racked up again.  6 years later, I still have that same goal.  It's sad when you think about but it's time to take control and start living within my means instead of outside of my means.  After all I'm not getting any younger and I have a whole lot of dreams to fulfill.  

What I'm hoping will get me there is the budget that hubby and I put together and of course the key is to bring in the extra streams of income.  I've never put myself on a budget, but I decided to give it a try with the Christmas presents this year.  I have to say, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I found thoughtful gifts but still remained within the budget.  

As for extra streams of income, I'm fortunate in my day job as I'll have an opportunity to make commissions so I'm making a plan and making sure I achieve them for the upcoming year.  I've also decided to teach myself about investing and the stock market.  My husband had investments for a number of years but unfortunately 2008 and a number of other factors took that all away.  I realized that it's not just a man's "job" to look after the family's financial investments so it's time to teach myself.  

I'll be curlin up with Robert G. Hagstroms's book - The Warren Buffet Way (Third Edition) and a cup of tea for the rest of this rainy afternoon.

xoxo,
Kimmy