Planning With Success In Mind

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Planners? CHECK. My favorite writing pens? CHECK. All the bomb notebooks with the inspirational quotes on them? CHECK.  Dry Erase board hung up? DOUBLE CHECK I have all the tools to prepare me for going to the next level of building my brand… So, I thought. It’s crazy, at one point in my life,you could always find me writing my life away in all my notebooks, taking all the notes from all the sermons I listened to, podcasts that I tuned in on, and all the audible books that I would listen to that would have my mind occupied and fed as I faced yet another day in the office.

Nowadays, those planners seem untouched, those pens(well some of them) are in my drawer still wrapped in their original packaging,those notebooks are dry, and that dry erase board has no pertinent information on it just the dates for the month that I recently updated. Have you ever known what to do but, lacked the wherewithal to follow through? Have you ever found yourself asking WHY does this season of my life seem so much more difficult then all the others? I am not naive to think that every season I embark upon will be the same but dang! The crazy part about it all is that so many of friends and clients perceive me to be consistent, dependable, on point, & HANDLING MY BUSINESS but in my eyes, that is FAR from the truth.

Listen, this is not a rant or a moment that I've set aside to complain either. Today's post is a transparent post packed full of vulnerability and truth. As a blogger and influencer, we see day in and day out Instagram grids of some of our favorite influencer's living what it “seems”to be their best lives meanwhile, we’re in the back trying to figure it all out.

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You see, the issue doesn’t lie in stating the problems or challenges in your life, the problem is when you stay stuck and live dormant in the problem. The easy part is identifying the problem however, the challenges come when you must put in the work to solve the problem. That is where I tend to find myself at this very moment! I need a plan more like a strategy and you might too!

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If you have ever found yourself stuck in a particular area in your life, then we’re “growing’ through this together girl!!!. What I'm learning as we journey through this thing called life is that our desires to be successful with balancing our lives and following through on our goals all boil down to one very important attribute… Our Daily Habits!

Have you ever asked God to fix you? No? me neither lol but in all honesty, your daily habits can have a huge impact on your life. The small changes, whether good or bad, will alter your future. There are many daily habits that successful people do on a regular basis. However, it’s important to keep in mind that success is not always defined by money or material things.

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Keep in mind that success looks different for everyone. Success for you can be owning your own business. Success can be a weight loss goal. Or success can be finding a manageable work life balance. Success is simply defined as the accomplishment of your goals. Below I share some daily habits I plan to apply to reach my goals and plan with success in mind and pray that you find them useful too! Lets Get It!

1. Take Care of Your Mental Health

We cant control the world around us.We also can’t stop negative thoughts from hovering over our heads but, we can control those thoughts from building a nest in our heads! We have to focus on taking control of the things we have power to naturally change like how we speak about ourselves and our circumstances. Coach your thoughts now and you can learn to improve your life without changing anything else around you.

2. Plan Your Day Out

This is a heavy for me and something that I have truly been slacking on (see above for illustration lol). Planning your day out ahead of time can be amazing for accomplishing goals and reducing stress. If you’re anything like me (three kids, a husband, full-time job, &full-time student)

Winging your day is NOT an option. Winging your day should never be an option but, I'm personally learning that I have entirely too much going on to not write out my days ahead of time. Ways that you (and me) can do this are arrange time slots for maximum efficiency throughout the day. Also,lets dust off our planners, use those wall calendars, and use google calendar in your phone for notating all important dates, task, and projects.

3. Set Daily Intention

Remember to set up daily intentions for your day. Don’t just focus on the things that you want to get done. Remember to focus on how you want to show up and feel. If you show up with a negative attitude your day is going to reflect that. If you show up like you’re going to have the best day ever, then you’re going to have an incredible day. 

4. Pray/Meditate

I used to wake up every morning at 5:30am. I would plug in a sermon, pray, and sometimes have praise and worship. My day ran so much smoother when I did these things. Praying and meditating helps to focus our thoughts, hear from God, and focus on our personal development. Don’t let laziness get in the way. God desires time with us.

5. Read for 15-30 Minutes a Day

Setup a daily routine where you spend time reading. Reading can help you think better. When you have more control over your thoughts, you can have a better life. Also, when you read, you learn new things. There are so many benefits to reading. 

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6. Commit to what you CAN do versus what you WANT to do

Fora lack of better words, do what you can do based on your lifestyle, your schedule, and where you are NOW! You can always write out all your goals and aspirations however, I’m learning that I have to be realistic as well. There is always so much that needs to be done in our lives and just because you can’t do it now doesn’t mean that it won’t get done. Write out your list and pick 1-3 things you’re confident that you can “consistently” show up for and add on to that list as you deem fit.

7.   Schedule you “non-negotiable s” first

Examples of non-negotiable s may be: Bible time, appointments, assignments, family life, work, school, children’s schedules, and commitments. As you begin to create a flexible schedule, these non-negotiable's should be scheduled first and locked into place before you add anything else. Then, think through and brainstorm the other responsibilities you have that aren’t essential. As you brainstorm these tasks, also make a note of how long each item takes. If you underestimate the amount of time it takes you to do something, it will impact your day and you’ll be tempted to try to doit all. But watch out!  This is a slippery slope that can lead to frustration and irritation over incomplete tasks!

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8. Show up for life each day and take action!

So, we have a flexible and well crafted schedule.  It’s essential to show up and take action. Those planners, notebooks, and dry erase boards aren’t anything if you don’t use them, and what your write on/in them will be merely words until you put action behind them. I am guilty of letting my days go by without accomplishing much of anything and yet, still frustrated by what I didn’t get done. If I can be honest, this only happened because I didn’t show up to do what was on my schedule.

9. Give yourself Grace

Chances are that your new schedule will experience hiccups and growing pains. There will be days or seasons where you may need to tweak it or scrap it and start again. That’s completely fine! Remember, this schedule is flexible and can be changed at any time to meet your needs. As you begin to use a daily schedule, even for the 500th time, give yourself loads of grace. But don’t be lazy! Don’t sweat it if your schedule falls by the wayside or if life gets in the way. Simply start this process over and pray through your days again. Watch and see how using a flexible schedule can help you thrive and live a life of purpose and intention. You’ve got this!

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XoXo,

Angie

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