With it being the 2nd to last month of the year, you are probably telling yourself: I wish I did more. Instead of dwelling on what you could have done better this year, start looking forward to the year to come. We do still have the holidays coming up but preparing yourself for a better year to come before the holiday season can possibly get you in a better mood to enjoy the upcoming festivities.
As you know, most people are not planners including myself. We don’t really plan things and we often time wind up regretting not doing enough or not having enough experiences.
With that being said, here are a few tips that I believe will help to make the upcoming year worth looking for:
1. Plan vacations throughout the year. Most people have the same routine: summer trip and really nothing else throughout the year. Even if you plan a few weekends out the year to drive to next state over. For me, I am planning to visit the surrounding cities around me. It’s crazy when I think about the fact, I’ve never been to Kansas City, MO and only been to Nashville, TN or Chicago, IL but once or twice. When you are looking to plan these vacations, remember they don’t have to be week long. A weekend should be just enough time for you to experience a city. Also, look into going to places you always wanted to go and really start planning the costs associated with them. It is so many people that wish they traveled more including myself.
2. Start saving for the holiday season. My grandma always told me to start putting at least $25 in a Christmas savings account so you aren’t stressing out about having money to shop for your loved ones during sales like Black Friday. Have I listen to her advice… nope but next year I definitely plan to. It just really makes sense. If you are into celebrating holidays and want to buy gifts, this is the perfect way to do it. It allows you to budget so you are not overspending. It also allows you to be better prepared so you don’t feel like you are struggling to provide a great holiday for your family. This budget-friendly idea can also encourage you to want to start budgeting in other ways. For example, if you want to start saving for a house or car.
3. Start thinking of personal development for personal growth. We can all grow into better people so by deciding how to become a better individual, you have to start planning ahead for that. It might be a trait you feel is hindering you in other areas of your life that you feel will better enhance how you view yourself. For me, I am a really indecisive person and that is something I really would like to change about myself. I want to become more firm in my decision making because it will help me develop more into a leader, something I strive to be as a professional and to my loved ones.
4. Start thinking about future plans and what you want to accomplish in the next 5 years. It is never too late to start planning for the future. If you see yourself starting your own business or buying a house. Start figuring out what you need to do to do so. Most people do not want to go through the process, they just want the outcome. We have to start training our minds that everything in life starts with a process. A mother having a child is a process just like washing your hair is one (especially for us curly hair girls). Planning for the future requires time and commitment and if we start taking it year by year, the process will get shorter and shorter and you will then find yourself completing that plan.
5. We really lose out on enjoying life because we stress ourselves out about jobs that will replace you in a heartbeat if they needed to. Even though most people can’t really afford to budget due to the circumstances they have been dealt but even saving $5 is a start. It can provide that motivation to help you believe that better days are coming.
So let’s discuss: What plans do you have for the upcoming year? What do you want to do differently next year that you didn’t do this year?
Janea Alisha 