Step 1: Brainstorm Your Aspirations
Along with making a to-do list of spring tasks, think about the things you’ve always wanted to accomplish and make a goals list. Maybe you’ve wanted to write a poem but were too afraid to try. Or perhaps you know of a few special dishes you’d love to make, but have never worked up the courage to attempt them. Consider the areas of interest in your life. Here are some thought-starters that range from small to optimistic:
Creativity
- Learn a new hobby
- Write a poem or short story
- Prepare an ethnic recipe
- Remodel an area of your home
- Plant a garden
Your Social Scene
- Join a book club
- Try singing karaoke
- Create a blog about a topic you’re passionate about
- Try a new restaurant
- Entertain at home more
Fitness
- Join a running group or run a 5K
- Take a yoga, spinning or dancing class
- Start a soccer, flag football or softball team
- Learn more about healthy foods
- Re-style your hair or wardrobe
Travel
- Become familiar with a part of your town you don’t usually visit
- Take a day trip with your family to a state park or children’s museum
- Go on a big vacation, like your first trip to Europe
Career
- Revisit career goals you haven’t pursued
- Start your own business
- Research and learn new skills, like technology expertise
Education
- Teach yourself a new language
- Go back to school to reach a higher education level
- Learn more about a certain subject, like personal finance
Now think about some of the inhibitions that may have prevented you from trying out these things. Maybe the recipe is scary because you’re not familiar with the ingredients. You could be nervous to try redecorating because you may not see yourself as the “creative type.” And fear of the unknown can often keep people from making changes in their career.
Step 2: Start a List
Organize your thoughts on paper. This is the first step toward bringing your goals to life. Remember that you don’t need to accomplish all the ideas. Prioritize by writing down 3-5 of the most important ones. Then, next to each, mark down an inhibition that goes along with the goal. Recognizing your fears will help you work through them. Keep your list in a safe place so that you can cross your goals off as you meet them.
Step 3: Make it Happen!
This is the fun part. It’s time to really start making your dreams a reality. Here are a few tips and tools that can empower and inspire you along the way.
Stay Empowered
The key to staying positive is to store an instant source of encouragement close at hand. Keep a folder, decorative box or designate a drawer where you can collect some items to refer back to when you need a boost of confidence. Here are some ideas of what to include:
- Complimentary notes or cards you’ve received from others. Or when someone says something nice that you’d like to remember, record it and keep it here.
- A short list of great qualities you see in yourself.
- Favourite inspirational quotes.
- Fortune cookie proverbs you find particularly meaningful.
Collect your Inspirations
Creating your own Sparkbook, an organized and inspirational tool, is the perfect way to take your list of goals to the next level. This is a notebook or journal where you can keep sketches, magazine cutouts, articles, photos and other items that help you visualize your goals. As you build it, your aspirations will become a tangible work in progress. To learn how to create your own from materials around your home, read the article, Organized and Inspirational Sparkbook.
No matter how small or grand a goal may be, having a plan is the best way to reach it. And discovering a personal process that’s best for you will make living life to its fullest easier every day. Good luck!
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