3 easy steps to setting your monthly goals

This month is almost over! I don’t know about you, but it seems to have disappeared super fast this year!

Do you sometimes have that feeling of ‘I have no idea where this time has gone and what I have actually achieved’? And would you rather have the opposite feeling of ‘I feel like this month has been super productive and I’ve got lots of stuff organised.’

It isn’t possible to always feel so on top of things but I swear by my monthly planning sessions to help me feel focused and clear on my intention each month.

Here I am going to share with you the key elements of my monthly planning sessions so you can create your own at home...

First things first though, to do this I always insist on putting on your favourite playlist, grabbing a cup of tea and your favourite snack (for me that will be chocolate!). And of course your beautiful journal to write in. I also recommend doing this at the end of each month so you are ready to go for the 1st of the month!! You’ll need to dedicate about 45 minutes but the more time the better.

1. Reflection

I always start here. It is so important to take time out to reflect on your experiences and learn from them. Sit quietly for a few minutes and take some deep breaths. And think about what has happened over the past month. Some questions you can ask yourself: what has gone really great this month? What hasn’t gone so well this month? What one thing would make a difference next month? What am I proud of this month? If you have a plan for your year (don’t worry if not - that will be another session!) then you can reference that and see how you have gone against the things you set out so far. The important thing here is not to judge yourself or be critical. If you haven’t yet written your latest work report or you forgot someone’s birthday (something I am unfortunately guilty of at times!) it really doesn’t matter. Use your journal to write things down and just let things flow out of you.

2. Goal set

I absolutely love goal setting. It can be scary but it is so exciting too. There are so many ways you can goal set, but I believe for each month it is important to keep it simple. Grab a fresh page on your journal and write 6 headings: Wealth, Health, Career, Relationships (to include Love, Family, Friendships), Spirit, Me. Then, brainstorm what your monthly goal is going to be and aim for one goal under each heading. This could be anything from Career - book into coaching course. To spirit - meditation for 10 mins each morning. It doesn’t have to be complicated or super challenging, and it is best to start small and achievable. My favourite section is the Me section. This is for you to aim to do one thing that is purely for your benefit. Some of the things I have put under this heading before are: book a holiday, buy myself a new dress, so it is kind of like treats, special things for yourself to make you happy! It could be volunteering for a charity, or to visit a local park you’ve never been to. Or just sit and have a cup of hot chocolate and relax for one hour a week. Everyone is different and you need to make it work for you!

3. Let it happen

It is as simple as that really - get your goals down on paper. It is then up to you if you want your monthly goals on show on your dresser or fridge or if you’d rather keep them private in your journal. I tend to keep mine in my journal and have a look at them from time to time throughout the month. Either way, the fact that you have written them down is brilliant and will make them very much present in your mind!

So in three very easy steps, and about an hour of time to yourself you can really make a difference to how each month feels to you and what you achieve.

Try it and I would love to hear how you get on!!

Jennie, With Love xx