No matter how proactive I try to be and how much I think I have prepared, the holidays always tend to overwhelm me – finances, schedules, shopping, travelling. It is just so much added to my already full plate! Over the past few months I have been focusing on becoming the most efficient person I can be and prioritizing what is most important to me and my goals. This practice has brought me so much peace during the holidays this year!
Finances
Let me be 100% honest with you. This is my biggest area of weakness!! I have such a strong desire to be financially sound while at the same time enjoy the luxuries that come with spending money. This conflict in desires has left me with credit card balances, student loans, car payments, and a checking account that rarely has more than 3 digits at the end of the month. Why am I sharing this with you? Because I want you to know that I am just like you, if not worse, but have found that planning my finances has given me the ability to lift that weight off my shoulders this year.
My husband and I began July by creating a Vision Board for what we wanted to achieve before July 2015. Many of those visions coincided with a cost. Because we were dedicated to this vision, we sat together, revisited our budget and how we were spending our money, and created a plan to achieve all of our goals. This budget and visual end in mind has allowed us to stay committed to our financial plan.
This action also forced me to look at my take home income and compare it to what I wanted to spend each month. They didn’t add up. As a teacher, my income has never been an impressive one and I have worked many part time jobs after leaving school. This year I have been so blessed to be invited and welcomed to the Beachbody team as a coach. While my original motivation for starting this journey was to keep myself accountable and motivated, it has turned into a financial blessing with the extra income I’ve earned. What is so amazing is that ANYONE can do this too! You don’t have to be a fitness guru, a nutritional wiz, or in the best shape of your life – you just have to have a desire to help people and can earn income doing so!
Schedules
Another new practice I have acquired in my desire to become more efficient is that of making lists. I know that list making isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but for me, I’m now obsessed! I started this practice after doing Chalene Johnson’s 30 Day Push. You can check out my previous blog post about using her ideas to organize and prioritize your life. I highly recommend doing this free, 30 day challenge!
Shopping & Travelling
Shopping and travelling stresses are often relieved after my finances and scheduling was planned. These items are naturally taken care of through careful budgeting and planning ahead to make sure no hidden costs creep up on us. This allows me to truly enjoy the shopping and travelling instead of stressing. What a wonderful feeling!
My “Why”
Ultimately all of this hard work and determination to become efficient is done because I have identified WHY I am doing all of this work. My goal in life is to be a successful wife, teacher, and coach that inspires and teaches people to be the best they can be. Inspiring others and watching them succeed truly brings me so much joy, pleasure, and enjoyment that I am willing to put forth the work to make this dream come true.
The Jones Vision Board is also a fantastic visual reminder as to WHY I am doing this work. All of the things listed on that board are goals that my husband and I desire for our family and know that they will only be achieved when we dedicate ourselves to being the best we can be. This powerful planning that I’ve described above has truly allowed us to be the most efficient, successful people we can be right now and challenge us to continue growing each and every day!!