25 Ways to Create Your Best Year Yet
I’ll share with you a little story around weight loss first but if you’re impatient you can scroll down for your list of 25 ways to create your best year yet.
Alright, here goes.
Did you know that spot-targeting weight loss is impossible?
“What does that have to do with creating my best year?”, you’re probably thinking to yourself.
Well, last year, during the first lockdown, my goal was to lose 20 lbs, and the main area I wanted to get rid of… was my mid-section: my belly pouch, lower back fat and my love handles. (Mediterranean genes are undefeated).
Well…
✅ In 3 months I SHED all 20 lbs as I planned! (*confetti drops from the sky*)
But. For the first 30 days, although I spent hours doing cardio, exercising twice a day and literally sweating my behind off, I barely saw any difference. Thirty freaking whole days!
Also, I didn't ONLY lose belly and lower back fat. Arm fat disappeared too. My legs got even leaner than they already were. At the end of the 3 months I was in perhaps the best shape I had been in years. Nothing wrong with how I looked before, but it was personal goal. (*confetti keeps dropping*).
But I know that it wasn’t all the ab exercises, the “supermans” or hip thrusts that I became obsessed over the first 30 days that made the difference.
It was that I looked at and made my mid-section weight-loss goal as part of my overall wellness goal. So the following month I started sleeping earlier. I started learning how to count macros, I lifted weights, started meditating, learned to eat without distractions and worked out all parts of my body.
And that’s when I started seeing …drumroll… abs! (Something I haven’t seen since my teen years.)
And that’s exactly what happens with your business or personal goals when you (think) you’re target-improving just one area. Keep reading.
Most entrepreneurs’ goals revolve around finances and pleasure (relationships, entertainment, shopping):
▪️Hit 10k months
▪️Onboard 5new clients
▪️Lose 20 lbs by Christmas
▪️Learn to eat healthier
▪️Find a partner who appreciates me
▪️Have a supportive network
▪️Buy a family home
▪️Travel 4x times a year
BUT what most people miss is that these seemingly different GOALS are ALL interconnected. And in turn, all areas of your life or business are too!
Since, this page is geared towards helping business-driven readers I assume one of your goals is to increase your income.
Great.
But did you know that the skills required to improve your income making goals, are also skills you need to improve in other areas of your life? (Whether you like it or not!)
So what do most people who want to increase their income do?
You try to get a side hustle, spread yourself thin to be on every platform, advertise more, sell more, create new offers, create more content around your offers. All while other personal or business areas that are necessary to increase your income (and are “seemingly irrelevant”) are never given the attention they need.
So what happens? Just like your car, although you just put gas, it cannot properly function because you got a flat tire and a burned alternator boo. So you end up barely seeing any or inconsistent results. And what do you do? You eventually burn out or give up.
Instead, what is necessary to achieve a specific goal and have the best year yet?
▪️ Focus on the big picture. More often than not it’s that larger foundation that needs to be looked at in order for you to hit that specific goal.
▪️ If you’ve tried over and over again to hit the same goal but to no avail, stop spot-targeting. Instead, treat each area of your business (and life) as a member of the same body. Because it is!
And that’s how you crush your goals.
So, now that you understand how every area (and in turn every goal!) in your life and business is interconnected, here are the 25 ways to create your best year yet.
Disclaimer: If you’re going to make excuses for yourself, this article may cause severe heartache as well as possible knots in the stomach. Please proceed at your own risk.
A. Your Heart & Peace of Mind
It is irrelevant how much you love them. This year you got to cut off or minimize time and effort with people who:
- Indirectly or directly discourage your dreams or goals.
- Spend most of your interaction time whining or criticizing.
- Are passive aggressive & show no effort communicating.
- Constantly dismiss how you feel after you expressed what you want.
- Show through their words or actions they do not appreciate or respect you.
B. Your Finances
It is irrelevant how much you make. This year you got to stop disrespecting your money:
6. Start a savings plans even if it means $5/mo. Start.
7. Stop spending and wasting money to impress other people.
8. Open an investment account. Literally YouTube how.
9. Set a calendar reminder to review your expenses quarterly.
10. Distinguish needs VS wants for once and for all.
C. Your Time
It is irrelevant how much you got to do. This year you got to commit to managing yourself better:
11. Stop letting time pass you by and then wishing you were more intentional about your goals. Which brings me to #2
12. Stop avoiding sitting down or avoid planning ahead. Plan undistracted “me-time” and create a goal map along with frequent review time.
13. Prepare for winter blues by planning self-care and social time in advance.
14. Learn to batch tasks so you can stop getting distracted or feeling that you are constantly pulled left and right or that nothing ever gets done.
15. Learn to say no respectfully and with grace.
D. Your Self-Development
It is irrelevant how much you know. This year you got to put this sh*t into practice:
16. Let go of FOMO. Stick to the plan you made for at least 90 days and give it your best shot before you change course. And yes, it’s okay to change your mind, but give the first plan a fair try first. (Remember you can do anything, just not everything at the same time).
17. Invest in mental and spiritual growth. This is like maintenance for a car. You might not see it everyday, but you need it, it is not a nice to have, it is a must have, make it non-negotiable.
18. Commit to some type of exercise or movement every single day. This is like putting gas in your car, again, this is necessary to sustain the machine! (another unnecessary car metaphor, you’re welcome)
19. Create a morning routine. This creates the programming for everything you want in life to become reality.
20. Consume healthier info. If you can’t read less stressful or negative stuff, then double down on positive and inspiring material instead. Podcasts, youtube videos, create your ritual.
E. Your Business & Work.
It is irrelevant how much you work. This year you gotta level TF up.
21. You honestly don’t need permission. Start. Launch the offer. Sell the thing.
22. Offer more value than you are asked for or expected from you, always.
23. Stop acting less than you are. You got skills. But you won’t discover what they are or get the confidence you so crave for unless you get uncomfortable.
24. Don’t act entitled either. Are you an expert? If not, stop that ish, people can tell. Continue to offer value while you also focus on building up your skills daily.
25. And for the love of you. Stop giving up, buy some pepto-bismol and digest that this growth and success thing, takes time. You so got this.
5 Extra Bonus Tips !
26. Commit to not giving up and…
27. Enjoy
28. This
29. Incredible
30. Ride
Now tell me, which one of these will you use to create your best year yet?
What other ones would you like to add?
It is time to let go of some of the old demons of the past and build yourself your most kick*ass year yet. You so absolutely got this.
Coach Ioni Xo.
