I’m writing this blog post in a condo in San Jose del Cabo. A little less than a year ago, I envisioned what I wanted 2017 to have been like when it ended, and one of the things I wrote down was that I’d like to close out the year with a sabbatical in Cabo. I wasn’t thinking of that so much as a “New Year’s Resolution” as a goal, but that’s what a good resolution is: I want this thing, and I resolve to have it.
At the end of December, a friend is coming to visit me here and envision together what we’d like 2018 to have been when it ends. Since we’ve both achieved a lot of the things we said we wanted for this year, we are both really excited about mapping out the next best year of our lives. I’ve started thinking about what I’d like to have done by New Year’s Day 2019, as well as thinking about what’s made the difference in the things I’ve accomplished in 2017.
When my friend and I did our visioning exercise last year, we both identified some things we could take immediate action on. She said that she wanted her bedroom to be a screen-free-zone, and she realized she didn’t need to wait a minute to make that happen. Since then, she’s been really good about not watching TV or looking at the internet on her phone while she’s in bed. Similarly, I wanted to use my screen time in bed for reading instead of Facebook, and I decided to start working on that immediately, too.
Some of the things we named that we wanted were a little bigger than that, though. We both had desires related to fitness, diet and spirituality. What those break down to is daily actions that create big results if you’re consistent. If I’d said I wanted to be in the best shape of my life, I know that would have meant upping my workout game and making a substantial daily date with the gym. I’ve done a pretty good job on the goals I set, and I can see clearly where better consistency would have led to better results.
The biggest item on my list was this trip to Cabo. I had no idea what the logistics would be when I decided I wanted this. Deciding was the first step towards achieving it, though. I spent the whole year doing research on where I wanted to be, how much it would cost, how I could manage to flip the switch on my “freedom and flexibility” business model to step away from my in-person commitments in San Francisco, etc. Each step I took in this direction was so energizing. I would identify an issue I needed to address, work on it until I figured it out, feel great about having figured it out and move on to the next one.
It was absolutely the same principles that go into weight loss or giving up smoking or any other resolution—set a goal and take daily steps towards it. With this one, I did exactly that. Now, I not only get to enjoy the trip of a lifetime and leaning in to being a gypsy with an income, I have also proved to myself that I can choose a goal that seems huge and take little steps towards it until it’s achieved.
With the confidence I’ve gained from this demonstration of both the power of naming desires and my own ability to achieve goals, I feel like I can aim even higher next year. Sure, I still need some work on the “smaller” things, like cutting that Facebook-in-bed habit all the way, but I know I can do that and do the big things.
I’ve wanted to turn my Network Marketing businesses into full time income. Maybe 2018 is the year. I also want to do more travel-slash-work like this Cabo trip. Where else do I want to work remotely from? How many sabbaticals can one take in a year?
As my creative juices get flowing in advance of my visioning session, I wanted to share a little of this with you. Where would you like to be, personally and professionally, on January 1, 2019? What baby steps can you start taking towards that goal? How can I help?
I hope you’ll share your thoughts with me. It would be great to have more companions on this exciting ride!
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