Tag: How-To

How to Turn Lofty Goals and Make Them Into Bite-Sized, Actionable Weekly Plans

Published on by thesmartyfemme6 Comments

Easy peazy in three steps

~5-8 mins read

You might have set some goals for yourself at the beginning of the year. (If you haven’t, it’s not too late. You can find TSF tips here). Now that a few months have passed, it’s time to revisit those goals and see how you’re doing. Keep in mind to not feel discouraged if you feel that you’re not where you want to be. Good things take time. 

If you need to change some goals, that’s OK. If you need to tweak some goals, that’s OK. If you need to remove some goals to make room for new ones, that’s OK. 

These are your goals that will personally shape you – no judgements. No one should judge your goals except for you, because you know what you want and what you deserve. 

STEP 1: Once you have redefined your goals, place your goals in a list format.

Below is my list of goals:

STEP 2: Now, evaluate your progress for each goal.

Step 2A

For each goal, mark your current status: Complete, On Track, Not on Track, or Need to Start.

Step 2B

Analyze why you think your current status is the way that it is. If your goal is “Not on Track” or “Need to Start”, were there any circumstances beyond your control? Or, was there a lack of motivation?

Step 2 might be challenging because you need to be very honest with yourself. Your goals are specific to you and what you desire to achieve or improve in your life. There is no right and wrong answer with how you analyze yourself, but it’s important to evaluate yourself in an unbiased manner.

Think of it this way: If a stranger read your goals and saw your progress up to this point, would he/she agree with your analysis? 

Below is my analysis of my goals. I switched over to spreadsheet format to make it easier to read:

I have some goals that are On Track, and other goals are Not on Track or Need to Start. I have one goal that is complete because I created this blog. Hooray!

STEP 3: Place your goals into bite-sized, actionable weekly plans

It’s finally time for the fun part! Now, think about how you can break your goals down and put them into actionable weekly plans. What are the steps you need to do this week to get you a little bit closer to your goals?

Let’s use an analogy to help think this through.

Think about your favorite baked good. For me, it’ll be brownies. You mix ingredients together based on a recipe. In this case, you are the chef here and you need to make your own directions. The ingredients are right in front of you, which are your goals and your analysis of your goals. Now, think about the steps you need to do to get closer to your end result.

Below are the actionable steps I’ll be taking:

As you can see, I’m making a weekly schedule of things to do. The list is easy to follow and has clear steps. By doing this exercise, you can identify exactly what you need to do in order to get closer to your goals.

…And that’s it! Three easy steps. Easy enough, right?

I hope that this exercise can unlock the potential that is inside of you. Give this post a like, and let me know your goals this week.

Have a great week, you smarty femme!

P.S. Receive new posts on my blog by clicking the Follow button. It’s located on the top right-hand side (desktop) or bottom right-hand side (mobile).

Celebrating Easter as an Adult

Published on by thesmartyfemmeLeave a comment

More than just the Easter Bunny…

~3-5 mins read

Long gone are the days of the Easter Bunny, dyeing Easter eggs, and Easter egg scavenger hunts. I mean, you’re a full-on adult now! When I was growing up, I’d wake up on Easter Sunday to chalk-drawn bunny prints in the pavement leading to my house and saying “hello” to the Easter Bunny who delivered my Easter basket! 

But Easter festivities don’t have to end with childhood memories. We can create new memories and traditions that make it meaningful for us and the people in our lives.

We may be in a period of quarantine right now, but let’s have some cheer and celebrate Easter! Below are some ways to celebrate Easter, quarantine-style:

  1. Discover a new Easter recipe. I’ve always looked forward to celebrating Easter together with friends and family. While this year might not be spent with the usual crew, cooking up something you absolutely love can help kindle the Easter spirit.
  2. It’s tempting to be in sweats 24/7 since we’re inside all day. But there comes a time when you just need to change out of them and wear that dress of yours in the closet. Why not make Easter Sunday that day? My go-to Easter outfit is anything floral or pastel, and 100% cozy.
  3. Treat yourself to your favorite Easter candy. My childhood favorites are: Cadbury mini eggs, pastel Hershey’s kisses, and my favorite – the chocolate bunny, of course. If you do get the chocolate bunny, you’ll have to make the difficult decision of which bunny ear to eat off first!
  4. Have you discovered the true meaning of Easter? If you haven’t, then make it your mission to find out how Easter started. Here are a few articles to help you get started: This and This.
  5. If you’ve never attended church before, then you can try it out at the comfort of your own home. Here are several options: Epic Church (multiple services throughout the day), IEC (11 AM PST), and Venture Christian Church (9:30 & 11:15 AM).
  6. Give this post a “like,” and let me know in the comments how you’re celebrating Easter!

Have an amazing Easter Sunday, you smarty femme!

P.S. Receive new posts on my blog by clicking the Follow button. It’s located on the top right-hand side (desktop) or bottom right-hand side (mobile).

How to Create Goals for the New Year (Not Resolutions!)

Published on by thesmartyfemme3 Comments

Resolutions aren’t your thing? Don’t worry, neither is mine.

~3 – 5 mins read

Maybe New Year resolutions aren’t your thing, and it definitely isn’t for everyone (it’s definitely NOT my cup of tea!). While I think that resolutions can be a bit vague and it can be hard to hold on to once the months pass by, I think there is a wonderful thing about setting goals for yourself at the start of the year. 

I recently did this with my husband, and it was refreshing to have an open discussion about our goals, and what we wanted to achieve. I reflected on what goals I wish to accomplish this year, and he did the same. After we took the time to reflect on our goals, we sat on our living room couch and shared what each of us wrote. My notes were scribbled on a piece of paper, while his goals were listed on a color-coded spreadsheet, labeled with different buckets. Needless to say, we clearly have different personalities. 

TSF TIP:

Regardless of whether you’re writing these goals alone, with your S.O., or with your best friend, I recommend writing your goals out, whether you prefer writing on a piece of paper or electronically. It helps reinforce the ideas that you have when you see it for a second, or third time, instead of keeping it in your head. 

When my husband and I discussed our goals together, we made it a point to talk about the significance of why we wanted to achieve the goal and how we can go about doing so. For some goals, you don’t need to know how to completely achieve a goal at that exact moment (e.g. learning about a certain subject or learning a new hobby). Maybe you need to do some more research to see whether it would be possible, and maybe you realize later that it’s not worth your time — and this is completely OK. <insert hug here>

After discussing our goals, we gave each other our honest advice, and sought out ways on how we can help the other person out. If you are doing the brainstorming on your own, I recommend sharing them with a trusted friend or mentor, and ask them to give their honest and transparent thoughts. As a result of our sharing and advice-giving session, my husband and I both had a better idea of what are our goals, why we want to achieve them, and how we can try to achieve our goals. 

Most importantly, use this brainstorming sesh as a catalyst to jumpstart into driving these goals in formation. Keep your list handy so you can refer to it from time to time, and make 2020 your year!