Reclaim your life in 2021

 

For many of us, 2020 tested us like nothing before. But if we have learnt one thing, it’s that we are resilient and can adapt to change.

 

Take a look at how you can plan for 2021 in the areas of your career, relationships, finances and self development with my article on taking back control.

 

Let’s face it, 2020 was not a good year in so many ways. Did we think this time last year we would have experienced such a year? We were all looking forward to 2020 with such high optimism – a new year and a new decade. Certainly no one planned for a pandemic! Well we are nearly through 2020 and while there were significant disruptions to our lives, there were good things to take away from it also – how our community rallied, how we reached out and helped family, friends and strangers, how we have come to the realisation that we are resilient, and how, as humans, we can adapt and be open to change

Looking ahead to 2021

Will 2021 be different?

Probably not in some ways.

We probably won’t be able to travel internationally for much of the year, but we can travel in our own great country. Will our work situation be different? For many, the answer will be ‘yes’. Some people have lost their jobs, some have changed careers, some have started new businesses, some have kept their jobs but they work in a different way such as from home or with reduced hours.

 

Hopefully we will have a vaccine in 2021, but life will definitely be different going forward.

It’s now more important than ever to take ownership of your life.

I like to use the word “ownership” as I believe it shifts your mindset from blaming others to taking responsibility for your own life. There are plenty of things you can’t control (like a global pandemic), but there are also a lot of things where you can take control. Think about the decisions you can make around your health, your career, your relationship, your finances and your own growth or personal development.

Focus on what you can control

People spend a lot of time worrying about things that they have no control over or things that may never happen. Australia is in a great position with regard to COVID-19 but we don’t know exactly when there will be a vaccine or if we will go back into lockdown at some stage like the UK and Europe – hopefully not!  So let’s focus instead on what we can control.

 

When looking at planning for 2021 it is best to set goals based on what you can control but also be flexible. It is better to let go of how we think things “should be” but instead focus on how things are, and how we would like them to be in the future.

 

Let’s see how you can take back control of your life and look at how you can plan for 2021 in the areas such as your career, relationships, finances and personal development.

Set Goals

No matter what is happening in the world (or in your world), it is still a great idea to have a plan and set goals towards that plan.  If you want to get somewhere in life that you’re not presently at, having a plan and a goal is the best way to get there. 

 

I would suggest putting some time aside, grab a pen and paper, or use your computer.  Write down the following headings on each page (or any other areas that you want to work on):

 

• Career
• Relationships
• Finances
• Personal Development

 

Then under each heading, write down as many answers as possible to the following questions:

 

• What do you like about this area of your life right now?
• What do you dislike about this area of your life right now?
• What would you like more of in this area of your life?
• What would you like less of in this area of your life?

 

Once you have answered those questions, then ask yourself what you would like to achieve in each area.  Once you have decided that, the next step is to break down each area into small, specific goals for each area that will help you move towards the larger goal.

5 Ways to Set and Track Goals

Here are some of the ways I suggest my clients take action toward tangible goals that will help you succeed in achieving your goals:

1. Journal – either daily or weekly. It’s important to take stock of your thoughts, feelings and actions so that you can review progress and uncover any blockages that may prevent you from reaching your goal.
2. Understand the motivation behind your goal and have a vision for how life will be when you reach it.
3. Set yourself up for success by getting the resources and lifestyle you need around you (i.e. gym equipment, food tracker, resume updated etc). Sometimes this means eliminating people or behaviours from your life also!
4. Tell people about your goal. Being accountable is one of the greatest ways to stay on track!
5. Give yourself a final reward when you reach your goal, but also identify some milestones to reward yourself along the way.

I know change is hard, but we have all had to face many changes in 2020 and we got through it. When you can look back at just how difficult this year has been, you know you can really tackle anything now!!!

Whatever area of your life you want to improve, contact me now and let me show you some more easy and practical steps to help you reclaim your life in 2021.