November: Setting Monthly Goals & Reset
A new month is the perfect time for a reset and a refresh. I love to set new goals, clean my space, and take some time to myself.
NEW GOALS:
I usually set about 3-5 goals to focus on each month. In the past I used to set WAY more but it was completely unfeasible. I have seen myself foster results much more this way. It allows me to really focus on the things I want to improve on rather than spreading myself too thin. With these main goals. I like to include a few more specific action steps in how I plan to achieve them. For November in particular I set four main goals…
Gratitude
Gratitude may be one of my favorite words in the English language. If you know me, you know that gratitude is tattooed on the inside of my ankle. THAT is how much it means to me. I always feel like November is a good month to really hone in on gratitude, you know Thanksgiving and all. The ways in which I plan to focus on gratitude this month include
- Bringing back daily gratitude lists: I used to religiously write three things that I was grateful for every morning. At some point, I got out of this habit. I decided that I’m bringing it back. I want to write ten things I am grateful for at the end of each day, sort of as a reflection of what the Lord has blessed me with in each day.
- Telling people I am grateful for them: This is SO SO simple but so meaningful. I want to make it a point to tell people thank you, or I appreciate you, or I am grateful we got to spend time together today.
- Show my gratitude in acts of kindness: It’s the little things that mean so so much. Leaving a little note, doing a favor for someone without being asked because you know that it would help them. buy a friend a coffee, offer a ride, so many ways.
Prioritize morning & night routines
I LOVE routines. Especially in the mornings. I love quiet time. It is so so important and so so recharging for me to stay in routines in the mornings and at night. And just prioritizing those times that I have to myself. The ways in which I plan to focus on morning *& nights this month include
- No screens before bed! A good habit that I have been fighting for a long time is the whole “no screens before bed” thing. But I am finally starting to cave in because I have seen the difference it makes. Just one night I decided to not go on my phone for just 30 minutes before going to sleep. I read my book and my bible until I was tired enough to fall asleep. And the next morning, waking up at 5:00 AM was a BREEZE.
- Put my phone down by 10 PM! Going off of this point my next action step is putting my phone down at ten. Now to be realistic this isn’t always possible, depending on my schedule, some nights I don’t get home till long after 10 PM. What matters most to me is that when it is possible, I take the opportunity.
- Waking up at 5 AM at least 3x a week! I used to be an avid 5 AM girl, but this past semester I really struggled with that. There is so much that needs to get done in the day and taking the extra time in the morning makes a huge difference. However, I do know that sometimes when I wake up that early, I am not getting enough sleep. So I don’t want to set unrealistic expectations for myself to wake up at this time every day, but I think three times a week is very reasonable.
- Put lights on as soon as I wake up! This really helps with the whole 5 AM wake-up thing. Sometimes when I wake up I am tired and the sun is not up, so the little extra light definitely helps keep me awake those first few minutes.
Be Creative!
This is my passion, this is what gives me joy, and this is what I want to base my future career on. This is something that deserves to be prioritized.
- Bring my camera everywhere I go! I always want to give myself the tools to improve in my passions and to exercise my creativity, so why not?
- Bring back my YouTube channel. I have always had a passion for filming and editing YouTube videos, but it is something that got lost in the busyness of my everyday life. As I learn how to better balance my life and my responsibilities, I feel comfortable bringing back this passion. I am very excited to be pursuing this passion again after a much-needed break. I want to make sure I am holding myself accountable to the goals and aspirations that I have for myself.
- Trying out different editing styles: I have a specific aesthetic and I tend to stick to it. However, I know it would help me to be more well-rounded if I experimented with other aesthetics. This could foster creativity and also provide me with better preparation for a career one day.
- Plan at least two formal shoots this month: I love just playing around with my camera in my everyday
life, but it is also super important that I am able to gain experience conducting shoots in a more thorough and professional manner.
MONTHLY RESET
Other small ways I like to ring in a new month:
- Clean my space
- Make a new playlist
- Change my computer background
- Journal reflection
- Write out calendar
- Redecorate
-xoxo, jenny <3
