How to Set Attainable Goals + My Goals

Before I get into this post I'm gonna write a very sappy and heartfelt thank you to all my readers. So brace yourself for all the feels.

I want to start with a big thank YOU! I emphasize the "you" in that statement because I am truly grateful for every single individual reading this right now. I have so much love for all of the people that have supported me throughout the beginning stages of my blog this year. It has a truly been an incredible journey filled with personal growth and excitement. Despite only starting my blog a meager 8 months ago, it has had a tremendous impact on my life. Blogging has not only taught me practical skills such as time management but it has shaped my personal life as well. It is an outlet for my creativity, cultivated my passions, and showed me the positive side of social media. Once again, thank you for supporting me as I pursue my passions. I cannot wait to put out unique and exciting content for you guys this year! I have a good feeling about 2019 :)

Ok, now that I've literally spilled all of my feelings out in the paragraph above, let's get into the post.

I personally am a little shook that it's already 2019. It really snuck up on me, but I do say that every year. Nonetheless, despite how abrupt it feels, I am so ready for a new year. As many people are, I am preparing for this fresh start by writing down the goals that I want to achieve this year. I have done this since about 6th grade, but the way I've done it has evolved tremendously over the past 4 years. In this post I am going to share how I started setting ATTAINABLE (key word!!) goals for the new year :)

Be Specific!!!

This is so crucial, hence why there are three exclamation marks and it's first on the list. It's so tempting (believe me I do this sometimes) to set goals that are very broad and vague. I understand why, it's the new year and you're motivated, feeling like you can conquer the world. But as the year progresses this, what I call, "New Year Adrenaline" wears off and your goals can end up seeming a little daunting as you don't know where to start. This is why specificity and steps are your best friend when it comes to resolutions.

I included some examples of vague goals and their more specific counterparts using some of my personal goals.

Write Down Your Goals

For being such a simple task, writing down your goals can have a huge impact on your productivity. If you don't wanna take it from me, listen to the voice of science! There are numerous studies that show the benefits. For example, in a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, it was shown that you become

"42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams by writing them down!"

Personally, writing down goals always makes them feel more official and makes me more motivated to complete them. There is also the obvious advantage of not forgetting them! Overall, never underestimate the power of some good old pen and paper!

Make Your Goals Accessible

This means not writing down your goals on a piece of paper and shoving it into your desk drawer which is basically the bermuda triangle of papers (c'mon I can't be the only one)! I am definitely guilty of writing down my resolutions in my journal only to forget about them during the year. Luckily there are ways to make sure you can always remember your resolutions and even display them in a cute way!

Many people keep bullet journals, creative journals formulated to help productivity. Since these journals are specifically for goal setting they are the ideal place to write down resolutions! I've linked some affordable and cute bullet journals below if you want to give this hobby a try!

Another way to ensure you goals are accessible is to display them in the form of room decor! If you have read some of my past blog posts, you probably know about my slight obsession with DIYs and room decor, so I had to include this idea. I have some cute ideas below that might get you inspired!

You can replace the little calendars and pictures with your resolutions!

Make Monthly Goals

As I mentioned earlier, resolutions can be daunting and you may not know where to start which leads to procrastination or giving up. One way to make your goals less intimidating is to create monthly goals. For example, let's say you would like to learn how to code. You could reword this resolution to; I want to learn the basics by May and I want to become fluent by November. By breaking up your larger goals into pieces and establishing specific dates within the year you want to accomplish them by, your goals become much more manageable and therefore attainable!

A monthly planner or bullet journal is the perfect tool to help you plan out your monthly goals! I've attached some of my favorites below!

Don't Stress

Lastly, don't stress yourself out about completing all of your goals too much. These goals should all excite and inspire you! Let those feelings be the driving forces behind the changes you make, not the pressure or stress to complete them. Enjoy your journey and remember growth (even a small amount) is the most important thing.

I hope this post helped you feel a little more motivated and inspired. You're going to accomplish big things this year, I can tell :)