Happy New Year!

I've given myself until Friday to get down my goals for 2008 and beyond. As soon as I finish up with this post, I'm going to sit down with something hot to drink, a big clean surface to write on, lots of blank pages, and plenty of different colored pencils or pens to write with.

You can find the process I'm going to use to get those goals down here. I adapted it from one I created for use with clients in order to assess the health of their business, their services, and their productivity. This morning on a New Year's run, it occurred to me (duh) to formalize it a little and use it for my own life. I thought I'd share it with you. Just take note, I'll probably be coming back with some improvements and enhancements once I use it for this purpose...(and some graphics for organizing the information).

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Finally, lots of change is very overwhelming. I recently gave some advice to a personal client who was very overwhelmed with all of the changes that she needed to make in her personal life, professional life, and physical/fitness life. She wasn't exercising at all and found no time to think clearly about what she needed to change or how to go about it.

The advice that I gave her was this: keep doing everything the same for the next month-- same work schedule, same eating schedule, same socialization schedule. EXCEPT she had to introduce one new thing...she had to make it to the gym or go out for a walk or run three days per week for at least 45 minutes.

At the end of one month, we would see how she was feeling and what insights or inclinations she had experienced in that one month. I am willing to bet that once she introduces some exercise for her body and her mind, the sequence for the next change will fall into place. After one month, we'll devise a plan for the next change. Change doesn't have to happen at one time...just having the awareness that it is needed is a bigger step than you think. Often, little changes pave the way for bigger changes. I discovered years ago that small steps turn into bigger steps turn into strides.

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Splurge Savvy:

I did a fair amount of shopping online for the holidays. The New Year always brings with it a resolve to spend and store LESS. In the event, however, that you do need to make a splurge, be sure to visit www.retailmenot.com, which is updated daily with current discount codes at many of your favorite online stores!