10 Steps to Get YO’ LIFE TOGETHER

At some point in our lives we are faced with moments that make us reevaluate our lives. We think:

HOW DID I GET HERE?

Or we think:

HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE??

Well I’m here to tell you that is perfectly… NORMAL. We all second guess, and panic over life’s changes. We have big dreams, or little dreams. Maybe we’re even afraid to have dreams. BUT never fail, we all have something we want out of life… even if we try to hide it.

So here’s my 10 STEPS TO GET YO’ LIFE TOGETHER plan… mainly to get MY life together, but hopefully it will also help you with your life plan.

Step ONE: Take a moment.

Scream, sigh, laugh, cry. Do whatever it is that you need to do to get the excess energy (negative or otherwise) out.

We all have excess bottled up at times. Especially when we’re struggling with life. I used to go for a run, sprint out the stressful emotions and start off with a clean slate post run.

Given that my injuries have kept me from running lately, I’ve resorted to other things. But figure out how to bust out that extra energy to then calm yourself into getting down to the nitty gritty.

Step TWO: Make a list

I love lists. I used to be the queen of postits. With the move to more things electronic I lost my need for postits. But I still love them.

In fact I’ve brought back some elements of paper in my life. This summer I’ve determined I need to SIMPLIFY my life. I have to study for boards, so I am channeling my inner “5th term GND” in effort to improve my chances of passing.

Aside from the paper planner, and post-it queen title being dusted off, I’ve started to incorporate both electronic and paper lists. There’s a LOT of things to get done when moving, but just a LOT of things to get done in life in general.

So make a list of all the things, small or big, that you need to get done. There is an element of satisfaction that you get with crossing off items from your list.

It’s like you’re a SUPERSTAR!

Step THREE: Set GOALS

We all need motivation to get our lives together. For me? It’s being debt free, and weightless… Not the the waistline variety… but just the felling of being “free” of my oppressive debt. Unfortunately my debt is going to last a long while. Fortunately my consumer debt is something that doesn’t have to.

I’ve set the goal to pay off my credit cards by December. I have made this goal annually, but I can’t seem to KEEP the debt from coming back. I’ve successfully paid off and KEPT the debt off one card. I’m tackling the second this year.

Whatever your goal timeframe is make some. Set goals for each day, week, month, and year. Then you have something to motivate you along the way.

Step FOUR: Come up with a PLAN

Now that you have made your LIST and set GOALS.. it’s time to come up with a PLAN to make it all happen.

By breaking up tasks into smaller, more manageable steps it’s easier to get the larger stuff done. Plus you get to create more lists… and cross items off to help encourage you to continue on your path!

For my “get debt free” goal I’ve sorted out the amount of money I need to pay off monthly to reach that goal within a reasonable timeframe

Step FIVE: Execute Said Plan

The only way to figure out if your plan is a good one… is to set it in motion. So start small, and get going!

Now, remember as you set out to get your life together… there are still going to be ups and downs. You are going to have set backs and moments of “AHHHHH! this wasn’t apart of my plan”. Believe me. Been there, done that. It sucks.

But those set backs and hitches set you up for step six!

Step SIX: Embrace the CHANGE

As you travel along this journey you are going to hit speed bumps. Maybe even a few craters. You are going to feel defeated at times. But keep going!

Change is HARD. It’s tough, especially when you are at the in between stages where you can’t quite see the end result just yet. Maybe you are starting to second guess yourself, and your decisions?

Definitely get that moment a lot here.

But I’m learning to embrace my change. Embrace my challenges in life. I’m definitely not who I was, or who I thought I’d be at the onset of this journey. My destination has changed a lot. But with each need for adjustment I regroup and refocus on what I want here and now.

Step SEVEN: Regroup, Refocus, Restart

When the challenges and difficulties are overwhelming, stop for a minute. Review what you pathway has been. Review where you started, how far you’ve come, and where you are ultimately headed.

Take a moment to soak all that up.

Are you breaking your budget goals? Yup, me too. But then you need to stop the spending and refocus. What’s the goal? Saving for that trip to Greece? Saving to get out of debt? Do you really need those sale items at Ulta? Nope. Do you need the fancy new iPhone? Nope.

You need the basics right now. So let’s refocus our efforts on correcting our deviations and restart the journey.

Step EIGHT: Celebrate the milestones!

As you make breakthroughs in your journey make sure to celebrate them! Celebrating doesn’t have to break the bank. Sometimes it’s a simple treat of small cost, or no cost.

If you’ve done great on your dieting, reward yourself with a new outfit. Or start by cleaning out the closet of items you no longer wear, don’t fit, or don’t love.

If you’ve made it through your budget with flying colors several months in a row, then reward yourself with a simple step towards whatever you are working towards. Are you trying to pay off the credit card? DO it. Are you trying to go on a trip? Ready to buy those tickets? If not, that’s okay too.

Just don’t lose focus of your “WHY” along the way.

Step NINE: Recruit friends

Sometimes the journey is better spent with friends. So if you’re budgeting, keep your friends in mind. Your friendships don’t have to end, maybe they change from late nights at bars to dinners in with movie nights, or sangrias on the couch.

If your dieting, it’s always harder when friends aren’t. So improve everyone with a little team effort!

Plus when you are struggling, it’s those friends that will be there for you, and pick you up when you fall.

Step TEN: Congratulate yourself. You Made It!

Just the idea that you are taking the step towards getting your life together means something. And once you get there, then you will be glad you started when you did.

So get started with your list and make this happen. You deserve it. If not now, then your future self does.

xoxo,

Nattie