Refocus and Thrive in 2025: Put Your Plans Into Action (Cont.)

Happy New Year Everyone! 2025 is here, and so is the season of refocusing!  Let's chat about some of the things we can do to encourage our success and put our plans into action!

It's time to stop talking about what we are going to do and do what we plan to do.


Takeaways
January is a time for refocusing and implementing plans.
Financial responsibility impacts all areas of life.
Rewarding ourselves should be done responsibly.
Self-denial can lead to greater rewards later.
Taking ownership of finances is crucial for future planning.
Implementation is key to achieving goals.
Believing in one's ability to change behavior is essential.

Mentioned This Episode
Previous Episodes:
The Goal vs. The Journey
How To Stay Financially Disciplined In A Season of Excess
Let Go of Multitasking

Planner
The Visionary's Planner by Diona Nicole

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Transcript

Hey Everyone! Happy New Year! I hope that all is well and that your year is off to a good start. As you know, the fourth quarter was extremely busy for me and my family, and I was thankful to both be able to spend time doing all the things that I wanted to do, but also to rest. 

Over the years I have learned to set aside time for rest because isn’t it terrible when we go on vacation, you may have been limping to the end of the year- trying to get a break from work and then you’re so busy during your time off that you don't rest at all and end up back at work still tired and drained. I’ve been making a conscious effort to better manage that balance. And if you haven’t been making sure that you have that rest time built into your life in some capacity, do yourself a favor and prioritize your rest. Because not optional. It is necessary for our well-being, so do what you can to make it happen. 

I have actually really been looking forward to this period of reset that January brings. A time of refocusing on daily life and plan implementation. There’s only but so much talking we can do about what we are going to do. And January just brings a get-it-done energy. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love attending events, hosting events, and being in community, but that holiday energy is not sustainable- it will leave you longing for a nap and a smoothie and so bringing it down a notch or two feels really good- I’m ready to refocus on life in all of it’s normalcy and how I can improve my day to day experience. 

The last quarter of 2024, I talked a bit about a few things that I wanted to make sure remained top of mind for me through the holiday season and into this new year. including letting go of multitasking and being financially responsible with our coins.

Because multitasking certainly impedes on our focus- and when you get focused, you can see much more clearly what you could or should be doing in the department of finances. So if you haven’t, I encourage you to check out the episode Let Go of Multitasking, as well as How to Stay Financially Disciplined in a Season of Excess. While that episode is focused on the holiday season, it still is beneficial in regard to money mindset. 

I believe that our relationship with money impacts how we move about in other areas- it speaks to discipline, the things that we prioritize in our life, and our ability to plan, manage, and execute. So when I’m talking about money I’m thinking about all the ways that our relationship with it impacts us. 

One example is this concept of feeling like we need to reward ourselves by buying ourselves something nice because we’ve been doing what we need to do and we deserve it. 

Often times we think we are cool right- bills are paid, so we should be able to reward ourselves you know? Who doesn’t like a good reward? A tangible item that is maybe luxurious, or a high priced meal at a new swanky spot. I know I do and We are out here earning it after all, right? 

But are we rewarding ourselves responsibly? Is our money working for us? Is it allocated smartly?  Do you have a nest egg? Do you have kids that you are planning to help through college? And if so, What does that look like in regard to your bank account? 

When you think about a reward in relationship to your responsibilities, is there currently room for reward in a financial capacity? 

Because there are other ways that we can reward ourselves without creating what could end up being a financial burden on the back end. You might have to get a little creative, but it can be done and it can feel just as rewarding. 

And if we’re honest, we know that a little self-denial right now can lead to greater rewards later- including, less anxiety, less regret, and less financial strain. But do we have the self-control to exercise self-denial?  I’d say it’s like exercise- at least for me. I don’t want to, but I know that it’s good for me. 

Now I’m not saying that you need to have four years of college tuition in the bank for your kid before you buy yourself something nice, but what I am asking is are you doing your due diligence? 

Because I will tell you that I have a 16-year-old and when you start to prepare for next steps- you quickly realize that your coins don’t stretch as far as you think they do. And you can’t just talk about what you are going to do and how your going to save. Because that clock is ticking, tuition is due, and action is required.

You have to do what you said you were going to do. And that goes for anything that we are facing- finances or otherwise that we want to see come to fruition. This is not to say that you are doing something wrong right now, but it’s about what you can do better. 

I started to take a bit more ownership over my finances a couple of years ago when I took a position at a start-up and couldn’t rely on a company-provided 401k for my retirement. But guess what I had to keep planning for no matter what. yes, retirement. So I was forced to analyze my financial options a bit more and make decisions independently outside of the predetermined options that had previously been available to me through my company. 

And while less convenient, it reminded me of the control I have and how the decisions I make impact my now and future. And how my financial goals don’t need to fit into the boxes that have already been assembled and placed in front of me and again, this is relevant in so many areas of our lives. 

So as I continue with ongoing assessments and housekeeping in my own life, I’ll continue to share with y’all because there’s always more tidying and tightening up that we can do. And one area that has become a greater focus for me is finances which is why I’m blabbering on about them.

I’ve spent years consuming financial content, and some of those resources I have shared on this pod, and I have still only dipped my toe into that world a little.

But again one thing about time is it will remind you of all that you have done as well as all that you have not done. And actually, we should reframe that statement to all we have yet to achieve, because we are blessed to still be on the journey. 

And so doing things better and getting things cleaned up is more than likely going to require us to do something differently. If not differently, it’s going to require us to do more of something that we already do well, but in either case, it’s going to require a change in behavior on our part.

So what is the plan and how are you going to implement it? Again, yes talking about finances, but also any other plan that you have crafted for the new year, or even before that you may have abandoned.  I need y’all to know that I am never going to stop talking about this topic. Because implementation is literally the foundation for greatness in our lives. That’s why it’s so challenging! Even if you are great at it in one area, you may struggle with it in another. And so it’s an ongoing challenge that we face but we have to keep striving to improve! 

So what then is the first step? You have to believe that you can implement a plan. Sounds basic, but Truly. Because anyone can craft up a plan, or even get AI to do it for you. But if you don’t believe you can execute on the plan that you crafted, you never will. 

If you set a schedule for yourself that requires you to get up earlier to do something, you can’t lean into telling yourself that you’re not a morning person. 

Have you even tried to get up? Or because you don’t feel like it you don’t try?  You have to put in more effort than setting your alarm and hitting snooze. Let me rephrase that. I have to put in more effort than setting my alarm and hitting snooze. And the thing is, I don’t mind mornings. It’s the peeling myself from the bed part that’s the problem. But I’m not interested in wasting valuable time, so I gotta get up and be productive. How about you?

You must believe that you can change your behavior. Affirm yourself. Not Imma try to get up earlier, but I’m going to. I’m going to get up 30 minutes earlier. And you may need to do some other things in order to make that happen. A little prep the night before. Shutting off the TV earlier so you can wind down properly. But believe that you have the ability to do it. 

And Ask for help. You need prayer- ask for it. You need accountability, ask for it. It may not come from your inner circle. That’s fine. Step out of your comfort zone. Because again if we are being honest you might need to reclassify that comfort zone as your zone of hindrance. So get out of the zone of hindrance. Don’t hold yourself back. Don’t allow yourself to get discouraged. 

And I am so guilty on the discouragement part y’all. Especially in this podcasting space. There are literally hundreds of thousands of podcasts out in the world today. Hundreds of thousands. That is extremely intimidating. And sometimes I’m like am I even making an impact? And this is how God is y’all- because on those weeks when I’m like what am I doing, I get a word of encouragement back from one of you and then I’m reminded of my why and that I am in alignment with the purpose God has for me which is what matters most of all. I’m not competing with anyone. And I hope you recognize that you aren’t either. It’s much easier to put your plan into action when you remove that invisible burden of competition because you eliminate the barriers. 

So ask for help in the same way I ask for reviews, ratings, your thoughts, and feedback on here. We hold each other up and we hold each other accountable and that is the way it was meant to be so tap in. And remember to seek alignment with the purpose that God has for you because that is sustainable when everything else seems like it’s not. 

Be Adaptable- we think because we came up with a bright idea and then a plan and we plotted it out that everything should go according to that plan. But the thing about a plan is that often it may need to be reworked. Just because you need to adjust or come up with a different iteration before you get to the finish line doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good plan and those steps you took up to the point of the next iteration were definitely still needed to get you to where you are going. After all, you may not have been able to see where you needed to course correct if you hadn’t acted on your initial plan in the first place.

So here are a few suggestions along with a recap of what we covered today if you are planning to join me in implementing any plan in your life or if you are in the mindset of doing some life housekeeping to tighten up in this time of refocusing.

1. Use a vision journal. If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that I am a fan of a vision journal over a vision board. That’s because I can carry it with me- I still tape in all of my magazine cutouts and all, but I can add notes, and I can list out the micro goals that I need to achieve the visions in the journal all in the same place. I talk about this more in the episode the goal vs the journey so if you wanna check it out,  I’ll link it in the show notes.  There is also a great planner called the Visionary’s Planner by Diona Nicole who was a previous guest on the pod. So if you would like a more structured tool to use alongside or in place of the vision journal that you create, that really helps you plot out your goals, but will also help you manage each day with time blocks and reminders, I’ll link it in the show notes as well so you can check it out. 
2. Identify an accountability and prayer partner aka ask for help. You might even have more than one partner. Sometimes one person is great for holding you accountable in one area, while someone else in another. Or maybe you only need help in one area right now. Find that person who can not only call or text you to see how you’ve been doing with your goals, but can also offer solutions and suggestions to help you on the journey.
3. Affirm yourself. Whatever it is that you are working on implementing, create an affirmation to reinforce it in your life. Like I mentioned before, if you need to get up earlier, we don’t say I’m going to try, we say I am going to. Claim your success in advance. Shift your words and shift your mindset. Write the affirmations down and post them where you can see and recite them often. Remember that an affirmation assists in reprogramming your mind. 
4. Prioritize your finances. They should be front and center. Remember the impact beyond your wallet when you put together a budget, consider saving or investing. How you handle your finances is in direct correlation with planning and implementation in other areas of your life. So you can’t have all the other areas of your life together, and put your finances in a box and never address them and expect continued success. 

I’ll share a quote from Lori Greiner:

You can always find a solution if you try hard enough.

Implementing your plan is finding a solution. It’s your roadmap to achieving your goals. Every time you achieve something on that plan task list, you are one step closer. You are clearer. You are better. You are more aligned. So I pray that you are ready to refocus and make 2025 a year you won’t want to forget because you will have experienced the transformation and alignment you have been searching for. 

Thanks so much for listening today. If what you’ve been hearing has been beneficial, don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the pod. Share an episode- tell a friend or a stranger about the pod. Do all the things to help grow the community because we are stronger together. And as always please send your feedback my way and share topics you would like to chat about. I can’t wait to chat with you all again next with. Take care until then.