Makeunder My Life

(post written by Heidi life coach and blogger of To Be Luminous)

Each new school year marks a fresh start.  Ever year the week or two before  starting school again I’d day dream about what the new school year would hold.  Which new activities would I try?  Any adventures inherent in the upcoming year?  A new wardrobe or tweaks to my style?  What kind of grades would I get?  What kind of friends would I keep and make?  No matter how wonderful the year before was, I always had big, exciting plans for the next year.  And I guess things never change.

It’s true that I’m a student again (and have been for the past few years).  Fall fresh starts are very real in the scholastic setting, but there is so much more to it than that!  Regardless of our scholastic standing our lazy summers transition back into the daily routines of life which makes it a perfect time to set some goals and get a jump start on the January resolutions!  In my humble professional opinion, the end of August through the first few weeks in November is the best time to create real and lasting change (that often gets set aside over the holidays, but can easily be picked up again in January).

Each of our journeys is unique.  All of us are strong in some areas and weak in others.  I find that my clients fall into one of the following five categories:

• Serenity Now- seeking an inner calm, personal peace and greater resolve to gracefully navigate the changes and trials that come to each of us
• Get Up and Going- seeking greater energy, a firm resolve to accomplish goals and stick to them.
• Personal Discovery- seeking to shed layers of life, discover their unique mission and path and start forging forward.
• Value Chiropractic- seeking to realign daily activities in life to their core values  for greater daily satisfaction in all aspects of life
• Bring Sexy Back- seeking to increase confidence overall glow and swagger

Let’s face it, any of us could use a boost in the above categories, but if you mull over them, or even just glance at them I think you’ll see an area that resonates.  This is the first year that I am approaching my Fresh Fall Start in the same way I’d approach a new client, but I love the focus and the light that these areas shed on every aspect of life.

For me this fall I’m really wanting to up my energy levels and goal- setting (Get Up and Going).  My workouts will be changing to incorporate more running and more dance (very upbeat, momentum-based exercises); my diet will be geared at feeding my body healthy foods that allow me to function through my massively busy schedule; my spending will be focused on bringing greater freedom and movement into my life (i.e. less stuff to weigh me down- more opportunities to let me soar); the books I read will gear me towards increased energy, movement and overall life.   And my relationships will be more dynamic, full of energy, give and take and more experiences. See how it works?

It’s incredibly effective to take a theme and apply it to our lives!  In business it’s always suggested that you niche and hone in on doing something really well.  If you apply the same guidance into your own personal goals there is an extraordinary amount of success that can come quickly.  The best part is realizing you’ve got one area under control and migrating to another area.  If you get started now, you just might be ready for something new in January!  How fun is that?

In order to use a niche-like goal setting formula for this fall you’ll want to do 3 things:

1. Pick a Niche (or create one of your own).  This is the theme for the fall, the year or whatever period of time you are working with.  Make sure that it’s all encompassing and that it’s an attitude or a focus that your goals can work with in.
2. Think about the tangibles you’d like to accomplish and what they might look like with your Niche.  If you are increasing your fitness and your niche is Personal Discovery, you might want to try out a variety of new sports or ways of staying in shape so you can discover which ones you truly enjoy and want to keep at.  Does this make sense?  You are viewing your goals through a specific lens.  Ideally they all build together so you feel the way you want to feel.
3. Put your concrete plans onto paper.  Write them down and create the needed routines into the new schedules you are building for the fall.  Now is the time to implement!  The next few weeks are crucial as you carve your autumnal schedules and habits.  If you don’t make something a priority now, it probably won’t happen later.

I love Makeunder My Life readers because we are all working towards a simpler, better life.  We aren’t satisfied with the status quo or wanting to just let life roll over us.  We want to make changes!