Before the craziness ensues, why not stop and edit your life a little? In our family we do this every August. We create a 2-year-plan then do a progress check the following year. 

Looking ahead 2 years can be daunting. But what if you treat it as a living document? There may be things that you already hope or plan for. There may be other dreams that may not pan out. You may change some plans by next year. But by creating a big-scale plan, you can then direct your weekly and monthly activities towards your goals. This means some of your dreams may actually come true. Having a sense of direction in your life may even ease anxiety and depression. 

Here are ten areas where you may have goals and a few examples: 

1) Health—Reduce sugar intake, Lower cholesterol

2) Finances—Pay off debt, Save towards a large purchase

3) Work—Apply for a lateral move, Begin a side business, Reduce hours

4) Family—Connecting more regularly with family member(s)

5) Spiritual—Spend time reflecting, Become involved in faith community

6) Travel—Plan a Staycation, Have a getaway with a loved one

7) Physical Activity—Nature walks 2x/week, Join a fitness class

8) Social—Have a weekly game night with friends

9) Charity—Donate to a local cause, Sponsor a child

10) House—New roof, Build walkway, Demolish shed

Above is a template you can use to create your 2-year plan. This is similar to a PATH planning model. If you draw this on poster board it will help you dream big. We recommend first identifying current situation, assets and challenges. Next, move all the way to the right and create some 2-year goals. Once you have those, you can move to the left and fill in each column. In what stage of progress do I hope to be in 1 year? What are the first steps that I will take in the next 1, 3 or 6 months? 

If you are looking at lifestyle and habit goals, you might consider creating a new daily schedule for yourself. Can you follow that schedule for 3 days? A week? Is that schedule realistic for you? Is it moving you towards your goals? We’ve found the small habits often add up to become accomplished goals. 

We also recommend carving out a morning each month to create monthly goals and to-do’s. This will help you get organized and stay on track with your big-picture plan. 

That’s it! We hope this helps you to dream big and move towards things that you want in your life. 

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If you are feeling stuck and need some help generating ideas for your 2-year plan our team is here to help. You can book a session online or by calling 705-300-0077.