8 intentions and goals for 2018

Happy New year!!!

I promised myself I would do a lot of things before the end of 2017 and one of the most pressing and frequent on my mind was to get back to blogging.

I'm not going to go on a rant on why thats important to me.

Its 2018 no more complains or excuses.

I actually thought I would have posts lined up for you for the last days of 2017 and the first day of 2018, but in between replying order messages, coordinating deliveries and rolling from one end of my bed to the other while watching TV, i didn't get around to doing any of those things I had planned.

You are probably excusing me by thinking "I have been doing a lot" but the question is have I done enough?

As we start 2018 on this #FreshStart #NewyearNewMe mood, here are a few resolutions and goals I'm setting.

P.S:  you should be setting these goals too.

• Live intentionally: Intentional living for me means living life as we should. I am proposing that you and I both endeavour to live a purposeful and intentional life. The kind we would refer to as #LivingOurBestLives. You see frivolities are easy, getting carried away, being addicted or even engrossed by social media, Is one of the things that comes naturally in this generation. Its so true that its even scientifically proven. If you don't believe me, as your tech savvy parents the latest news/gossip trending and they probably know. This generation is so distracted by so much that there isn't a better time to decide to live an intentional life. A life that is truly ours, a life where No is communicable when the choices people are making is against your believes, a life where you get to walk out on people who do not care about your feelings, a life whereby you make every decision with full consideration of how much you love yourself. A life of positivity, a life of kindness, a life that doesn't need validation and a life that is intentional in all its actions and decisions.

• Stop procrastination: The thief of time like they call procrastination is so apt. One minute you are choosing to reply that email later, or send that invoice tomorrow, or start meditation next month or register at the gym in a few weeks. And the very next minute, those proposed dates, days and months have ran into weeks, years and decades and have become memories and yesterdays. Nothing is more fun than laziness, but laziness as never made anyone successful without action. Even though most great ideas could be said to have been inspired by laziness (see washing machines, dish washers, blenders and mobile phones), it took action to create and bring them alive. 

So this year 2018, ditch procrastination and laziness and adopt the Doer attitude. Don't just write your goals down, Get at achieving them. If you know it needs to be done now, do it. If it needs to be done later, make sure the later doesn't get extended past the later date. An intentional year, is a year of doing.

• Live healthy: Dear Friends and family, I gained weight, I have seen all my clothes go from being loose to being snug and I have had to throw out my favourite things because they don't fit and I recently concluded that I don't mind the weight because well I am in good health. However I have realised that I need to eat healthier and exercise more and for me that's a goal you should be making too. Whether you are on a weight gain journey or a weight loss journey, this year ditch all your vices and work towards good health. Whether its physically through exercise, Mentally through meditation or yoga or any other form, work towards attaining good health.

Remember to take a break, drink more water (Hey, Dee), check your blood pressure, get tested often, eat good meals, take vitamins and take care of the house you didn't have to pay for to own, your body.

• Evaluate your circles: I realised in 2017 the importance of evaluating your circles. Whether its in friendship, on social media, religious circles or whatever societies you belong to. See let me be honest with you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with letting people who don't add to your life go. You won't only be doing the best thing for yourself, but you will be doing the best thing for your energy. I'm not saying it will be easy or that you won't feel left out of lonely, but I am assuring you that you will learn to enjoy your own company and maybe even discover a new talent. Circles don't have to be large, they don't have to be flashy and they don't have to pass the test to the overused #FriendshipGoals, they just have to inspire you, support you, remind you of where you want to be and what you hope to attain. Last year, I evaluated my Instagram circle, I increased it to include women who are successful, I wanted to scroll through my timeline to read Ava, Oprah and See people like Beyonce's post. I wanted role models while scrolling through the timeline on a platform I spend most of my time. And i intentionally started to follow those women. A following that would remind me that I can succeed just like they have. I am still on the journey, I haven't even arrived yet but I am gradually evaluating my friendships and follows and making sure that it is a support system that reminds me of where i want to be and how to be who I want to be.

P.s: Always remember that you can't carry everyone along, so make it a point to make sure that your friendships and circles are not a burden unto you. There is no better way to get to where you are going than surrounding yourself with those who have already been there, are almost there or want to get there as well.

• Adopt Planning: I wish i was saying this so you would buy my planners, but I have recently half read a few books including Eat the Frog by Brian Tracy that have made planning take on a new meaning in my life. Like i previously mentioned, we live in such a fast-pace world that if we don't write down what we want to do, achieve and accomplish, we might just not remember or even act. My cousin introduced some online app to me, an idea canvas of some sort. He had adopted the habit of writing & putting all his plans and business ideas down for the past five years. He also went ahead to update them as he had more ideas. I imagined how amazing it would have been if I had written down all my ideas over the past 5 years like he had. By now, I probably would have achieved a lot more. Planning is so important and thats a no brainer. Day to day planning has helped me achieve more of my life goals in lesser time, it has helped me plan my time (especially my holidays), as well as plan my finances and stay up to date with my life. I would recommend that you do get yourself a planner preferably our heart life planner. if you choose to take charge of your life, save and maximise your time and life through planning your future self would thank you for it.

P.s: you can't afford to keep making the rules as you go in a world where people are planning themselves and empowering themselves with action plans.

• Read more books: Oh how I hate reading. I have always collected books. Religious, motivational, autobiographies and so much more. I would normally read a few chapters and life would happen, but I always tend to learn a lot in those few chapters so I can only imagine what my pile of half read books have in stock for me. Some people are so good with reading but if you are like me and you just struggle a lot with it, Try to read a few books this year, adopt a technique. Read during transits, breaks or before bed time. Or like me, watch Ted talks & Explore audio books this year. I have downloaded Audible and plan to read (listen) to at least one book in two months (yes, I'm being realistic). Reading books is right under the personal development goal you need to be setting. that along with getting more education. If you do need my book recommendations or have recommended books for me, please let me know.

• Set a financial goal: Someone recently told me that I like money and the truth is I can not disagree. One of the differences between a risk taker, jet-setter or explorer and those who stay stuck is money. With financial independence, One can do most of all one needs to do. Plus ones self worth increases instantly. And if that's the only reason to set a financial goal, I would say that's good enough. Financial goals can include investments, savings plans, an amount to have saved by a setting time as well as increasing ones income. See, there is something about having a financial goal I noticed in 2017, It keeps you focused and saves you from unnecessary splurges and expenses. If you think your income is too little to save, Welcome to my world, this is really the perfect time and condition to cultivate a saving culture.

• Be Confident in yourself: I have talked about how financial independence can improve self worth, but I want to talk about how Confidence can clone and automatically triple your self-worth. Some of us are born into typical Nigerian families with old school and conservative parents and this sometimes reduces our confidence in ourselves and abilities. 

Please let's take a test: Think of your friends that you consider famzers*, they probably are but they probably are the perfect example of what confidence looks like. The ability to walk up to anyone to have a conversation or just to befriend them. The ability to walk into a room of a potentially higher class and feel comfortable enough to hold your head high. Understanding privilege will help you understand that no one is better that you, they have better opportunities and circumstances most of which you couldn't choose (except if you belong to the category of lazy people). So why should you not be confident in all circumstances. This year hold your head high, ask for what you want, reach out to those you want to and act as boldly as you can. Always remember, the worse that can be said is No, and that would not even be a reflection of you but a reflection of the person.

Hope my eight intentions resonates with you, what do you already have a hang on from this list and what do you think needs to be added, Let me know!!!

See you soon.

xo, Dee Mako.

Famzers* - Think social climbers.