New Year's Money Resolutions Made Easy
Dec 18, 2020
Your New Year's money resolutions start with one thing- Your Dreams.
You read that right. Not a budget, not a savings plan, not a worksheet, not an advisor. One dream, or rather your dream. Simply put, a dream gives you motivation to accomplish goals, where goals are just a series of action steps. When you keep your dream top of mind, you’re more likely to have the stamina it takes to get over any mental or physical hurdles in your way. This is good news folks — it’s a fun and easy first step to take!
What should your dream look like?
To get the most out of this process make your dreams big and specific.
BIG
Pie in the sky, lounging on a private island, personal jet BIG. It’s a dream after all! 2020 has thrown everyone for a loop, but don’t let that dim your dreams. The world’s on fire — just go for it!
Specific
This will help you zone in on what you really really want and why you want it. Do you want a private yacht so you can go spend quality time with family or just for show? Your dreams should align with your values. Making your dreams specific will root out the whys to help you focus on the important stuff.
Utilizing this format can help: In my dream I _____ because I want to _____.
OK, I’ll share: In my dream I learn how to fly an airplane because I want to go visit friends and family all over the world on my own schedule and I’ve always loved the thrill of being up in the air. In my dream I open up a free range dog shelter, because I want to contribute to the goal of every dog having a home and being cared for.
Take some time now to jot down your dreams. Great thing about dreams, they can always change- no perfection required, a relief for this self-identified perfectionist!
The other great thing about dreams, you don’t have to stop at just one, two, three or eighty!
Congratulations! You have a dream. That’s amazing and maybe it’s something you haven’t had for a long time.
What do you do once you have your big & specific dream?
We can’t have your awesome precious dream just wilting away. We have to preserve it and nurture it- just like that quarantine succulent you’re so proud of. These easy steps can help keep your dreams alive and thriving.
- Connect to a Higher Power
- Speak it out loud
- Write it down & visualize it often
- Make one goal that will propel you towards that dream
Connect to a Higher Power
Or God, or whatever you call the powers of the universe. Have a chat, say a prayer, take a walk in nature- or anything else you want to do to connect. Now, tell God your dreams, all the whys behind them and let The Universe know that you have trust- radical trust. Let go of the how, and realize that your dreams can be made real.Speak it out loud
No, not in your head, like literally out loud. You’re welcome to also shout it from the rooftops- but be careful getting up there! Great job! Now go tell someone else what you wrote!
I know, we’re moving fast… but speaking your dreams into the world makes them really real. Speaking them to another human, makes you feel more accountable and confirms what you want. Sharing our dreams with others is scary because it forces us into a level of vulnerability. It’s ok. Start with someone you trust or maybe a random stranger who you'll never see again! Either way, this is a powerful step to keeping your dreams active and alive
Write it down & Visualize it often
So, this doesn't have to be a traditional ‘dream board’ posted in your room- but it could be if that makes you happy! Personally, I’m not so artsy, so some tactics I’ve used:
- Close your eyes and visualize your dream, this could be during a meditation or before bed. Use a reminder so you don’t forget!
- Writing your dreams down in a notebook you look at often or post them up on a door or in your closet.
- Putting a picture that symbolizes your dream on the fridge or on your bath mirror.
- Placing a sticky note in your office or on your computer screen
Did you know that according to neuroscientists, people who write down & visualize their goals are 1.3x more likely to achieve them? Doing this activates more areas of our brain. It also forces us to organize our thoughts which can act as a ‘dress rehearsal’ for our dreams. In addition, our brains are more likely to remember something we created ourselves than other things we experience.
The key to visualization, as with most things is consistency. Whatever technique you use, use it on a regular basis.
From financesonline.com
Make one goal that will propel you towards your dreams
Picking one goal at a time to conquer is a great tactic to use because you can become laser focused on accomplishing this goal. This is a method we use in personal finance consulting and helps clients find more success by decreasing anxiety and stress while increasing execution. Once you have that goal checked off- you’re on to the next!
This also gives you more flexibility as you learn from your first goal and move forward towards your dreams… you might be surprised that your priorities and dreams change — don’t worry, this is a good thing! It’s an excellent indicator of growth.
What happens when you start a financial plan without a dream?
Oh yeah, that’s right. You were originally reading about personal finance. In my years of experience with helping clients accomplish their financial goals I find that the clients who are most successful are rooted in their dreams.
Here’s an example:
Ramona & Mario are successful and busy doctors...
They know that they need to revise their budget, review their retirement goals, consolidate their investments, invest more of their cash, and look at college savings funds for their future kids. This is what they talk about when we meet.
They know they need to do these things, but they don’t really know WHY.
They can’t tell me many details. They want to accomplish these things simply because they feel it’s what they are ‘supposed to do.’
They come back for a few other meetings, but can’t seem to complete the few tasks I need them to do to move forward. They are ‘too busy’ with many excuses.
Melissa is a teacher and her boyfriend Joe is a manager at a local firm
They want to review their investments, look at passive income ideas and want to save more. Why? When I meet with these clients, they talk about retiring early to purchase an RV so they can travel the US, visiting their 3 children. They talk about envisioning themselves in the RV, what roads they’ll travel, what state parks they’ll stop at.
They see their dream, they know their why, even if they haven't figured out the how.
They visit me often. Complete all tasks on-time, and were able to ‘retire’ within a year.
Ready to get results with your financial goals? Financial coaching could be the right for you.
2021 is on the horizon, what type of client will you be next year?Dreaming is something our little human hearts were meant to do.
As we grow older, society forces something different on us…. dreams are silly… dreams have to be ‘realistic’…dreaming too big means you are greedy and selfish…and on and on. Let go of that.
Dream big. Know your why. Connect and trust in the Universe to make it happen. Speak it out loud, tell someone. Write it down and keep envisioning it. Make one goal to get there. Use momentum to accomplish goal. Repeat.
