Start with Heart: revolutionising goal setting.

I was going to kick this post off with a confession – ‘I didn’t set any goals or new year resolutions.’

I did think about it long and hard. Actually, I spent so long thinking about it that it become kind of a bore. It began to feel like something that is done out of expectation rather than a true pull to create something for your own greater good.

Here’s the clincher; I made some pretty radical changes in 2014, I closed slammed a few doors, made a bit of noise, I worked to a flexible schedule on my own terms and invested in myself.

To be perfectly upfront, 2014 was filled with so much goodness that I was quite happy for it to overspill into 2015. I would feel my way through the new year.

What I did decide was that instead of setting goals for the sake of setting goals was that I would create a yardstick by which I would measure what I was chasing.

+ It would absolutely have to serve my highest good. This would make me question the why behind my pursuit.

Which leads me to this:

+ It aligns with my CDF’s (core desired feelings) for 2015:

Ease. Expansive. Light. Prosperous. Boundless.

+Have no tinge of murky feeling around it. Energy is contagious. It’s currency and the first thing we pick up on. Energy will make or break you, so keep it nice.

+ I will not jump through any hoops, sign-up for stuff I don’t want or need, misalign my values or put up with anything or anyone that doesn’t vibe with me. See above: it’s all about energy.

+ I will freely speak up and out when the spirit moves me. Not in the obnoxious sense, in the sense of if something tastes like trash – spit it out.

[Tweet “Chewing over things to see how they digest doesn’t change your initial feelings about what you’re questioning. Your gut feeling is your compass. Follow.”]

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2014 was the first year I went without a diary, more a revolution than a resolution.

A totally unplanned, divinely guided way of working that I didn’t realise at the time. I hadn’t purchased a diary and by the time March rolled in I thought”I haven’t forgotten anything major in the first quarter of the year, I can do this!”  I trusted in the fact that if something needed to get done, it would.

Side note: the only diaries left at that time of year are the bland, news-agency quick-sale ‘Collins’ varieties.

While filling our new bookshelf last week I came across my diaries from 2012 and 2013.
Neat. Highlighted. Full. Post it’s hanging out of the sides. The spines so worn that the entire diary insert falls out. Print outs and recipes tucked into the cover pockets.

So organised. So much to do. So many things to tick off.

Reading through one I came across notes I’d written to myself. Snippets of inspiration. Untidy quotes plastered across the tops of pages. Little gratitude lists messily shoved mint corners in tiny handwriting.

This speech given by Anna Quindlen, one of my favourites, I kept tucked into the front page.

[Tweet “”Real life is all I know. Don’t ever confuse the two, your life and your work. The second is only part of the first.” ~ Anna Quindlen”]

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This year I’m armed with 2 diaries, both with their own beatific tasks.

The first, Danielle La Porte’s Desire Map Daily Planner is purely for ideas, sketches, bursts of brilliance, inspiration bombs, headings to explore for blog posts, middle-of-the-night flashes of inspiration.

The second is a gratitude diary with an emphasis on creating abundance, gifted to me my a friend. This one holds a more sacred purpose: offerings of thanks, moon ritual releasing techniques and housing my hand-written desires while I mentally give them over to the universe.

A manifestation manual of sorts.

Somedays I’ll scribble in a one-liner. Somedays it’s War and Peace-esque.

The two work in a symbiotic manner. In one I give thanks, release expectations and direct the very same love and beautiful experiences that I’m grateful for into someone else’s orbit. Giving and receiving work together.

With this ritual I open myself up as a clear channel for receiving.

Goodness is in a constant state of flow, filling every crevice of my mind with ideas, thoughts, flashes, symbols and opportunity. In turn, I pour these back into the blank spaces of my ‘ideas’ diary. Inscribing them in ink makes them somewhat tangible. I take inspired action on those that align with me and release the rest.

Effortless. Synchronisitic. Complimentary.

When I wandered over to The Confetti Room last week I was instantly smitten by an idea that the lovely Elise, DIY maven and blogger, had shared: A year of firsts.

A revolutionary way of looking at a fresh new year, not by what you want to tick off but rather by what you want to fill it with. I was positively busting to take part, and after completing my own list of firsts I’ve decided that this would be how I start anything new. What I love most about it is the sweet, juicy undertone of newness, compelling you to break out of your mental confines and kick hum-drum goal setting strategies to the kerb.

Let me ask you this:

How many times have you set the same goal for the new year only to feel like an underachiever when you haven’t ticked them off? I’ve been there plenty of times.

And there’s a good reason for that lovely.

[Tweet “Your goals need to really fire you up if they’re going to make the journey from mental to manifest.”]

The other thing I’m digging about this idea is that when I re-read each item on my list I visualise myself in that space. I see myself running my first marathon, I feel the generosity moving across the airwaves when I hit ‘send’ on an email to a newbie blogger and I grin when I think about the launch of my online products.

The feeling and seeing is what kicks our subconscious minds into overdrive. [Tweet “You bring about what you think about most.”]

My list for a year of firsts conjures up an assortment of mind-blowing feelings.

Ambiguity. Excitement. Anticipation. Giddiness. 

Come take a peek.

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A Year of Firsts

1. Baby Taylor.

We’re beyond excited to welcome our first baby in April 2015. Our little Aries boy. ( All 3 fire signs under one roof!).

2. Completed home renovation.  A 12 month+ project which spent many idle years in dream mode.

While living and working in Melbourne my surf-obsessed husband and I would fervently chatter and plan our dream seaside home. He with his design-brain and background would mentally walk me through layouts he conjured up while I flipped through design mags and pinned like a woman possessed.  Now, just weeks away from full completion we look back on sacrifices (travel) with a quiet sense of ‘we did it!’.

3. New car for awesome coastal adventures, camping weekends and a touch of luxe.

4. Daily meditation my way.  

I will confess that I tend to look ‘out there’ for how to meditate properly. Do I meditate while sitting? Should I dedicate an area for it? Use guided meditations? Do it in silence? Pose myself a question?

I’ve since come to realise that despite the amount of information ready to tell you how to meditate, nobody can tell you what works best for you. For me? A mixture does the trick, I’ll tune in and take a minute to feel what I need before giving myself permission to meditate my way.

5. Facebook app – banned from my smartphone.

Life-changing. In short, social media takes my focus and plonks it on top of what others are doing. It distracts me, gives rise to comparison (cos I’m human too, y’know) and is a virtual time-wasting rabbit hole. I set times of the day when I log in on my mac. Also, the notifications drive me mental.

6.Phone free chunks. I turn my phone off for most of the weekend. Zero distractions = better connection.

7. Get outside daily. An idea sparked by this post by Kylie Anderson.

At 33 weeks pregnant power-walks, stair-climbs, squats and lunges are my new repertoire. While I dream of my post-pregnancy exercise plan (there’s a whole Pinterest board dedicated to it) I ensure I get my exercise done outside early in the morning.

8. My first marathon (gulp).

While on the topic of post-baby exercise, I plan on rekindling my love of running by entering a half-marathon. I’ve done plenty of fun runs and events, but this will be my first marathon event. Excited is an understatement.

9. Eureka Tower climb in Nov 2015.

I climbed Melbourne’s Eureka Tower in 2011. 88 floors in 14 mins. This year’s aim is 11-12 mins. My legs will thank me later…I hope.

10. Launch my first online product.

Some of which are currently in creation mode. A timeline still being built, there are a few physical products in the pipeline for 2016. One in particular excites and scares the pants off me!11. Take part in a worldwide movement.

I recently jumped on board The Wake-Up Project (thanks to Brooke from The Lover List) and received my first set of kindness cards. Being part of something that is bigger than you and that benefits others reminds me of just how impactful we can be.

12. Post real snail mail to friends and email less. Nothing like a real handwritten note I say.

13. Start a ‘street food’ night at home with friends + family. Trent’s idea. Immersion in culture. New ideas. Fresh produce. Sharing. Bonding. Experimenting with new flavours.

14. More handmade cards and gifts, especially of the edible variety.

I am pretty handy and creative in the dessert department having made celebration cakes and cookies (my first wild biz dream). Making them as gifts always goes down a treat and is definitely appreciated.

15. Choosing a charity each Christmas and slowly removing the commercial value of the holiday. Especially important for us to teach our little one so he grows up with the sense of giving, abundance, service and learns to attach a more meaningful message to the holiday season.

16. Donate or volunteer time to working with animals locally.

17. Reach out to a new blogger each month and tell them that their message is important, that they’re being heard and to keep going. The number of times I’ve had people reach out to me has been monumental for my confidence, and spreading that kind of energy can only be a good thing.

18. Aligning my blog with a charity to which a percentage of all aforementioned products will be donated. [Tweet “Giving and receiving are on the same wavelength.”]

19. Outline a book. I’ve had one stirring for the longest time based on my childhood events, the lessons and how they’ve shaped me both as a human and as a woman.

20. Bake more. The cosiness of a sweet, home-made something on the cake stand is second to none. A healthy banana bread, gluten free apple + madeira loaf and cacao, carrot and raspberry muffins are all winners in our house. The Whole Pantry cookbook is my go-to.

21. Learn more about the chakras and EFT.

22. Listen to the voice in my head more during meditation and take it as guidance rather than questioning my sanity. (Do you do this too?)

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Share with me in the comments my loves, what are some firsts you’re looking forward to in 2015.