1. Create a Vision

I know this sounds cliche but the power of thought is a very real thing. How can you know what to work towards if you can’t even envision that dream situation. Take some time to figure out what would put you in that ‘dream’ situation. Is it a specific career? Starting your own business? What industry? Are you working remotely? Do you need to have lots of flexibility or are you willing to put long hours of work?  A little tip, using Pinterest to create different mood boards can be so helpful especially if you are a visual person. When starting LINK’D we created boards for Packaging, Branding, Collection Ideas, Brand DNA, Aesthetics, Photography, etc. It is one of our most used tools for running our online business and the best part is that it is FREE. 

2. Set Small and Realistic Goals

Once you have established that ‘dream’ situation or goal, make a plan with ideas, tasks, dates, and smaller goals that will help you get there. It is easy to set a large goal, but sticking to it? That’s a whole other story. Personally, I’ve tried the massive-goal-setting approach for years and even though it was inspiring and exciting at the time, I would never fully followthrough.  So take your vision and break it up into quarterly, monthly, weekly and/or even daily tasks and small goals and you’ll have a much better idea on which direction to take. Small goals are much easier to complete on a regular basis and by achieving them and building off of them, you’ll consistently see yourself improving and moving towards your bigger goal.  There are SO many cute yearly planners (linked below) that you can use to write everything down and keep you organized. I know a lot of people like to use google calendars and reminders (including myself) but having a physical calendar in front of you that you can look at while you’re working without any distractions from your phone, is a game changer. 

3. Develop Healthy Rituals e.g. A Morning Routine

I honestly cannot emphasize this one enough. It doesn’t matter whether you are an entrepreneur, a dog mom, work a 9 to 5, or a millionaire, you are the one that establishes your daily rituals and habits. Define the healthy rituals that work best for you and that are nonnegotiable. For me that is waking up early, making my bed and getting a workout in right away. This helps me start my day feeling accomplished and knowing that I did something good for my body. For you it might be meditation, practicing mindfulness, going for a walk, reading, etc. Whatever rituals make you feel happier, healthier, more productive, and more aligned with your vision, practice them.    

4. Never Stop Learning.

If there is one thing that we all have these days is access to unlimited information; from podcasts, to TED Talks, to Youtube, to audio books, you name it. Life is constantly changing and we should be constantly learning and growing. I can’t even imagine starting a YouTube channel or even less our own small business without using any of these other platforms in the process. If you don’t know something, Google it, chances are that someone else already did. I especially love listening to podcast while I’m driving, cleaning, or even in the shower (yes, the shower.) It is such an effortless and fun way to learn and the information available is endless. Some of my go-to podcasts are: The Tim Ferris Show, The Skinny Confidential, Life with Marianna, The Mindful Kind, Yoga Girl Conversations from the Heart, Expanded with Lucy Phillips, and Goal Digger. 

5. Positive Thoughts > Negative Thoughts.

I know this one sounds obvious and it’s much more easier said than done BUT it is truly a life changer. We go back to the importance of power of thought and the law of attraction without sounding too woo-woo. If we can train our mind to have more positive thoughts and replace the negative ones, then we are setting the right intentions with which we are going to approach our day. Have you noticed that when something bad happens and we approach it as if it’s the end of the world, a million other things start to go wrong? Positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative, it’s that simple. When you catch yourself complaining about something or having negative thoughts, remind yourself of something that is going right or something you are grateful for. Do this constantly and watch how your life really starts to make turn for the better. 

*All links below are clickable!*