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| It's a new year! Time to take stock, and plan for the road ahead. |
| by Ana Ideias, Coldwell Banker Coburn Realty, Brokerage |
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It's that time of year again, when we stand at the precipice of 2015 with grand plans for new beginnings, new challenges and perhaps some changes. We also stand with 2014 at our backs with some much needed retrospective. We go through our mental check list of how we did. Did we accomplish everything we had set out to accomplish? Did we reach our goals? Did we make the changes we wanted to and did we stick with them?
A new year is always a wonderful time for new beginnings. Here is how I start out my year and some tips I'd like to share with you.
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| Step 1 -- Be Grateful |
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In the world we live in, it can seem like its all about what we have, and wanting more of it. This can leave us feeling like we are spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. So before we start planning for the upcoming year and all the things we want to accomplish, I think it is important to first take stock of what we have and be grateful for all of it. Take a look around you and count your blessings. Write them down in a journal, find an app (I'm sure there's an app for that), say them out loud, or in your head, and get your kids involved in this daily ritual. This is a wonderful tool to help your children develop a skill that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Why not start a Gratitude Jar. I do this every year. Take an empty jar and leave it on the counter where it is easily accessible. Get your kids involved in this. They love it. Every time you or your family do something fun, have a great conversation, share a wonderful meal, watch a beautiful sunset, read an amazing book, whatever it is that makes you happy in that moment, write it down on a little piece of paper and put it in the jar. Do this all year round and on December 31st, empty the jar and read all the little gratitude-filled notes. By doing this, you are reliving all the amazing moments you and your family had that year. What a great way to end one year and start the next.
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| Step 2 - Set SMART Goals |
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If you are anything like me at this time of year, you will find yourself at your kitchen table with all kinds of lists and ideas of how you want to improve this year. Maybe this is the year you will lose those 30 pounds, or quit smoking, or run that marathon. Or maybe this is the year when you are going to get that promotion at work, or hit your sales goals. Or this is the year when you are going to learn a new language, learn to play the guitar, spend more time with your kids and family, or find more time to do whatever it is that fills your cup. These are all great goals.
So how do we get it right this year? How do we set ourselves up for success with these new starts? Here's a great tip that you can use for any goal you may want to accomplish.
Make sure whatever your goal is, that it's a SMART Goal. It stands for:
Specific-Measurable-Achievable-Relevant-Time-Bound.
S = Specific (make sure your goal is specific. Losing weight, getting a better job, becoming more active are not specific enough.)
M = Measurable (Make sure you can measure your success. The more specific the goal, the easier it is to track your success.)
A = Achievable (Make sure they are achievable. Sure we would all love to make a million dollars this year but is that achievable? If so, have at it! If not, set your goals at a more achievable level.)
R = Relevant (Are your goals relevant to you. Sure you might wish you could run a marathon or learn to speak Russian but is it relevant right now, to your life. If not, maybe put it on the shelf for later.)
T = Time Bound (Make sure that you give yourself enough time to reach your goal. Rome wasn't built in a day either. If it took you 30 years to gain those extra pounds, don't expect to lose it all overnight.)
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| Step 3 - Make Things Happen |
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Ok, so now you have taken time to be grateful, you have written down all your lofty goals and you're still standing there staring at the list on your fridge not knowing where to start.
Just start. Make a move. Take the smallest action and begin. I'm a big believer in the concept that it takes a village. So use your village to help you get to your goals. You don't have to do it all yourself. Ask for help and you shall receive it. Look around you and I bet you will find many talented friends and family that can either mentor you, or help with some of the smaller challenges along the way.
Hire a coach - One of the top reasons people hire a coach or trainer is the accountability factor. This is where we all fall short. We have good intentions but we lose our way. Hiring a coach or trainer keeps us honest, accountable and on track. So maybe treat yourself this year to a coach to help you reach your goals.
There's an app for that. - And of course, let's not forget all the wonderful apps out there designed to help us keep track of everything from the number of calories we eat, to the amount of sleep we get, to the number of steps we take, to helping us to organize all our to-do lists.
Here are just a few of the popular apps available to help you help yourself:
1. Nozbe
2. Strides
3. Lift
4. Habit List
5. irunurun
6. Habit Streak
7. BeeMinder
8. Everest
9. Sociidot
10. 43 Things
11. Goals on Track
12. ToodleDo
13. Lose it
14. Sleep Cycle
15. Buddify
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It Takes a Village.........
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Make me a part of your village. As a Realtor in the Ottawa area, I am constantly meeting incredibly talented people that I can recommend to you to add to your village. If you are looking for a specialist in anything, I bet I know someone fabulous that can help you. That's what a village is for.
And, if you or family and friends are thinking about moving in 2015, I know of a great Realtor that would be delighted to help. :)
I wish you a prosperous year filled with many adventures and successes. And I hope that you include me as part of your village over the next year to help you in any way you may need.
Happy New Year!
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Ana Ideias
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker Coburn Realty, Brokerage
1415 Woodroffe Avenue
OTTAWA, Ontario K2G1V9
email me
visit my website
613-883-3650 (Mobile)
613-226-8790 (Office)
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© 2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Coldwell Banker Previews International logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC in the United States and by Coldwell Banker LLC in Canada. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations. In Canada, any use of the term "sales associate" or "agent" herein shall be replaced with the term "sales representative". Nothing in this document is intended to create an employment relationship with the Coldwell Banker office or Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Any affiliation by you with Coldwell Banker is intended to be that of an independent contractor sales associate.
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©2014 Imprev, Inc. |
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