Habits? Goals? Intentions?
Is there a difference? YES! Do I want to spend my time explaining the difference? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Here’s my brief interpretation.
Intentions: The why behind your goals and the feelings associated with the process of achieving your goals
Goals: Long-term results (tangible, measurable)
Habits: Daily routines that influence your ability to achieve your goals and intentions
Now that I’ve explained the difference, here are my intentions, goals, and habits for 2018.
My intentions for 2018
My word for 2018 is INTENTION. I want every decision I make to relate to my intentions in some way.
- I will serve God.
- I will be happy
- I will be successful
- I will be educated
- I will love myself
- I will be healthy
- I will have quality/healthy/meaningful friendships
- I will be relaxed
- I will be wealthier
- I will be creative
- I will be SIMPLY KYMTASTIC
My goals for 2018
Rome wasn’t built in a day, so I’m not trying to build my whole empire in 2018. This is simply the foundation.
- I will lose 20 pounds
- I will post three blog posts a month.
- I will read six books.
- I will attend one social/networking event a month
- I will develop my business plan
- I will secure two freelance gigs or guest posts
- I will create one stream of supplemental income
My Habits for 2018
Starting today, I will be participating in the 7 Virtues Challenge along with a few lovely ladies from the See Jane Write community. It takes 21 days to form a habit and hopefully at the end of the next 21 days, I will have a routine formed. Below are 7 habits I would like to form and an brief explanation for each.
I will wake up at 5 am.
I’m a teacher so early mornings aren’t that far-fetched for me. I currently wake up a 6:30 and somedays I may not even get out of bed until 7. By waking up earlier, I can write, check emails, cook breakfast, exercise, or meditate. Adding an extra hour and a half to my day will increase my productivity.
I will get 7 hours of sleep each night.
Sleep is important to me, but sleep is also a struggle for me. My main issue with sleep is that I have a hard time turning my brain off. I’m up thinking about ideas and what I’m going to do the next day. I will need sleep in order to have enough energy to make it through each day, especially since I’m waking up at 5am.
I will drink at least 64 ounces of WATER.
I’ve purchased a 64-ounce water bottle to get me started and that’s working pretty well. I love water, but I also love juice and soda. I’ve gone without soda before, however, I’ve slipped back into drinking soda almost every day. I have not had a sip of soda in 2018 and I don’t miss it. As far as juice goes, I’ll limit my intake.
I will read at least one chapter in my book.
My mentor Javacia always says that good writers read good writing. I’m a high school reading interventionist so naturally reading is a large part of my day. I also spend time reading for information when it comes to blogging. Reading for fun and enlightenment should be incorporated into my everyday life.
I will write.
I’ll admit, I don’t like to write (but I have a blog. Go figure) Most of my blog posts are written the day before they are posted. If I write daily, I’ll have more time to refine my writing before it’s published. I also have a few journals that I plan to use to help me express my creative side.
I will eat 3 BALANCED meals.
This will probably be the hardest for me because I have a love-hate relationship with food.
Some days I eat 3 meals, some days I only eat once and it might not be anything substantial. Part of it is that I don’t take the time to plan what I eat and the other part is that I don’t like to cook. I WILL plan my meals ahead of time and make better choices if I choose to eat out. I’ve become more mindful of what I eat, but I still have a long way to go.
I will work out for 30 minutes.
I don’t mind exercise. I just don’t make time in my day for it. Once I build up my stamina again and I’ll be fine.
Bouns: I will limit my social media use.
This habit came about when I lived in the mountains for two months last summer with limited cell phone service. It carried over into my everyday life. This is a little more tricky because the way that I use social media has changed over the past year. I found that by deleting the Facebook app off of my phone, I’m less likely to check my phone in general. Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter are a different story because using those sites on anything other than a phone isn’t a feasible option. This is more about limitation than elimination. I can spend my time working on my other habits instead of scrolling through my news feed.
Your goals, intentions, and habits have to be in alignment
Goals, intentions, and habits all rely on each other.
For example, I can say I want to lose 20 pounds, but if I don’t eat properly, rest, or work out consistently, it won’t happen. If I work out, drink more water, and eat balanced meals, I’ll be healthier. I’ll also happier because I won’t be sick as much. If I’m not sick, I won’t have to spend money at the doctor or on medication. As a result, I’ll be wealthier. It’s a domino effect.
Your intentions should drive your goals and your habits should create a lifestyle that is conducive for your intentions and goals to manifest.
2018 is not just about making empty resolutions, it’s about a lifestyle change. I’m taking the momentum from 2017 to make this year Simply Kymtastic.
Final Thought:
DO or DO NOT, there is no try. -Yoda
What are your intentions for 2018? What goals do you have set for yourself? What habits do you want to form? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
To follow my journey through the 7 virtues challenge, check out my Instagram. I’ll be posting daily updates.
I’ll share my recap of my 7 Virtues Challenge January 28th. Subscribe to my blog to receive updates on my next blog posts.
Are you struggling with goal setting? Check out my Slay Your Goals Planner review.
Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash.