My wish for you is that the first half of 2022 has gone extremely well! This year has been a defining one for me. And I want to make the most of the second half of the year. Hence, this post!

Let’s jump right in.

This post is split into four sections: The first is goals and dreams: it looking back to your original vision for the year. The second is budget, finances and career; this is so important, because without a budget and backing, those goals and dreams might not become a reality. Activities, fun and trips is the third section, strategically planned after the budgeting section. If you are anything like me, I have high hopes at the beginning of the year to take a few big trips, but typically end up taking only one. And lastly, something new. If you’ve been with BrightEyedSmiles awhile, you know the importance I place on trying something new on a regular basis.

Questions to ask

• What has gone well this year? What do you wish went differently?
• Have you seen growth in yourself? Did you slide back into any old bad habits?
• Are there one or two things you’d like to continue to improve within yourself?
• Do the goals you set at the beginning of the year need to change?

Goals and Dreams

Each day, you should be making progress on your goals and dreams. Even if the progress is simply believing that you will still achieve it. If you haven’t already, keep a little card in your wallet listing a single word representing your main goal and dream for either this year or far into the future.

The simple daily reminder should help you keep on track!

Budget, Finances and Career

Budget, money and career sits in the second place spot, simply because I used to keep this first and would consistently prioritize it over my actual goals and dreams. For most people money is somehow involved in their overall hopes and dreams, perhaps you’d like to be a millionaire one day. That being said, I’ve starting shifting the way I look at this area of my life. To see money as a tool instead of seeing a bank account balance as as goal. That being said, this came over the course of many years and having a strict budget for myself.

Budgeting is the the first step toward making your dreams come true. If you want to learn to be a pilot one day, it costs money. If you’d like to be a stay at home mom and have multiple children, there has to be some basis for financial situation. Or, if you’d like to be in the top ten successful people in your career, money will most likely be a byproduct of that goal.

Understanding money and keeping it top of mind, while not being obsessed allows for management of this resource. Since this is a second half planning session. If you haven’t already, please sit down and do budget for yourself. Start sticking to it immediately. Set small goals on savings and spending. Make better decisions or purchase longer lasting higher quality products.

Once you have an understanding of your budget and how much is coming in and out, you may come to the realization that you need to level-up in your career. This could mean having a side hustle to make additional cash, or simply working hard to get a promotion. Either way, it is time to start  living within your means!

Activities, Fun and Trips

Once you’ve got your goals and dreams in the forefront, and make sure your finances are in order to support those; next is to focus on FUN! Any activities you’d like to add into your life, places you’d like to go, social things you’d like to do and in general enjoying life. Again, these are usually intertwined with your goals and dreams, but often will get deprioritized and off balance.

At half way through the year, you should at least have a plan for your fun trips, and activities. Hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy the company of others. As we move through summer, be sure to do the things you really want to do in this season. And start planning for that cozy fall season!

Starting out the year traveling for work, it was nice to finally settle into a new place so that I could focus on traveling for fun again!

Something new

Trying something new!  In talking with family and close friends, especially my role model (a cousin of mine) we’ve agreed that trying something new is one of the keys to unlocking feeling better, feeling free and enjoying life! It also allows us to explore ourselves more so than if we continue to repeat the same hobbies or activities on a regular basis. Even going someplace new can help break us into a new perspective! So today, plan something new to try or become an expert at!

Storytime

For example, toward the end of 2021, I started ballroom dancing. It was the best thing I’ve done for myself and came about in the most random way! Through talking with a great friend and colleague, I discovered the world of ballroom dancing. Was I a tiny bit anxious going into my first lesson? Of course! Was it one of the best experiences of my life to date? YES. As I’ve continue to ballroom dance and work on this skill it has opened up a whole new world for me. It has been empowering, extremely fun! A different kind of workout, it has also provided a wonderful social activity and I’ve made amazing new friends. Plus, it honestly wasn’t something I’d ever even really knew about prior. I highly recommend trying something not just new but totally outside your typical realm!

Of course, my readers know me well… and for 2022, my something new activity has yet to be discovered, as I continue to work on ballroom dancing. I promise you I will be sure to update you once I try a new activity!