It’s been a month of reflection over here at Franky Coaching HQ and for good reason. I have had a busy one in 2018. Mostly working on my business so that I can do this full time but mainly because trying to get the balance right between work, my kid, my husband, my clients (both marketing and coaching clients), socialising, keeping up with housework and family – has been one hell of a struggle!
My life has been like a science experiment where I trial and error (mostly error) living a more balanced life. Through it all, the one theme that resonates is that I have not been putting myself or my personal needs first and that’s what I’m changing in the New Year.
The addition of our kid has really created a massive ripple in our lives. The uncertainty of money has created stress and to be perfectly honest, I work bloody hard all round but there’s nothing left of me come the end of a day or week.
As you know, 2019 is the year I get my healthy back. I can’t wait, I’m so buzzed! I’ve given myself a start date of 2nd January so that I can actually take some time off working and organise my life so that I am able to do this, create the time for myself and plan out when I work, when I do housework and how often I date my husband.
If there’s one really key thing I’ve learned this year is that planning is my secret weapon! By having the diary organised to within an inch of my life, I’m able to know what I’m doing week to week and can see when I need to take a break from it all if it gets too much. I’ve literally had to put in things like “buy first birthday present for Toby’s party” and the like, so I know what I need to do when. It’s been a lifesaver. It also helps me see very clearly how busy I am on third party activities and re-work the diary so that I can get some respite too.
Having a routine has also sparked my “aha” moments. No longer does “winging it” serve me. If I want to run a successful business, I need to be present for it – not half writing a blog post whilst half making pasta with pesto for my little one. If I want the best out of my body, I have to sleep earlier rather than fight sleep feeling as though I haven’t had time for myself. I need to ensure that the same food rules I’m applying to my kid, are the rules I use on myself. I need to manage other people’s expectations of me better so I feel less guilt.
That sounds like a lot but I’ve actually carved it all out on one of my worksheets that I use for my clients which you can use yourself here. I have populated it with all the eventualities that I can think of that may hinder my progress for Goal 1 – Getting my sexy back and Goal 2 – Going full time in the Coaching. As well as what I need to do in order to achieve my goals alongside everything else in my life. That’s probably why I’m most excited to be honest. I can clearly see what I’m going to do and how I’ll handle any challenges and it just makes it all easier to achieve because I can literally see how to manage it all.
When things are potentially difficult, I ask myself, “what’s the worse that could happen?” When I do this, very quickly it becomes clear that my brain is much more of a drama queen than the situations themselves. So I’m going to manage the hell out of her this new year too!
Whatever your plans for the New Year, no matter how big or small whether in your control or not, ask yourself “What’s the worse that could happen?” And then go for it! Short of harming someone or yourself, the answer is usually a green light to go right ahead. Make it count.