Pinch Punch First of the Month

 

In 2019 on the 1st of every month I have pledged something which is I want to achieve within the month. I think I went all out in January, and as the months have gone on I have learnt to set a more manageable and smaller goal.

The goals so far have been relating to money, home life, exercise and healthier eating. I am very task orientated and I know I love to have something to focus on, even if I don't particularly achieve it. As always I have got one of my best friends on board and I text her asking what her pledge is. I think it is good for both of us as you can check in and see how we are getting on. I think it is also great for me to have a friend doing it alongside me as she can reign me in when I am being a little too ambitious. 

I feel like I have a lot of goals and ideas floating around my little brain at the moment, and I feel like each month is drifting by and I have not achieved any of them. I thought it would be a great idea to break things down into months and it would therefore be more management. This means that each month I only have one thing to focus on. This month is about saving for a large holiday. I do this a few times a year e.g. I did no spend Jan this year which you can read all about here. I am hoping to travel to Canada next February and I need to save a few thousand to be able to go and have a once in a life time trip. Therefore, this month I have pledged to save a particular amount in order to get the ball rolling with booking the first installments. 

I very much live by the rule that you only live once. I think everyone goes through phases in life of saving for things for one minute and then splurging the next. That is life and you do what you want. I think about the future a lot, probably a little too much. However, I know that I don't want to get later on in life and look back on my 20's thinking I could have done so much more. Within my job we are told about the importance of reflection, and I have definitely started to incorporate this into my everyday life. I often look back at situations and think about what I loved and hated and how in the future I could improve it. 

At the end of 2018 I had big expectations as to what I wanted 2019 to be for me. I am always one for new year's resolutions and I like to have something to try and achieve. We can go all guns blazing into the new year and be a little disappointed when things don't happen as quickly as we would like them to. I know for sure this is me. Once I have an idea I want to achieve it, no matter how big or small. Take buying a house, it is probably one of the biggest things I will ever do for myself. I knew this wouldn't happen in 2019, but I have a goal for it to be accomplished by 2021. These goals don't always have to be achieved straight away, in the next year or even five years. However, having an end sight of particular goal/s is such a fab way to get motivated and go out and get something. 

For the past five months I have made these monthly pledges to try and make small but positive changes. If you are like me and like goals and aims then I say to try making one pledge a month and see how you get on. You can always review it mid-way into the month to see what you have done already, and what you can now do to ensure you achieve it. If it is a much bigger goal which needs more time in order to complete it, continue it into the next month and make a new pledge as to how you are going to do it. 

Lucy

xoxo