Setting Goals

I feel like 2018 has been split into two parts for us. We went into the year knowing we would neglect other aspects of our lives with distractions of budgeting and planning. Saying that, I also found time to change jobs, which was a stress unto itself.

After our wedding at the start of May, we decided to have the month ‘off’. We ate want we wanted, binge-watched every show and shut away all resposibilities into a mental box labelled ‘open in June’.

Then June came. That first weekend, I made my husband sit down and we went through a list that we’d accumulated since we had got engaged a year ago. Things that we pushed aside and said ‘we’ll do it after the wedding, when we have time/money’. Well that time is now.

Our main priority for the next six months is bettering ourselves. It isn’t easy, but by setting goals and focusing on progress it can be done. We can also play to our strengths and motivate each other.

Our shared June goals were:

• Set up a joint savings account – aim to put away £300 a month each
• Research passive income streams to supplement our salaries and diversify our portfolios
• Read at least one non-fiction book a month that teaches us something. Last month I read ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad‘ which gave me a lot of food for thought.
• Decide and book our honeymoon – which we did!
• Brainstorm ideas for niche blogs.

My goals:

• Be committed and consistent with my fitness. My stretch aim for this month is to do home workouts x3 a week (I’m trying insanity) and one session of weights. My husband is a gym nut who easily wakes up at 5:30am to work out. Although I will never reach that level of dedication, I’m happy to make baby steps on my own journey.
• Write ‘morning pages’ as inspired by The Artist’s Way and recommended by a friend of mind to encourage creativity, routine and limit general word-vomit that I am prone to.
• Attend a local Toast Masters speech club to improve my public speaking.
• Write a blog to be published on my work internet page.

His goals:

• Learn to code – this is a long-term goal which links in with an aspirational career change. He’s using codeacademy but any advice would be welcome. This is a major goal for him and one that I can tell he’s nervous to tackle. I’ll be there to support him and keep him on track in his low moments.
• Read about investment opportunities e.g. stocks and shares.
• Focus on marketing his app.
• Practice intermittment fasting (8:16).

I feel like setting goals is the easy part, delivering on those promises may prove much harder. I’ll let you know how we get on!