Now before you think this is a post about money, well ok, yes it is. BUT, it’s about much more than that!

So my “one word” for 2016 is “prosperity.” I LOVE the definition I found in a word search for prosperity, and of course as we all know everything you read online is true! 😉

Prosperity: state of flourishing, thriving, good fortune and/or successful social status. Prosperity often encompasses wealth but also includes other factors which can be independent of wealth to varying degrees, such as happiness and health!…Prosperity Bank, Wikipedia

Do you want to flourish? Do you want to thrive? Have good fortune? Happiness? Health? Me too!!! Hey, feel free to make “prosperity” your word for this year too.

So do I think these things in and of themselves just magically happen? Rarely! Ok, then where do we begin? I’m glad you asked.:)

Confession: I’m a list person. I thank my mom for that. Call it OCD…too much time on my hands,conditioning, whatever you want! Doesn’t matter cause guess what. Lists WORK! I also like new calendars…you know the old school kind that require you to WRITE. It works for me. I remember better if I write things down. Aaaaand if I don’t remember I can always look back at them as many times as I need. Did you know that if you write something down or make some sort of list, give it some action steps and deadlines, the odds of the things on the list actually happening go up exponentially!? Sorry if you like percentages. You’ll have to look that one up!

OK so trick question…what is Step 1?

Yes, make a list!

Actually, I recommend 2 lists. First, make a dream list for this year. What do you want to get done? What do you want to accomplish? What experiences do you want to have? No one else has to see your list. It’s yours! Need some ideas to get those creative thoughts flowing? I’ll share a few of mine…which means it’s no longer private of course, but that’s OK. I’m also OK if they don’t all make the cut for the year.

-visit family out of state
-visit a state I’ve never been to before
-attend an out of town business conference
-NYC trip

Well, I did cheat a little. I added some things that are already on the books. Hey it IS my list, remember?! And that’s fine. Add things that you know are tangible, or already on the calendar. AND if some goals don’t make the cut, that’s OK, because 2017 is just a year away. You don’t need to feel enslaved by your list. OWN your list. Change it, tweak it…I know I will. Plus its really fun checking things off that list. You may even want to make up a dance for it…that no one else needs to see.

Then after that, make some personal, business, or financial goals. I would NOT recommend putting “make more money” as a goal. The purpose for the dream goals list being first is so that you can break down any time and cost involved. They will help you determine your financial goals. Hopefully you are well aware of how much you need for basics of living…then you add to that your dream goals…then you can look at how much you need to bring in…how much you need to put aside, before its spent on other things like eating out or those shoes you just had to have (yes I just went there). If you are just making enough income to survive…I get it. So together, lets look at our skills and strengths and see how we can creatively monetize them. You can do it! If I can, you can.

So some business goals I have for this year…

-read 1 business book a month
-paint 2 original paintings a week
-be in 1 to 2 big outdoor craft shows

After your lists are made, put them in a place you can see them at LEAST 1 time a month. Check off something you’ve accomplished (check off dance, whoop whoop) and tweak when necessary. You will be amazed at what you WILL accomplish in a year.

Are you ready?
Let’s do this.

Chelle