Happy Anniversary to us! Can you believe it? Spirit for Living is celebrating its first anniversary on September 9, 2011. Believe me when I tell you—it feels amazing to reach this business/personal milestone. Spirit for Living was a huge dream for me long before I got it off the ground. I craved a creative outlet that channeled my love of fitness into empowering women all around the world. Now here we are at the end of successful year numero uno!
In honor of this occasion, I’ve put together some simple but potentially life-changing advice about goal-setting. From communicating with friends to setting deadlines, these are the key principles that helped get Spirit for Living to its first birthday.
1) Believe In Your Idea
Achieving your goals is, in my opinion, so important to your personal wellbeing. I think it’s a vital human activity to set goals, chase them, and taste success. Experience has taught me that one of the most important parts of reaching your goals is to stay positive about who you are and the attainability of your dreams. Every day you’ve got to choose to believe in yourself and your idea. And you’ve got to work your butt off (just saying!).
2) Be Specific
Every year people make the same resolutions (check out this great goals infographic here). Drink less, lose weight, go back to school, get a better job, ditch the stress, tackle debt, etc. Those are all well and good, but what would be even better is to be very, very SPECIFIC. The more intentional you are about your goals, the more likely you are to reach them. For example, “I want to start selling my jewelry on Etsy” is better than “I’d like to make more money,” because the first statement is a PLAN and the second is a WISH.
3) Plan Like Your Life Depends on It (Because It Does)
Planning is what it all boils down to. Without a plan your goals are simply wishes. Transforming them into successes depends on how good your plan is and how fiercely you stick to it. Your best friend in planning is a journal. Use it to brainstorm, strategize, keep notes, and plan, plan, plan. Draw up a spreadsheet of specific steps and deadlines.
4) Dream Smart
Have you ever walked on a tightrope before? Well, get ready to if you want to achieve your goals. Setting and reaching goals can be a crazy balancing act. Especially when it comes to being realistic about your goals. On the one hand, you want to dream big. You have the potential to do great things and you should do them! On the other hand, you should realize that it takes time to change the world, i.e. you may not be solving world hunger this year (but you can put a dent in it!). So dream smart. Allow yourself a realistic amount of time for each step of your journey.
5) Missed Deadlines are Not the End of the World
If your deadlines come and go and your dreams are yet unrealized—don’t fret. Don’t cry or pull out any one of the precious hairs on your head. Take a breath and reflect. What obstacles did you encounter? How can you shift your plan to allow for more time? How can you avoid similar obstacles in the future? Keep journaling. You’ll get there.
6) What Your Friends and Your Bra Have In Common: You Need Their Support
Remember, no savvy businesswoman is an island. Keep your friends and family in the loop. Explain your big idea so they catch the vision, too. You need your support system to encourage you when you’re down and push you further than you would push yourself.
7) When Your Brain is Fuzzy, Google It
If you find yourself at a fork in the road, take time to educate yourself. On your journey to achieving your dreams you’ll become an expert in your niche. I was fascinated when it came time to decide which fabrics to use in the Spirit for Living active wear line. Bamboo, soy, hemp-- learning the details about how they are farmed and how their fibers are woven into eco-friendly fabrics was incredibly interesting to me because it intersected with something I am very passionate about: sustainability. When you’re confused about something, that’s a clue that there is something there for you to learn.
Okay you strong, courageous, beautiful women! Break out your journals and get cracking! We have a world to change! Please accept my biggest THANK YOU for supporting Spirit for Living over the past year. I love creating comfortable clothing that sees you through the challenges and adventures of your day. I cannot wait to see what great things unfold in year number two!
