WIN IN 2018 !

As I thought about what I wanted my first blog post to be about for you guys, it hit me- why not write about what changes I plan on making in 2018 to make it a winning year. This isn’t a “New year, new me” post, I don’t believe in that. There is nothing wrong with who YOU are so there doesn’t need to be a NEW you! Just improve, become better with the you that you are. What I mean by this is accept who you are, be comfortable in your own skin and just continue to grow.

Okay, now that I got that little disclaimer out, here is what this post is about. The second year of PT school has been rough I won’t lie. My time management skills sucked, I overcommitted to a lot of things, I was disorganized, didn’t work out, stressed, procrastinated and let my anxiety get the best of me. I really didn’t want it to go down that way, but it happens, it was a learning curve for me. It was a whole new level of graduate school compared to the first year, but what it did show me was that I thought I was prepared for the real world - but honestly I can do better. So that is what this post is about, changing bad habits into good ones. I have also read personal growth and development books which are awesome at helping me pinpoint what parts of my life I have been lacking in. It has been really eye opening and I cannot wait to start! I suggest you look into some too!

So here is my plan for 2018 and beyond:

1.VISUALIZE

What I mean is that goals in life that you seek, you need to completely visualize what it will be like when you do achieve it. Visualize the steps it is going to take to get there. Additionally, in a sense, act as if you already have achieved it - meaning send nothing but positive vibes out into the universe and keep yourself focused on the path it takes to get there and your end goal. I won’t be including any doubts along my journey. Try it!

Next, make a vision board that clearly lays out the path that you want to take. What is a vision board? Well its a board that you make from magazine clippings, pictures online, drawings etc., that keeps you visually focused on your goals. It serves as a constant reminder of where you are going and to keep on that path and you WILL achieve your goals! I just googled “vision board” and here are some that came up:

I used this technique to get into Physical Therapy school. I visualized, created a vision board, and worked hard to stay on track.  When I did not waver from my path and wholeheartedly believed that I would get there - I did.

2. PLAN

Let's get real - part of the reason second year was so busy for me was that I failed to plan, so I planned to fail. It got to the point where I was often asking a close friend if I could look at her planner just to make sure I was staying on track - insert eye roll here, believe me I know.  I am the type of person in the past who would buy a planner then never use it. It’s because I did not know how nor did I really try to. What I mean is - you have to find the right planner for you, that reflects the type of person you are. It makes it more fun to use and more relevant to your life.

My roommate recently showed me her Passion Planner and I fell in LOVE! It is a planner that helps you plan your entire day, list out goals, to-do lists, highlights of your week - it's just overall WONDERFUL! Below is an example check out the site here: passionplanner.com

http://www.passionplanner.com/buy/2018-dated-classic-timeless-black-sunday

Isn’t it beautiful!? It is exactly what I am looking for and so excited to try! If you goal-getter definitely try it and let me know what you think!

3. WORKOUT

Enough said.

4. WAKE UP EARLY

Everyone who knows me knows that I am not a morning person. If you tell me to be somewhere in the morning it’s best to lie to me about what time I should get there, because I am almost always late. Unless of course, it is really important like class or a meeting...but if it was to study my bed often sounded better. This is such a terrible mindset to have! One that I am working extremely hard to change. I read an article recently about CEOs and how they prepare for their day. They wake up and get so much done before I was even opening my eyes! It slowed me down. I wasn’t making the most of my time, nor was I being effective at all during the day.

So if you're like me, let's try this morning plan below together:

• Meditate
• Work out
• Eat breakfast
• Answer Emails
• Walk my dog and listen to a podcast
• Read something of interest to myself
• List somethings that I have to get done that day
• List 3 things I am thankful for/positive
• Positive Affirmations

These are all so important for keeping a busy schedule straight. I know it sounds like a lot but if you think about it - it is all taking care of you before you start taking care of everyone and everything else. I think that if I start my day with me in mind I will see a complete 180 in how my day goes, and I think you will too!

5. GET TO BED EARLY

I am not functional when I do not get sleep. There is no sense in cramming for a test late without sleep because I definitely do not do better nor do I function well. It’s been scientifically proven that you retain more and do better if you get some sleep! So do what you can the night before, go to bed at a decent hour, and study in the morning when you are awake and ready to start the day! Hopefully with these new habits, studying last minute will be a thing of the past! ( I am extremely hopeful on this one)

6.PROCRASTINATION

Not even going to be an issue with your planner! But all I have to say is - this feeling REALLY SUCKS so I am going to do my best to avoid it, keep my stress levels down, and get it done early!

7.MEDITATION

If this is something that you haven’t tried yet - I suggest you do. It does wonders for your mind. It is definitely hard, in the beginning, to get your mind to calm down. But once you do, that time is yours, it creates an effective way to put you first. I use apps like Headspace and Calm (available for Apple and Android). They have guided meditations on there that you can do. It takes anywhere from 3-10 minutes - trust me we do have that time, we often scroll through social media, so take the time to focus on you instead!

I meditate before going to bed, if I cannot sleep, if I am stressed, or to start my day. It just gets me in a good state of mind and jumpstarts my day. My favorite thing to use especially if I have trouble sleeping is the Calm app Sleep Stories - someone reads a story to you and it drifts you off to sleep, it works every single time for me.

8.MEAL PREP

Not only does meal prepping save you money, so you are not tempted to go out for fast food, but it helps you stay healthy.  I think this is one of my biggest hacks in PT School it saves me so much time! I know my meals are prepped, just need to be heated up and/or packed, then they are ready to go!  

On weekends I usually go to the grocery store ( I love going on Friday or Saturday afternoons/nights because its never too busy then) to buy everything I need to prep for my meals of the following week.  I look up recipes on Pinterest (YES!) and YouTube. 

I save money by getting fruits and vegetables from my local farmers market. I also shop at Walmart, Aldi, and Target. If I am looking for something specific or want to buy in bulk I will go to NutrionSmart, Costco, Sams Club, or Publix.  My classmate showed me an app called Flipp that has all the weekly sales ads for the stores in your area so it helps you know whats on sale! Its really awesome!

9. HAVE A GYST DAY

What is a GYST Day? It is a Get Your Stuff Done Day.  I have one of these days a week, where I do laundry, clean my apartment, catch up on things that absolutely need my attention or things I have been putting off. I make a list at the start of the day and try to accomplish everything on it. I do this to start my week or month fresh.  It takes some of the weight off my shoulders and gives me an accomplished feeling. It's the best feeling ever! And if you have a designated GYST Day you know you can schedule to get certain things done then, without feeling guilty for not doing it sooner!

10. PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE FOR THE NEXT DAY

This. Saves.Me.SO.MUCH.Time.  Honestly it really does!  Not only do I get to sleep in a bit longer if I do, but I won't forget anything needed for the next day. In PT school especially or if you go to the gym, you may change clothes often. Or if you may need a certain textbook, or an item for the next day that you absolutely cannot forget - this little task the night before makes a huge difference.

1. I pack my lunch for the next day- making sure its all in containers and ready to grab and put into my lunch box the next morning. Or sometimes if I have room in the fridge(LOL) I will place it in my lunch bag to make it that much easier!

2. I clean up any mess I made that night while studying, eating, or whatever else. I always sleep better knowing my area is nice and organized. It helps you find things and gives you a fresh start on the next day!

3. I lay out what I am going to wear the next day. It helps because some days I need to dress up or I can be dressed casual- I definitely do not want to be the only one not dressed up if I need to be! It also gets rid of the whole "what am I going to wear today" dilemma that I go through some mornings.

4. I pack my gym clothes or any other clothing items I need.

5. I pack my backpack ensuring I have everything I need in it for the next day.

11.MAKE YOUR BED

It can be one of the first things that you accomplish in a day. When you start your day with a made bed in makes a huge difference! Your room looks cleaner, you're not as tempted to get back into bed, and you get to sleep in a newly made bed later that night!

12. ROUTINE, ROUTINE

I always say you can tell what kind of day or week I am having based off of how my room looks - awful isn't it? When I am stressed, not working out, straying away from my routine, going to bed late, and not taking care of me my room is the last thing I want to clean. But when I stick to a good routine that involves everything we talked about above - my room reflects that it becomes a safe haven and the place I look forward to at the end of the night to de-stress. Routines that promote you taking care of yourself are things we should always do - remember we are making 2018 a year to WIN! 

Try these things and let me know how it works for you in 2018! They are such small changes but they yield big results. Remember we always make time for the things that matter to us, so let's make ourselves the number one thing that matters this year.

Happy New Year Grinders!