“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”
Warm up question: What one word summarizes planning for you?
The main problem with planning is that most of us think of plans as the thing we should have done to avoid all our current problems. It becomes a past-focused thing, a real bummer.
I prefer to think of planning as a way to engage with my reality. To mark a place and time where I think about the past and the future and connect with it. That’s partly why I love planners so much — the physical event of pausing and writing is very satisfying to me. (“The me that writes today will never exist again.”). Sometimes it’s that ritual that makes me note the passing of time, because otherwise things are moving too fast.
So if you haven’t planned before, and you feel bad about that… let it go. This is not a moratorium of how much you suck at planning or how far you didn’t get this year. This is an opportunity to pause and take a look at whatever catches your eye to make next year turn out a little more like you want it to.
You can pull out this plan any time you feel purposeless; great times to consider it:
- End of year
- Beginning of year
- End of quarter
- Quintiles (Podcast: Best of both worlds)
- Birthdays
- With a partner or group of friends
I’m going to call this Big Picture Planning, like the big vista you see when you’re done with a hike. I haven’t done that in almost a decade, but I still remember that last gasping breath before you summit something. And then BAM – you forget your body and just see this amazing view.
So, we’re going to talk about four areas of your life for the next year (or the next quarter) so you can get a snapshot of what’s happening, where you want to go, and what it will take to get there – all in hiking metaphors.
- SCENIC VIEW
- BIG ROCKS
- BIG MOUNTAINS
- HIKING SHOES
Graphic Organizer available here (Google Doc)
YOUR SCENIC VIEW
Let’s assess what’s happening right now and over the past year. Acknowledging what is happening is a superpower. It’s absolutely amazing how well this works in freeing up brain space from tension and struggle. For example, when I acknowledge a day will be hard… suddenly it’s easier. When I acknowledge I am procrastinating… sometimes it stops.
So, what’s the current, non-judgemental assessment of your life right now? The non-judgemental part is key. We’re looking for the facts of the situation. Emotions about the situation can be a factor, but we mainly want to focus on what is/is not happening.
✏️Writing prompts:
- What’s going on in your life right now, in broad strokes (Who, what, where, when of your life)?
- Where is most of your time going? Is that where you want it to go?
- What’s working well about that (what are you getting out of it)?
- What is not working well (where do you feel strain and worry)?
- What’s surprised you most over the last year?
YOUR BIG ROCKS
Let’s reflect on what’s most important to you now and for the new year. This is the intention-setting, the goal-defining, the big 2-3 things that are most important to you.
If you have no idea where to start with this, that’s going to be normal after the years we’ve had. It’s almost like we need to re-calibrate what’s possible with what we can want from life. Think of big categories of things that resonate with you, which we can then tie back to some specific behaviors or outcomes.
For example:
- Physical Health
- Emotional Health
- Mental Health
- Family
- Spirituality
- Financial Health
- Exploration
- Romance
More ideas if you want to go wide with it:
✏️Writing prompts:
- What do you most want for next year, in general?
- In what ways do you want your daily life to change? What about your weekly life, or your monthly life?
- What 3-4 values stand out most to you?
- What are 1-2 behaviors or actions you can consider taking on next year to help you live closer to those values?
YOUR BIG MOUNTAINS
Let’s be frank about the obstacles that stand in the way of getting what we want (because not mentioning them doesn’t make them go away). We can’t plan for everything… but we can plan for some things to make sure we’re not blindsided by them.
✏️Writing prompts:
- What problems or challenges popped up and surprised you this year?
- What problems or challenges will likely come with you into the new year?
- What HASN’T worked for solving or limiting the damage of these challenges?
- What HAS worked?
- Are there any solutions or mitigating strategies you have thought about but haven’t tried yet?
YOUR HIKING SHOES
Let’s look hard and long for the things that can support you with what you’re hoping to achieve next year. This can be people in your personal life or friends online, new tools or resources, or just making space for the things you already have. This is a key part of limiting overwhelm — realizing you aren’t as alone as you feel. And perhaps that you have more support than you think you do.
✏️Writing prompts:
- When you pause and think about it for a moment, what one thing do you most need to feel prepared for the next year?
- How can you get that thing, or what is the closest version of that thing that’s reasonable to get into place?
- What external resources do you have in your corner? (Some might be new, some might already be in hand but underused.)
- What internal resources do you have in your corner? (What is it about you and your personal qualities that will help you get through this?)
FINAL THOUGHTS
The best planning is restorative, not punitive. Ideally, you’re feeling a little less heavy about the coming year and about what you’ve gone through this year. And a little more hopeful about what next year will bring and how you’ll handle it. Because that’s what’s happening here – you’re going to handle whatever comes up. And even, with a little planning, shape whatever comes up into the best possible scenario for you!
Planner shopping: Jet Pens Stationery Storehttps://www.jetpens.com/blog/How-to-Choose-a-Planner-Planning-Strategies/pt/946