The Intentional Planner

I was caught off guard.
And trying to press the ‘replay’ button in my mind when the follow-up blow arrived.

What does your calendar say about you?

“Well – nothing positive, that’s for sure” I heard myself say aloud over the podcast.

Somewhat surprisingly too because in my former life, I LIVED by my calendar. I had a Master TO DO list and I would use my calendar to schedule activities from that list each day.  I would review continuously and switch things around as required in order to reflect changing priorities within the Business.

But when I chose to leave that life behind and pursue a new life with FREEDOM at its core, I ‘threw the baby out with the bathwater’ so to speak and stopped planning – thinking it might somehow curtail my freedom.

And so, for the last few years, I have lived very much by my schedule.  Doing what I want, when I want, being spontaneous, and changing my plans on a whim to accommodate others.

Which sounds great.
But there is a downside.

And the downside is, I’m not nearly so productive these days as I once was.

I’m ‘free’ – that’s for sure.  But I want my ‘freedom’ to be part of something bigger. There’s no point being ‘free’ if you are not using that ‘freedom’ for good.

And so, as we arrive at the start of another new month, I have made the decision to start using my calendar with much more intention, to achieve all the goals I have set for 2022.

I can maintain my sense of freedom but at the same time, take action towards my short- and longer-term goals.  With focused action.

I intend to get more done (as I did in my corporate career) but also use this process as a means of laying down some new beliefs and changing ‘what my calendar says about me’.

So going back to the host and the podcast, here’s what my calendar (or lack thereof) said about me:

• She’s lazy
• Lacking discipline or focus
• Disorganized
• Stagnant
• Tendency towards procrastination

What?  This is NOT me.
Well at least not the version of me that I am willing to own.

I want my calendar to reveal the following:

• She is a woman who lives her life on purpose
• She is organized.  Super-organized
• She is disciplined and focused
• Knows what she wants and takes the action necessary to make it happen
• Successful

I started yesterday and will complete the process today.  Basically, taking all my goals for 2022 and breaking them down into smaller ‘bitesize’ pieces and putting them into my diary. So even those tasks that I don’t particularly ‘enjoy’ and have been avoiding all year, I will be reminded every day, that they are part of something much bigger.  And that becomes my focus.

Having it on my calendar and being intentional about how I spend my time, will confirm the belief that I AM organized and then the energy of FEELING organized, having cleared away some of the paperwork, will drive me to put other things on my calendar and achieve even more order.

And now to you.

Look back to the month of August or even just this week so far and review how you have allocated your time.

What does this reveal about what you believe about yourself?

Do you LIKE what it is saying about you?

It is really important that we understand what we ‘believe’ to be true about ourselves because even though we may not always be aware of them, these beliefs are shaping our self-image.

And what you think about yourself, shapes how you see yourself.

Your self image is creating your entire life – because we are all wired to behave in a way that it is aligned to what we believe to be true.  It’s about how we ‘identify’.

But fear not, because we can change how we see ourselves, and when we do, life outside of us begins to change too.

So – back to you…

How are you using your time?

• Is it effective?
• Most importantly, is it producing the results that you want?

Maybe you want to see yourself as fit & healthy.
Well take a look at your calendar.
Does it reflect someone who is fit & healthy?
Is there time scheduled to go to the gym?  Or to go out walking?

Planning for Success

• Get clear on the results you want to achieve
• Put time blocks (with the desired results that you want) on your calendar

So if like me, you have been living too long in disorder – your home is not fully organized, there’s paperwork everywhere,  your digital files or your photos are not organized, you could start by having a time block that says:

• Getting Organized – 30 mins daily to clear historical paperwork

And the more often you complete these 30 mins tasks, and observe the results of consistent action, then the more evidence you will have to support the new belief of being an ORGANIZED woman.

Of course, there is no point in just filling up the calendar with ‘to do’ items. 
We must then have the discipline to show up for what we have decided ahead of time must be done.  And that requires that we feel the discomfort of change.

Changing your beliefs about yourself is uncomfortable because the brain likes to stick with what is familiar.  So – once something is on your calendar and you start showing up for it, just expect it to be uncomfortable and know that nothing has gone wrong.

You are on the right track. 
Just keep moving through that discomfort and show up for yourself.

When I have finished creating my calendar this week, I want it to reflect back to me.

She is a woman who is super organized and committed to her goals.

What will yours say about you???

Get planning!

x Until next time, sending you love x

I would love to get to know you more, connect with me here.