Click here for Day One: Examine Your Starting Point of ‘Designing your Best 2011!”
Click here for Day Two: Determine Your Values
Click here for Day Three: Visualize Your End Point
Click here for Day Four: Chunk Into Goals
Click here Day Five: Stumbling Blocks
Day Six: Public Declaration/Word for the Year (and a wee small contest!)
The last step of effective goal setting is to publicly share. Your idea of publicly may be just your best friend, your accountability partners, your entire office, or the world on your blog. Or in this case, THIS blog! There’s two ways to enter:
1) Post a comment and tell us all one (or two, or three) of your goals for 2011. Share as little or as much in the way of details as you’d like but share your SMART goal(s). One of mine is date night weekly (with a couple months off for newborn stage) and to write in my gratitude journal every night.
2) Post a comment with what your overarching theme for the year is. It could be your word of intention for 2011 (mine is ‘Balance’) or your theme for the year (yup, got one of those too; mine is “Taking the Perfection Beast”).
And last step? Tell me if you want to win the Cold Process Prize or the Melt and Pour prize. We’ll randomly choose one of each winner on Friday the 7th of January.
Do you want to win a prize? Of course you do! (silly question) Post with one of the two (or both!) of the options from above and you’re automatically entered. Don’t forget to tell me if you’re entering for the CP or the MP prize.
How did surgery go? Or have they not happened yet? I hope they go smoothly and recovery is much easier than you expect =))
I love your goals – eclectic, vintage & upcycled – it sounds like you really have a lot of the branding and vision thought out already!
I’m trying for 7 fruits/veggies per day and it is WAY harder than you would expect. Veggies are actually easier because I can slip them into most food whereas the fruit tends to be in a smoothie or straight so not a lot of food choice options to toss it into. =)
Good luck with your recoveries. With fruit and vitamins on your side, you’ll do great!
Thank you! I worked really hard on the blog posts and was so happy that people were reading them and finding value in them.
I like your goals – very specific and time oriented. Let me know when your Etsy shop is up; I want to see it!
100% fantastic goal. No fast food = healthier food for you and your family = a healthier future for you all. I love that goal!
The Omivore’s Dilemna was book that really helped me with my food inspiration as did the movie ‘Fast Food Nation’ – in case you ever have a moment in need of support. =)
Thank you for being a reader. So far, the last six months have been the year of learning about how a baby grows in your womb and designing my life around ensuring I’m doing everything I can for a healthy baby. It’s been a huge year of learning for me.
I like your goal of learning CP; let me know how I can be of any help to you in your journey to CP domination.
Losing weight is a great goal; investing in your future and your health is always worthwhile. Logging your food is a big step but that’s an almost surefire way to change eating habits.
I do weekly date nights with my hubby and LOVE them so much; he is worth it. Our relationship is worth it. =)
Here’s to a love-filled, CP-exploring, healthy year for you in 2011.
I think you’ll like ‘The Answer’, the book by John Assarraf. It’s a good marketing book. Also, anything by Bob Bloom is a good marketing book. And Pop! is another good marketing book.
Fantastic job with being specific with your goals for the year AND your theme.
More protein, less carbs – good start! Add a simple 5 count of fruits and veggies (9 is divine but hard to attain) and you’ll be on your way to a really healthy diet. If you are on Twitter, Breakfast Cookies blogs her fruits and veggie intake almost daily and it’s a good kick in the pants for me every time I see her reminding her followers to eat well =)
Journal – good job! And very worthy investment in your emotional equilibrium.
Great job on two realistic goals that are very specific and time oriented. I think that your idea with the blog is really smart. What I do is have one ‘anchor post’ per week planned (generally, the Thursday posts) and those are the ones I really focus a lot of effort on to. And then, from there, I fill in the rest of the week. Sometimes, like the goal week, the entire week is an anchor post but for the most part, I do a calender up three months in advance and that helps. And, I blog almost daily – you probably won’t (nor would I recommend it; I will be the first to admit that it’s barely manageable! LOL!)
Your bee business sounds intriguing; I love the idea of natural spa products based on beeswax in all the products.
Launching your business! YAY! That is going to be a huge step for you in 2011.
Regarding your healthy eating lifestyle, you’ll have a better chance of succeeding if you get specific about what ‘healthy eating’ means to you. For me, for example, it’s eating 7 fruits and vegetables per day and either a serving of bread & cheese, a glass of wine OR a small dessert per day (pick one!). That helps me determine if I’ve met my goal or not. You may have done this behind the scenes and didn’t feel like baring your soul (grin) but just in case you haven’t, I want you to have all the tools at your disposal for success =) Here’s to a healthy and profitable 2011 for you!
Four new crafts = 1 per quarter. Manageable and fun!
40 pounds = 10 pounds per quarter = 3.33 pounds per month. Manageable AND specific. Great job on making realistic goals.
When it’s open, let me know – I would love to see it!
My goal is to Change up my Etsy Shop and work more on Social Networking.
Thanks
Kathy
Oh my goodness. I forgot to say that if I were to be picked, I would LOVE the cold process kit so I can start learning! 😀
Hello! I’ve just started learning about the whole CP soap making and I have to say….I LOVE it already! 😀 One of my goals this year is to learn at least 4 new crafts. I’ve already learned the basics of crochet and now I’m moving on to soap! Another one of my goals is to lose at least 40 lbs.
My theme for this year is kind of long. It’s learning, expression and identification. I want to learn more this year, I want to express myself and I want to find out what I want to do with my life. I’ve wanted to own my own crafty business (after college) and hopefully this will be the year of progress!
Thanks for such a wonderful opportunity!
Ally’s top 3. Goals:
1.Maintain a healthy eating lifestyle so that I have enough energy for goal #2
2.Increase my “product development” phase and create, create, create
3.Launch my business….I’ve already taken some big step here…yay!
My theme for this year is: Create inspiration!
My mantra is: Positive action = positive attraction!!
Both prizes look wonnnnderful!!!
Ally :o)
Good luck everyone!!
Got it!
My business goal is to blog once per week in support of our new business venture in beekeeping. To do that, I’ll create a map of blog topics and develop a “backlog” of posts to help when I get busy with my regular job!
My creative goal is to learn how to do something related to our bee business, such as soap-making (thus I’m a new follower of your blog), candle-making, or creating a line of natural spa products.
As I’ve never made soap at all, it’s likely best, should I win, that you send the melt and pour set! Thank you for providing the exercises and inspiration.
Keri
Forgot to mention… If I am lucky enough to win *fingers crossed*, I would love the MP Prize 🙂
My goals for 2011 consist of 1-a diet and exercise plan. No counting calories or anything like that, Im starting easy. More protein, less carbs. I don’t have a weight goal, I have no idea what it would be. I just want to look and feel good!
2- This one is a small goal, but sell my first product! I just launched my website, and am working on adding more products. So my first sale will be a huge deal 🙂
and 3- writing in a journal! At least twice a week, about what has happened during the week with all of my goals. Keeping track of my goals, and just life in general.
I would love the MP prize, but the CP would be awesome as well!
Thank you! 🙂
Forgot to say cold process prize please!
The most challenging goal this year for me, is to lear more about “Marketing”, how to sell my soaps in the proper places, street fairs, and events, because I don´t have a shop. I take your and your team advises, and I´ll keep reading your blog every day to learn new technics about soaping.
Change from a Blog to a webpage will be another goal.
Finish my postgraduate degree in cosmetics is a big goal too.
My theme for this 2011 is “Leadership”.
I would love to win the melt and pour prize.
Thanks for making the contest!!!
Take care a lot!!
Mariana
from Mar D. Jabones
Hello Anne-Marie!
Thank you for inspiring post – I love your blog and look forward to hearing what you’ve been up to and this one was a doozy! Here are my 2011 goals;
1. I’ve been making MP soap for a while now (just for myself and family), but have been toying with the idea of going into CP. So this year I am going to make CP soaps, test them on unsuspecting members of my family (bwahaha!), and then perfect recipes ready to sell for 2012.
2. I’m also going to lose some more weight (I have lost 30lbs already), and increase my fitness by moving daily.
3. Make sure there is always time for family time – an hour an day were we all hang out together and enjoy each others company.
4. A monthly date night for me and hubby!
My theme for this year is ‘one step at a time.’ Learn one thing, learn it good then move on to the next thing.
Happy 2011!
the goal my husband and i have set up for our family is to cut fast food out of out our dite this year. also this year i want to take my soap makeing to the next level from just a hobby to starting to sell.
First, I just want to say that I have been reading your blog for a little while now, and I have really enjoyed this series of posts. It has really helped get me thinking about setting goals to move both my personal life and business in a more positive direction.
My theme for 2011 is “Organization”. I’m working towards organizing my home, finances, and business in a way that is functional and maintainable. My goal is to use my newly organized lifestyle to have more time and money to dedicate to my business. My first specific goal is to have my website and Etsy shop fully up and running by the first of February, and I am already more than halfway there. Once that is done, I will work on my other goal of finding a few local stores that are willing to sell my products.
I found your youtube channel the other day and fell in love with your site/blog. Your very inspiring and thanks so much for sharing.
Goals for 2011:
I have Hip Dysplasia and had hip constructive surgery last year and a couple more surgeries are pending in a few weeks. I know I won’t be able to work a “regular” job. And, have decided I need to start my own business.
.Setting up the groundwork for my eclectic, vintage & upcycled, on line business & natural body care line.
.Eating healthier by eating more fruits/veggies everyday & getting back to my vitamin regimen.
.Getting back to being able to enjoy life outdoors…like riding my bike, walking the dog & going for hikes. After my surgeries, I Will, be stronger and able. There will be no stopping ME!
Prize Choice:
. Melt & Pour, Queenie!
Wishing the Best for 2011!
~One Hip Chick~
I’m starting the New Year off by going with my heart, with family and wanting the best for them I put alot of things on hold. I was in school to complete my R.N. Degree, yea that was a good move for financial stablity, but I felt empty. I have alway’s loved crafts, and love to make candle’s. I stumble across Soap Queen, and I havent looked back since (3 months ago). I prayed for a answer on what to do with my life, and needless to say, for the first time in my adult life I feel I have a true purpose, I love to see peoples’s faces when I give them my bathbomb cupcakes,or my bath bombs, and my massage candle. My Goal in 2011 is to attend the Soap Guild Conference in May, to have my website up and running no later than August, and to design my own line of products. My Motivation is thinking big. “I might as well think BIG, why should anyone think small, I might as well think BIG if I’m gonna think at all.” Thank’s Anne-Marie for your inspiration. I’m a melt and pour fan.
Hi Anne-Marie!
My goals almost all are career oriented for this year. First step – get an Internship at public accounting firm – done! Second – graduate this December 2011 – taking couple classes now along with my Internship, and will take few crash courses over the summer to get myself ready for the final step in the fall. Third (and ultimate) – get a full-time offer from the best accounting firm in the nation – working on it! :-))) I’m a huge CP fan! :-)))
Elena Z
No worries; it happens to the best of us! =)
I love that word; and there are so many great things you can do around that word too – relaxation, journaling, mediation, yoga, nature walks – all kinds of stuff! It sounds like a fun year of adventure =)
I got caught up in the moment and forgot to mention that I like the MP kit! *blush*
A personal goal for 2011 is “Peace”. I’ve had alot of chaos in my life and I would love a little bit of peace. It starts with not stressing over the little things. I need to make peace with my past struggles and make peace with myself. I think then, there is nothing that I can’t accomplish in 2011!! I will be able to focus on my business as well as my family with a sense of accomplishment as well as a newfound optimism. Peace. It is a small word with a large potential! 🙂
Great thinking; nothing is worse than missing one goal and then being like
“Whatever, I missed that one goal so what does it matter if I make the other
ones.” It’s happened to me and I’ve learned the hard way =)
Thanks Anne-Marie,
I will remember that as I am trying to accomplish this…I think I have cut back on some of what I was trying to do and much of this is where one ends, another picks up…so, I think I am alright, but definitely giving myself grace on the study guides and if it appears to be too much, I may just do one of them this year…
C~
Fantastic job really defining your goals; that is so great! And, even
better, finding yourself an accountability group. Goal setting is so
important to have group help with and it’s been a huge positive help for me
in the past.
Greetings to you in Spain and here’s to a very successful padel-playing,
profitable year =)
Nice – focus on your health is a great one. If you haven’t clarified to
yourself how you’re going to do it (diet, exercise, meditation, more
preventative doctor’s visits, etc…), you might want to get even more
specific with yourself so you can know when you hit the goal. Making that
investment in yourself is the best thing you can do. Love your business goal
too =)
You’ve done a great job laying out your very specific, very measurable, time
oriented goals. I wonder about the ‘Achieveable’ part. Since I’m not sure
what your daily spiritual practice yourself or with your kids is now, this
might not be a huge stretch but I worry that adding to your plate (7 minutes
of prayer + daily Bible study), kids plate (daily Training Hearts + every
few days Genesis study) plus the rest of the
not-every-day-but-still-happening goals, that you might be making a system
that is not manageable for your life. Just at first glance, that is what I’m
seeing.
That said, I don’t live in your house or your current schedule so if you
feel like these are easy (for example, it’s easy for me to say I’ll work out
5X per week because I’ve done that for most of my adult life – but for some
people, that sounds absolutely insane!), definitely schedule them in, and
live by that calendar.
Keep the promises you made to yourself and to your family and have personal
integrity with that; if you think that this plan is doable, keep it. If you
are at all slightly concerned, drop at least 2 of the goals. You can add
them in next year when all of this feels like an easy walk in the park. =)
Just my (overpriced) two cents …
I definitely have a wee baby bump. I went from this at 5 months:
http://images.soapqueen.com.s3…
to this at 6 months;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/b…
We totally need to make the avatar girl pregnant! LOL! =)
Well, I am still working on this step, but I will share one aspect that I think I have developed fully…maybe you could give me input as to whether I worked SMARTER or not…I have never fully done this before…so it is new…but as I was reflecting on last year, I found that I think I really didn’t make goals last year because I really didn’t want to be accountable to myself or anyone for that matter…which led me to fully realize how much laziness I have let creep into my life…so for my Spiritual Goals, I have come up with this list:
1. Develop Daily Bible Study beginning with Bible Study Fellowship lessons. I have set aside time each day in our school schedule (We homeschool) for Bible…right now, that is when I do my Bible study too. This time is right after breakfast. Except on Wednesdays-after lunch and Thursdays-After my oldest gets home from Biology class. Attend classes weekly until May.
2. Go through Genesis with my children using Kevin Swanson’s study guide. We may not do this everyday. Finish it by March 31st.
3. Go through Training Hearts, Teaching Minds with the children everyday after breakfast-This will continue all year.
4. Purchase the Proverbs Study guide by Kevin Swanson at the CH conference in April. Begin the Proverbs study May 2nd. I am not sure when we will finish this because I have not looked at it yet, but if it is one day for each Proverb, my deadline for finishing it is June 30. Again, we will not do this everyday.
5. Spend time each day in prayer, using the 7 minutes with God booklet-I will do this before the children get up each day, before I can get on the computer!!! I will document this time in a prayer journal to remember prayers, to document answers to prayer, etc.
6. Attend the Christian Heritage Family Discipleship Conference in April- cost is about $100-set aside $25 each month to be able to pay for this event. We attended this event as a family last year and we were greatly blessed by it…
7. Purchase The Psalms Study Guide by Kevin Swanson at the Christian Heritage Conference- Begin this on July 11 finish by December 31.
8. Sign up for Bible Study Fellowship in May for next Fall. Attend from September through May 2012.
Most of my other goals are focused around doing what I need to do and pushing laziness away…eating better, exercising, being diligent to following school plans, being more self controlled in every area of life. My plan is to have these completed into action steps by Saturday, January 8.
I would love to be entered into the cold process giveaway…
Thanks for taking us step by step through this process…
C~
YES! You are dead-on with with breaking it down into something more measurable – I think that’s the basis for much of the procrastination that overwhelming feeling that makes me back slowly away from whatever I need to be doing. Thank you! That makes perfect sense. This is why you are where you are! Hey, on a side note – when is the Soap Queen going to start sporting a the “baby-bump”? 🙂
Hi! My goals for the year are:
-to focus on health!
-sell some of my soaps at the local market 🙂
-Come up with a cool logo I can put on my gifts for friends 🙂
and save money and not spend as much on crafts as I did last year!
Thank you Brambleberry !
Prize of choice – melt and pour prize 😛
I decided to get a New Year Resolution group together this year. We could help and support each other. So 3 women from my yoga group came by last night. Over wine and left over New Year champagne (Cava here in Spain) we went through your steps 1 by 1. I simplified and translated things. We each came up with 5 or 6 goals for this year and our Ideal life essay. We are now going to each make a vizualization board. We began going through old magazines and cutting things out but when it got to 1am, we disbanded. So Friday we get together again. We are going to each have our own big vizualization board about this years goals and also our Idealized life essay. Then we are going to put them up where we can see them daily. After that we are going to continue to get together once a month to support each other in achieving our goals. I had a ton and it was difficult limiting it down to 5. Mine for this year:
1) Get my Spanish drivers licence by end of February, 2011. (Although I have been driving for 20 years, there is no agreement with Canada and Spain and I have had to start from the beginning in drivers school here. Legally as a resident I need it here and I could get big fines without it. I have been postponing doing this for 5 years. Now, I am halfway there. In December I passed the theoretical part. Now for the theory.)
2) Learn to play padel (a sport here like tennis & squash combined but outdoor, my husband plays well) with my daughter, my husband will teach us, by the end of February and then play once every 2 weeks with them after that. (This will be a way to spend more time with them and do something athletic at the same time!)
3) Grow my business – Whatever I earn from my business in January I am going to double that by July and triple it by December!
4) Save enought money for a trip to Canada in the summer.
5) Take a course in Aromatherapy by the end of the year.
Well, those are my 5. I would LOVE to win the Cold Process prize. Thank you for contributing and motivating our little New Year Resolution group here in Spain!! xo Jen
I love the Balance theme. You and me both! I’m due in April so you and I can be on the baby weight slough off together. =)
Great job – taking care of your son in the future AND taking care of yourself now so you can take care of him as long as possible. It’s a win-win for sure. 1/3 of your money sounds realistic – unless your profit margins are considerably higher than most soapers I speak with (and they might be – I think that there is a place for incredibly high margins in the soap industry if you are extremely streamlined in your manufacturing, religious about your product additions and ruthless with your time management). Here’s to a profitable 2011 for you! =)
That is a fantastic goal. I really like that you made a specific date with a specific amount of stores. Half Marathon? Love it! Ambitious goal AND you’ll increase your health at the same time.
I love this series of posts–they are very inspiring. One of my main goals is to have my products available in three brick and mortar stores by June 1. I just received my first acceptance and have a list of other places to contact! Also, I would love to get my half marathon time under two hours. That will require more exhausting work:)
The melt and pour goody bag would be awesome for my business!
Relax and enjoy everyday with my family, to be inspired and inspire others, love the environment, create my own destiny and make plenty of beautiful soap!
Good job breaking down the steps and putting it on your calendar; that is
key to getting it done and making sure that you are on track/on target with
your goals.
YAY! Here’s to getting back into a fully zestful life for you in 2011. A
Bollywood themed wedding anniversary party sounds absolutely smashingly cool
fun – way to go.
I know what you mean about organization. I am incredibly good at getting a
lot done and focusing on what really needs to be done and cleaning,
organization NEVER needs to be done. And that’s the thing that customers
never see – they’ll see me interacting with them on FB, on this blog, via
email, on SQTV and the phones – but it doesn’t matter to them if my desk is
clean. So it’s really hard for me to put it all away and just focus on doing
the task that no one except me and my staff see. But this year, this
quarter, I am doing ONE HOUR of straight organization per week at work.
Period. It’s not even for me either. It’s for my poor staff. They’re worth
it. =) So you and I will fight that battle together this year.
I’m so thankful to have readers and people that support me. It’s such a
great community. =)
It sounds like you really did an amazing job of turning a negative situation
into something of value. Kudos. Big time kudos.
With your procrastination goal, you might want to change that into something
that is more measurable (‘no unreturned emails by the end of the week’
‘return all phone calls within 24 hours’ ‘plan my week every Sunday putting
in 1 hour of client follow up every week’). Just a thought …
My main goal this year is to save 1/3 to 1/2 of the money I make from my Cold Process soap sales to saving for my severely disabled (cornelia deLange syndrome) 13 yr old boys future when I am no longer able to take care of him. Since I have been making soap now for 1 yr 3 months I am now hoping to be able to “save” for his future 24 hour care! 🙂
My second goal is to follow the Low glycemic diet to stay healthy and strong for my family
Refocusing of PATIENCE is my overarching theme.
I make Cold Process Soap and LOVE Brambleberry! Simone
That is a good one! Make sure to tell yourself exactly how much weight and
by when – then put yourself on a schedule (i.e. 12 pounds by the end of the
year is 1 pound per month type of thing) so you can get that ‘Specific’ part
and the ‘Measurable’ part and the ‘Time Oriented’ part of SMART goal setting
=)))
My goal this year is to get back to my pre-preg weight by next year this time..baby isn’t due till March!! My Theme..I hadn’t thought about this but Balance sounds PERFECT with our big change!! I woud love the melt and pour prize!
High end products is a great idea because of the opportunity to have a
slightly higher margin.
Patience … yes, I’m terrible at that word as well and know that this year
will be the one of learning that word! LOL!
I like the word ‘calm.’ Around your spirituality goal, I had the same goal
last quarter so I set a goal around reading certain books, a certain amount
of quiet contemplation time and a certain amount of church exploration.
Having the goal as very specific really helped me meet it.
Totally a great start. Here’s to an uber creative and fulfilling 2011!
Yes! My crafting goal may be upped! I spent 1 1/2 last night crocheting alone and I plan to have this weekend be my “roll up the sleeves and get soapy” weekend. I can’t wait to really get into all of my BrambleBerry goodies! 🙂 Plus, I have two requests for jewelry so definitely going to be more than three hours this week….great start! 🙂
My goals for this year are to grow our business (I have a plan!), spend more quality time with the family, develop deeper relationships, mature spiritually, shrink physically (weight loss), journal more, and forgive. My words for this year (on my office walls and signiture) continue to change, but this week is “calm”. I do both melt and pour (with my own goat’s milk) and c.p.
Simon Says Calm,
Joy Simon
My goal for 2011 is to launch my new business–a spin off from Hello Crafty that will sell more high-end luxury bath & beauty products! Another goal is to take some certification courses in aromatherapy!
My overall theme is PATIENCE, i don’t have any of it, so i’m going to work on finding some!!!
I’m jazzed for the CP Prize! Thanks Anne-Marie! : )
My personal goal for 2011 is to lose weight. My business goals is increase my wholesale accounts locally. I am a cold process soap maker.
The Covey books are fantastic – the 7 Habits book and his one on time
management. I’ve read them both and really got a lot of value from both of
them.
It is BRUTAL! That’s why I do yearly goals and then quarterly and then
monthly. That really helps me be more realistic about the timing. I always
think I can do something really fast but then life/work/minutiae get in the
way.
$1000 is a lot! Especially if you’re just barely getting by right now with
monthly expenses. Cleaning up your credit is a fantastic investment in your
future.
To ensure success in the business goal, maybe a written plan on what
“getting my business of the ground means”. So, by X date, you will have your
website fully functional, by X date, you will have made X sales calls, by X
date, you will have an email newsletter that goes to X subscribers. Those
kind of measurable specifics can really help. =)
Three hours a week is a great goal. If you’re going from 0 to 3 hours, you
might want to go with baby steps – 1 hour the first month, 2 hours the
second month up to 3 hours – so you and your body don’t put the brakes on
that awesome plan right away!
20 pounds lighter by December 31, 2011 – You can do it!
Thanks, Anne Marie for posting these steps, it has given me a good kick in the backside. I like how you broke it all out, and it really helped me to figure out what I want and to make my goals more concrete. My personal goals for 2011 are to exercise 3 hours a week, eat healthier and loose 20 lbs. My business goals are to spend more time producing products (not just dreaming) and open an Etsy store. As well as getting more clients for my freelancing graphics business.
I’d love the CP soap prize!
I have sooo many goals for 2011 but, the three I will mention today is:
1) Financial Security-My goal is to save at least $1000 (I know it’s not much) by June 1, 2011 by setting up a savings account and have money automatically deposited into that account; clean-up my credit.
2) Business-Getting my business (“Sharon’s Delightful Treats”) off the ground and to increase sales, therefore becoming a staple in this business, by revamping/re-launching my website and having a better variety/quality of products.
3) Family-I want to have “family night” at least 1 night per week. Preferably on Friday nights with pizza or take out and a “GOOD” movie!
*My “word” for this year is: ACHIEVE!!!!!!!
~I would love to win the Melt & Pour Prize!~
You know what? That part (breaking it down into smaller steps) turns out to be the hardest to do…LOL! I can’t seem to guess-timate the time it’ll take to do a particular step.
For 2012,…
I need to work on time management and spending time wisely.
I would be thrilled to win the cold process mold.
Thank you
Word of intention for 2011: Focus
2010 was a break-out year for me. After being laid off from a beloved job two years ago, I found myself having to rebuild my Psyche due to identifying so much with my job. I found solace in my dairy goats and becoming a stay-at-home mom for the first time. Without the pressing deadlines and high pressure of the daily grind, I spent afternoons making batch after batch of soap (a different recipe every time) and doling out bars to anyone that would take them. The feedback was surprising. That’s when soap making turned into something more than a hobby and use for all that extra goat milk. This year after hitting several craft shows and artisan fairs I developed a a confidence in my craft (a pretty awesome feeling) as well as my “ah-ha” moment (I’m really DOING this!). Now, if I could just marry my formally over-driven “company girl” self to my devil-may-care free for all soaper self!
Which, brings me to my theme: Decide, Execute, Deliver!
My 2010 goals are as follows;
1.) Shut down the Procrastination Station once and for all.
2.) FOLLOW THROUGH (see goal #1) I hate to admit it, but I missed out on few wholesale opportunities because of my lack follow through – simple stuff like a email or a phone call. Unacceptable this year.
3.) Take a good, hard look at my bottom line and make the necessary changes to be profitable – profitable enough that folks stop asking “when are you going to go back to work?” :). I don’t need 42 different soaps in different 87 scents – I need 10 that are crazy good sellers.
FOCUS! (currently post-it noted on every mirror in my house!)
The CP kit is my kit of choice!
Good job setting up the website; that’s a great first step. So, by January 2012, you will have added 24 wholesale accounts. That is an ambitious goal and you can do it. If I were you, I’d pick up the book ‘The Answer’ by John Asaraff (maybe spelled wrong). I found it to be very helpful when making sales goals into a reality for my business.
33 pounds. Sales increase. Organization. Boom, boom, boom – you can do it! Here’s to your skinnier, richer, more organized 2011.
Thanks for being a new reader. I write a lot about business using the tag ‘personal ramblings’ or ‘business’ so at the bottom of every post, you’ll see the little tags. If you click on either of those tags, all the business posts will come up so you can read four years worth of musings. =)
Great goal – a homeowner! YAY!
Good job on the your goals – insurance, craft show, candles – specific, measurable, achievable. =)
Specific – I like it. If you haven’t read ‘The Four Hour Workweek’ yet, you may enjoy reading it as you strive to get more efficient at work or set workable boundaries.
It’s easy to try to do everything; it happens to the best of us.
Ditto what Shannon said – good idea on the Timer.
I have never used the word ‘patience’ to apply to myself either. I think that I’m going to be really learning it in the next year with the little one (just like you!). Congrats on expecting. =)
Your store can and will get off of its feet. Keep working on your SEO and getting yourself up higher in the search engines. You can do it!
Nice one; specific and measurable.
Good luck with the ‘perfect’ job hunt. You can do it!
Thank you for being a reader =) Yay!
Good job on the specific goal and the timeline. I like it!
Ooooh, and Vitamin D is also something that’s a good one for depression. That and fish oil. And daily working out. But you probably know all of this! =) I’m so glad that you’ve found your muse in soaping. I find it to be the absolutely most creative outlet I could ever hope for and I’m thankful for it every day. Here’s to your better future in 2011!
HipHop Abs right now? Love it! If you haven’t tried Zumba yet, I’m loving it. Well, I was before being 6 months of pregnant hit me. =)
I’m sorry about your loss. It sounds like time off was entirely appropriate and a good thing.
January is going to be a BIG month for you; job and loan. =) Yay! May 2011 be the strongest, most positive year for you yet.
Good resolution. Make sure you identify exactly what ‘getting healthy’ means to you. Is that working out daily? Eating 5 servings of fruits and veggies every day? Losing 10 pounds? Eating breakfast daily? Cutting out sweets? What is it for you? Of course, you may have already done that and I’m just preaching to the converted! LOL! =)
Good! And if you aim high, even getting only halfway there will be incredible!
I’m so glad you’re liking the blogs that I’ve been doing. Yay!
Good overall goal – being self-employed in two years with a plan is definitely possible.
Fantastic! Very specific. If you’re on Twitter, join us on the #FitCEOs hashtag. We keep eachother inspired and accountable there.
Yay! You can do it! The Jack Canfield Book, ‘The Success Principles’ has an exercise for this: stand in front of a mirror at night, look yourself in the left eye (so focus on the left eye rather than your face because it’s too easy to get distracted or critical), list out the things you did that day that you’re proud of yourself for (aim for five) and then end with “And I love you <insert here=”” name=”” your=””>” You feel like a total and complete dork but do it for 30 days and see how it makes you feel.
BTW, nice going on your website. It’s coming along well. </insert>
Fantastic! Way to be specific!
In the moment is a hard concept to really take in; especially in this very busy go-go-go, always look ahead, always be on! world. Commendable. All the books I read tend to talk about journaling as a way to ensure that you’re staying present.
Good ones.
I love game night! Yay! So much fun. I laugh so much during game nights.
I need to join you with organization as a goal. And I will. It’s in my 1st quarter of goals =)
I found that making a hard and fast rule about what time I was going to sleep when I was doing the Fat Flush detox last year really helped me get those 8 hours of sleep that were so important for my body to rejuvenate during that time. I don’t know if that’s helpful for you at all but being super draconian about the 10 p.m. time and making it a hard and fast rule, even on weekends, really helped me.
Bold word. I like it!
Those are five difficult goals – to do them all cumulatively is a huge overall goal. I see an afternoon of planning for you every Sunday as you look at your calender to slot in the meals, the hobby time and the workouts. Making a commitment to a cleaner home and body is very worthwhile.
3 hours of crafting per week is fantastic; you are going to be really creatively fulfilled. Make sure to schedule that into your calender right away so you don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of your goal to be more creatively fulfilled this year. May 2011 be the year you Choose Happiness! =)
Journal writing is so important; I see it frequently as a theme in many of the self-improvement books I read. Your do-good journal sounds similar to my gratefulness journal. =) We’ll both be extra grateful in 2011.
CP Soaping is really fun! If money is tight, definitely consider trying CP soaping with bleached gallon milk carton. Just cut it open on one side. Or you can line a shoebox but that’s a little larger than a beginner batch.
In terms of inexpensive pricing, you could easily learn with Canola and Coconut oil, two of the least expensive oils. You could learn with straight Canola but it won’t trace well or lather up nicely. 100% Olive Oil is great but can get more pricey.
Here’s to a great 2011 for you! =)
Thanks for the suggestions! And thank you for this blog and specifically this goal series – it’s amazing that you’re doing personal comments for everyone!
Where to start? My first goal for the year is to give up smoking. Day 4 is here & so far so good, although my fingernails are paying the price!
With my youngest child having just finished private High School, I am going to have more time & more money, which brings me to my other goal- getting my life back on track. As parents of two boys who are now almost 18 & 21, my husband & I have sacrificed some of the smaller things in life, such as nice restaurants, movies, etc. Whilst we don’t regret it for a second ( we have 2 lovely young men to show for it) it will be nice to be able to go out somewhere on a whim. To kick start it we are having a big Bollywood party in March to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.
My theme for the year is ORGANISATION. I am one of the most disorganised people you could meet, but I am determined to rectify it this year. I intend to get my soaping business up & running, starting with a facebook page & then a website. (up until now it has been craft fairs & word of mouth only).
Wish me luck ha ha!!
(I am an M&P soaper)
Thank you so much for your posts! My word of intention for the year is FOCUS! I have broken down the steps that I need to take to move forward with my business, and am working on putting all of those steps on a calendar for completion. Also to focus my time and energy on incorporating projects that utilize my strengths into my business rather than getting distracted by all of the fabulous new things there are to learn!
Suzanne
Wow, that’s a great idea Anne-Marie! I started out this weekend clearing out clutter, and it will be great to track it as I go throughout the year! I can’t wait for that list to grow!
I’m writing in a gratefulness journal every night and I love that it forces me to slow down and be in the present moment and reflect back on the day.
That’s a great plan to break down the projects into smaller steps! I hope it works for you! I have years’ worth of sewing projects in my drawers unfinished… Several for babies that are probably pre-schoolers by now! I think that’s why I’ve taken to M&P soaping – it’s hard to leave it half-finished – I can start and complete a project in the same day!
Wow, that sounds like a dream. It may be achievable for you. Only you know your life. It’s not achievable for me but that’s only because of the way that my work life is structured. As lead social media gal for BB, there’s no not checking Facebook, Twitter and this blog multiple times a day but if I didn’t have to do that, yes, I think it’s entirely possible.
Frugality! Good one. One month, I only paid cash for everything – no CCs – and that was definitely an eye opening exercise.
Make sure you get specific with the ‘get out of bed early.’ What does that mean? If you don’t get super specific with yourself, it’s too easy to weasel out of it =)) Just my two cents (having made many wishy washy goals and failed at them in the past, for lack of being specific).
Good verb! Cinching. I like it.
Self-Sufficiency is a great them for 2011 and I suspect many more in the US are joining you on this goal. I notice that urban gardens are becoming very popular all around the US which goes along with that idea.
Your goals are very specific and very measurable. I am impressed with how well you’ve done with the achievable part of the goal setting as well. Good job.
Fantastic goal – that is a huge step!
Good theme and word; they go hand in hand.
Joy! I love it!
Thanks for being a regular blog reader. Yay! I appreciate your time investment.
I think your focus on online shops is a great idea because online shopping is definitely a growing market and if it’s YOUR shop, you get a higher profit margin than the wholesale accounts so cultivating the online is a great idea for 2011 and beyond.
1 day a month to experimentation and cooking sounds absolutely divine. I adore cooking and never manage to do it in a leisurely way.
Good job on how specific you are with your dates and goals.
Ha – I know what you mean about biting off more than you can chew with the goals. Now I won’t allow myself more than 5 per quarter, no ifs, ands or buts!
With your relaxing goal, maybe making specific goals about your relaxation time (1 pedicure every 2 months, 1 bath every month, 1 walk with a friend every month, 1 tea time with a friend every month) etc… to make sure you can be very specific on what success looks like for you on this very important goal.
Baby steps! Yay! Baby steps are good and they get you where you want to be (probably faster than the person that stops and starts and stops and starts). =)
My family and I had Family Day every week too and at the time (as a teenager) I didn’t appreciate but now, looking back, I sure do! =)
Nice – specialized is definitely something that you can generally charge premium prices for because it’s difficult to compare those products to other people’s. A schedule, like “I will release 1 new product per … month/quarter” might be one way to do that ‘specific’ part of our SMART goals =)
The name is the first step for sure. Grab the URL and your Twitter names and Facebook names next =) Yes, the Everything Soapmaking Book is a great idea – a good started book.
Housework! So necessary but I feel the same way, ugh. I always put on a book on tape to make it go faster and better for me. Plus, that way, I feel like I’m getting something done too. =)
The comments are really great, aren’t they? I love to read them all too.
I love the idea of setting a timer.
I’ve never tried the Sidetracked Home Executive. I’ll need to pick that series up.
Oh fantastic! Welcome to the Soap Queen club! I’ve been blogging for four years and have some insanely fun projects here (then again, I’m biased) that are soap related and toiletry related. Also, SoapQueen.TV has some really fun projects for you to start your exploring with as well.
My goal, for 2011 is to learn how to make soap, candles, body lotions, etc. Which is how I came across your blog tonight, to begin with! I am unleashing my creative energy this year, learning more about using natural products, and pushing myself artistically! So my slogan for ’11 will be “Unleash my inner pisces!” And I’d be happy with either. 🙂
Great job thinking about all this every week. It sounds like you are going to have the best luck when you completely focus on planning your weeks out, slotting in time for paperwork, slotting in time for walking and really being religious about slotting in your internet time. I have entire days where I won’t even download email and schedule those days to be full focus days – so no internet work except for the bare minimum (blog, facebook, twitter) that is my actual job responsibilities. The ‘4 Hour Work Week’ is really great about forcing you to examine your patterns and outsourcing what you can. I found much of the book irritating (the author’s attitude came across badly to me but it might just be me). One thing he did talk about that I really resonated with is that you should only check email twice per day and while I can’t bring myself to do that totally, I do find the email-free days really do allow me to be exceedingly efficient.
My 5 goals for 2011:
I will….
1. Do my paperwork every week! I get sidetracked and I procrastinate because I hate doing the accounting stuff. I put it off for months at a time (crazy, right??). I want to do better and while I would like to shoot for doing it every day, I know I won’t be able to stick to it so I figure that doing it every week should be manageable.
2. Walk every day that I have time. I’m too heavy and I feel like I’m caught in sludge. I need to exercise and so I will pledge here that I will do it! That means no excuses like, I’m too tired, or I don’t feel like it. I really love to walk and once I’m outside I don’t mind. It’s just getting my butt in gear that is the hard part!
3. Stop spending so much time impulse shopping for my soap stuff. I spend WAY too much time browsing your wonderful website and then filling my cart with things I know I can’t afford. I have a paper list of things I need and I’m determined to stick to it….unless you happen to have a fabulous sale going on that is!!! 😉
4. Focus on better time-management. I spend entirely too much time online not accomplishing anything. I check in on every site I sell on and spend too much time “window shopping” for things I have no money for. I should be listing, making, labeling, or packaging….something is always needing to be done, right?! I’m going to try to be aware of my problem and actually DO something productive with my time and not sit in my desk chair screwing around.
5. Finally realize that I’m not superwoman and that I cannot clone myself. For my soap business, I will be aware of which things I like to do for fun and which things I need to do for profit and find a happy medium. I sometimes get so busy making orders that it becomes a chore. And I want to continue loving what I do so I will make a bit of time to create something fun. If not for sale, then at least for the sake of feeding my artistic side.
I love being creative so I would definitely choose the M&P prize!
Note: After writing this I realized that it helped me focus on things I knew needed to be worked on. I printed this list and stuck it on the wall next to my pc to help me remember my goals. Thank you for this exercise!
Social media can turn into a full time job without concrete plans around
when and how you’ll be engaging. It will be exciting to see you join the
ranks of full time soapmakers, hopefully by 2012!
What a thought-provoking series you’ve blogged! I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments, as well.
Similar to many others, my two themes for the year are “simplicity” and “focus.” When I’m not focused on my goals and tasks at hand, it makes life more complicated in the long run. A few of my many goals are 1) to be intentional and purposeful with my time at the computer, setting the timer so I don’t lose track of time, 2) to blog once a week 3) to dust off the great organizational system for staying on top of business and personal tasks that I modified from the Sidetracked Home Executives books but let go last summer and 4) to be diligent about maintaining daily and weekly “margins”–unscheduled periods of time to relax, catch up on projects, or just give attention to someone else. I tend to overextend myself, so that will be a toughie for me! And that is a just a summary of my main goals….
Oh, and to learn to knit mittens before the winter ends! 🙂 and I am a CP’er…
Amoung my goals for this year is to increase and keep up with social marketing and the main goal for the year is to pay off enough bills to quit my current job and make MY COMPANY my FULL time job!
Time management is the most important one. Between working and everything else that goes on in the day it never seems like I have any time for me or to do house work (ugh!). So I’m trying to break things down, and get on a schedule.
BTW I would love to win either of the prizes, but if I were able to choose I would have to say that I want the M&P one a little more 😛
Thanks!
Jessie
tangled(dot)panda(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m sorry to hear that 2010 wasn’t a great year for you. Isn’t it fantastic
that we get a reset in 2011? I do so love that about the year resetting. A
fresh start always feels so good.
I’m glad you are liking SQTV. I just wrote two new scripts to film while I’m
7 1/2 months pregnant. That should be fun… maybe. =)
Your “why” for why you want your business to be successful is HUGE! You have
so much of a greater chance of sticking to your goals because you’ve
identified a big big why behind why you want to be successful. That’s a key
to sticking to your goals and you found it naturally. Great job!
Here’s to bringing home a baby for you in 2012 or 2013. =)
hi one of my goals for 2011 is to start my buisness “OrigiNaturals” so far ive come up with the name and am looking at “the everything soap makeing book” as well as your youtube videos so i can master soap making. i also am learnig to make bath fizzies aswell. im intrested in the cold process soaps. my theme for the year is to gain an “awakened heart” for people.
Very specific goals. Great job! 15 minutes per day with your fitness goal is
a perfect place to start. I have a bunch of 10 and 20 minute DVD’s I do most
mornings to start my day off so that way, I get the short workout in before
work. You can rent them from Netflix (generally) or from Amazon.com for
$3.99 to try before you buy. A home improvement project goal is also a good
investment in your future. Between the health and the home, you’ll be
rockin’ 2011!
You are an animal! (in a good way!) 93 mile trek around Mt. Rainier sounds
amazing! I am really jealous. With a new baby, I’m thinking I should plan
for slightly shorter treks. Ha ha … Good word of the year. That sounds
like it defines your year perfectly.
Wow! That is a great goal to have – very aggressive. If you need any support
and you’re on Twitter, the hashtag group #FitCEOs would love to have you or
me and a couple others at work are workout/nutrition fanatics (in a good
way!) and we’d love to offer support if you’re ever having a down day or
just have questions. I love that you’ve set up your calendar and your
pre-planned meals. That is going to be a major part of your success right
there. The tracking is going to be the rest of it. I use a couple iPhone
Apps for that and find that keeping myself accountable really is key for
long term success (for myself). Here’s to lightening up in 2011 =)
My business goals this year are to make more specialized products. I have a kelp bar soap that goes over very well but now I would like to make more products that help improve on skin problems. I have beautiful bars that I make right now that are also very conditioning. Also need to work on some detox products for a few of my customers that have some health issues. Really excited about these products. So much to look forward to this year.
I do both cp and mp.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog series. I love your theme. I’m sure list
making and planning will be part of that goal for sure. I know that when I’m
not flailing around on things that don’t matter (hello email rabbit hole!)
that I often end up at the end of the day saying, “Now, what did I do to
move my business forward today? Yikes. Not much!” That’s why I try to plan
out my day BEFORE I get to work. Good luck and here’s to an amazing 2011 for
us both!
Nice one; I tried to do that once with shoes and quickly caved. LOL! =)
Good job! With Goal 2, think about what you’re going to replace the soda
with. My husband had that same goal a few years ago and it turned out that
just plain water wasn’t ‘enough’ for him to sub with so he ended up
switching to flavored, no sweetener, sparkling water. Now, he’s down to
water only but it took a few years. You might not have that issue but that
was our experience =)
Great job getting those penciled in. I work with my husband to get all of
our date nights penciled in for the quarter ahead of time. It’s nice to know
that we have dedicated special time each week.
Wow, you are organized with your goals. Some thoughts: You’ve done a great
job being specific with your business goals. Consider doing that with your
weight goal; what does ‘consistent’ mean? What rate of weight loss will you
be shooting for per month?
I totally know what you mean about losing the baby weight to have another
one. We’re planning our 2nd about 2 years after our first (age is not on my
side) and I’m already looking ahead to that. Let me know when you’re
pregnant again. We might end up pregnant at the same time! =)
Anne-Marie: Thanks for doing this. And for enticing me to actually put something in writing! Now . . . if there were a couple of chocolate bars included . . . oh, wait, that’s one of my goals!
1: Home improvement. Our house needs help. My goal is to spend 30 minutes each week on a home improvement project, starting with meeting with an inspector/contractor to learn where to start.
2. Weight loss: Only one dessert per week. Smaller portions.
3. Fitness goal: Regular exercise, beginning with 15 minutes per day, three times per week.
I’d LOVE to win the cold process prize. Thanks again,
Denny
Congrats on being close to graduating. That is a huge achievement and I hope
that you take time to celebrate your success.
Personal development books are fantastic. I love to read them, no matter how
much many of them repeat eachother. And, there are so many amazing books out
there too. Let me know if you find one that you love and I’ll read it too!
My themes for this year is personal development and positivity. As a mother of three beautiful children and a full time student (I graduate in May, Yay!), my personal development has been put on the back burner. So, I decided that one of my goals this year is to read at least one entire book per quarter that is not a text book, and two of which must be personal development related to help me reach some of my other goals for this year.
This will be the first year that I have actually written goals other than pass my classes since 2005. This series of blog posts has helped immensely. Thank you, Anne-Maire. You are an inspiration.
I would like to enter for the MP prize. Thanks for the opportunity.
Hi Anne Marie! Love reading your blog…..This one has been especially inspirational! I’m not usually one to make resolutions, but this year was different. I have some definite goals and resolutions on the table for 2011 and I am so excited about the year ahead.
Goal # 1: Get my home business going well enough so I can “quit my day job” and be at home with my family more. To make that happen, I’ll be focusing on three things: Doing craft shows, getting more products into my Etsy shop (Etsy Seller name: ncfox527) and getting my products into 2-3 shops/boutiques in the area (I already have one lined up!) I want 2011 to be the year I make my home business a reality!
Goal # 2: Lose 15-20 pounds and get into a consistent work out routine. (Hard to do with a preschooler in the house, but I am DETERMINED!)
My word for the year is “BELIEVE”. I am BELIEVING I can make my home business a reality and BELIEVING I will lose my extra “baby weight” and get back in shape before we have another baby…..which will also hopefully happen this year.
Thanks for inspiring me to put my goals in writing! It feels good just to make the declaration publicly. (I’m a melt & pour soap crafter right now. I’m going to do a CP class in March, so may be adding those soon too. 🙂 ).
Blessings and Good Luck to everyone on the blog. Hope this year is a great one for all of us!
~Tonya
My focus of the year would have to be BALANCE, I’m gonna acheive this with baby steps. Scheduling in more activities with family ( I’ve already penciled it into my day planner for the first few months), Getting healthy and fit I even penciled that in to my day planner starting excercise a couple times a week and every month I up it a day. I also set some mini goals for my soaping business:)Thanks for this great post I needed this.
I’m a M&P soaper
My main goal this year is to get to a more healthy lifestyle, which is broken up into several smaller, more concrete goals. Step 1 is to eat a healthy breakfast each day (this means no more McDonald’s breakfasts for me!). Step 2 is to stop drinking soda. Step 3 will have to do with exercise, but I need to break this down into further steps.
Can’t wait to see what great soaping ideas you come up with this year! (I’m a MP soaper.)
One of my main goals for 2011 is to continue my quest to declutter my life and my house. We started by getting rid of SO much, and now I really don’t want to bring in anything new without getting rid of at least the corresponding number of items (or more!). This goes along pretty well with my overall theme of simplifying things whenever/wherever possible.
Melt and pour here 🙂
“Work Smarter NOT Harder” will be my theme for 2011. After my back and neck operations I need to slow down but it is not that easy with a growing business. I need to surrounf myself with like minded people and learn to delegate more. Yes I know someone else can do it just as good as I can, I just need to give them the chance!
I also wanted to to say THANKS Anne Marie for your inspiring planning entries. I have put my 2011 plan on paper and intend to use it!
CP is my passion
Odie – Riverlea Soap
My main goal this year is to lose 50 lbs through eating healthy and excerise by September 2011. I have already set up a calendar and pre planned meals and excersie and set up mimni goals from now to September to help keep me on track.
My theme this year is “tracking”: my day to day activities and as well as food journaling.
Please consider me for the M&P prize.
My goals for 2011: First, spend the year getting in shape to do the Wonderland Trail in August of 2012. (It’s the 93 mile trek around Mt. Rainier!) Secondly, take some time to smell the roses. 2010 seemed like I was at full tilt most of the time. It’ll be nice to relax a bit. Another big goal for me this year is to get my bath & body business off the ground. I think my “word of intention” for 2011 would have to be ‘focus’, which is what I’ll need this year to accomplish my goals. I would love the CP prize. Thanks for the chance to win 🙂
Out with the old…In with the new. 2010 was not a good year for me – job and health wise. I am staying positive that 2011 will be the turning year. I am new to Melt and Pour, doing it for 2 months now. I LOVE SoapQueenTV!!! I love how M&P Soap inspires me, the creativity and endless possibilities. I also LOVE the look on peoples faces and excitement when I give them one of my M&P soaps as a gift. One of my goals for 2011 is to get my M&P Soap business up and running by doing in-home parties and craft fairs. My second goal is the money that I make from my soaps will go into our “Baby Fund” – my husband and I would like to adopt a baby soon. My third goal is by September 2011, I would like to do some M&P soap classes (open to the public), to open the world of M&P soap making to others & maybe be able to help others see another financial opportunity. My goal for 2011 is FOCUS. I would Love to win the Melt and Pour prize.
Karen B.
from Wisconsin
ohh totally forgot – I am a (soon-to-be) cold process soaper. My husband got me a bunch of supplies from you for Christmas and I can’t wait to get soaping. I would love that prize!! 🙂
My goals for the year include (but aren’t limited to… I can never seem to limit them!… hm, maybe that should be a goal in itself hahah)
1. Be better at saying ‘no’ to people or opportunities that aren’t really worth the investment of my time and effort.
2. Take more time to relax and not be in work-mode so much.
3. For the time that I am in work-mode, really focus and have set milestones to reach for so I can get several businesses off the ground in 2011 with confidence.
4. To have more faith in myself and not let self-doubt or fear prevent me from going after what I want and know I can achieve! 🙂
Overarching theme for the year: Go for it!
Yes, there are some incredible soaps on Etsy – very inspiring.
Your goals are fantastic building blocks for an amazing life – health, successful business and close friends? That sounds just about perfect. =)
Working out will definitely help lower your BP and meditation is another proven way to lower BP. I found meditation incredibly difficult. I hope you have an easier time with it if you try it =)
Nice. I took a class on Voluntary Simplicity years ago that made a big impact on me. I try to live by its tenants still (though my poor office is highly cluttered and disorganized!).
Those are fantastic goals. I have a organizing goal too! Great minds think alike. LOL!
Love that! My folks had a Family Night once a week (Wednesday if I remember correctly) and we sure played a lot of racketball there. We were a little older than 6 though. =)
I love that you figured out your true goal in life. That is fantastic. Chunk it down … baby steps. =)
I’m doing that this quarter too with my daily gratitude journal. It’s so easy to get caught up in the ‘I wants’ or ‘If onlys’ that the gratitude journal helps me to keep focused on the present and the now. I really liked the Tolle book, ‘A New Earth’ to help remind me of that this year.
I love how your goals really fall into place after your theme – and that your goals are incredibly specific and measurable.
Congrats on your little one. =) That brings a big smile to my face.
The Stephen Covey Book on time management is one of the best books I’ve ever read (and I’ve read a lot of them). It’s fantastic. I’m betting you’ll find a lot of time to plan your workweek and days on your brisk walks outside. I use the free Nike App to monitor my runs/walks and also the RunKeeper app (free). Between the two, I like the Nike one better.
That is a worthwhile theme. I really like it.
Also, good job on the specific goal of paying off your credit card. It’s measurable and you can chunk that into small weekly/monthly goals. Good luck on your career path. =)) You’ll find something you love.
Fantastic! Improving yourself through education and exercise is always the best investment you can make. Investing in yourself is a worthwhile endeavor.
Cardio 4 times per week is a fantastic goal. I like how specific you’re being with your goals – 4 times, 10 pounds, 3 accounts. Great job.
WOW! That is huge. I love it. Let me know when you open. I’d love to see photos. That is very exciting!
Decluttering is fun AND hard at the same time. I’m always amazed at how many things I’ve kept that I *meant* to do something with and then never did. It’s like a graveyard to great ideas that have died in some of my ‘junk drawers’. =)
I’ve taken a public speaking course before (a weekend course from a former Reagan speech writer) and one thing they really talked about was practicing in front of the mirror. Maybe printing out the interview questions from http://www.jobinterviewquestio… and the answers (just to review, not to memorize) and THEN practicing that in front of the mirror might be a good way to chunk down that goal. Just an idea; take it or leave it =)))
Great – designing activities for them every week/month should be really fun for you. They don’t have to know that you’re doing it but they might like being in on ‘Grown Up Day’ (or whatever way-better name you come up with!)
Thanks for being a long time reader =)
First, let me say THANK YOU for all of your posts on organization, goal setting and accountability. I have been reading your blog for about two years and have found many such posts to be quite enlightening and even inspirational. After allowing illness and other personal things to interfere with my business, my first goal of the year was to actually set goals (after an honest evaluation).
This year, like you, my word of intention for the year is BALANCE. I supply several stand alone shops [in a few states], as well as having some on-line shops. I have had a bad habit of letting the on-line presence go when I was faced with issues this past year. I really need to redevelop the balance that I lost.
My theme for the year is Developing/cultivating relationships, this is both a personal and professional goal.
A few of my goals are;
1) To get back to development (my love) by dedicating 1 day a month (minimum) to experimentation/cooking. Which will help lead to success with my next goal
2) To introduce at least 6 new products to my on-line Unique Garden Essences shop, 6 to the uniqueXpression shop, and 2 to the Unique Treat Dog Bones shop.
3) To finalize the organization of the brochures by Jan. 15, 2011 and to begin distribution by Feb. 1, 2011.
I have many more, goal, both personal and professional, but I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that I gave myself a structured tract to follow for the year.
Since I make both types of soap I would love to win either, but if I have to choose I’ll ask for the mp items (of course if I don’t win those and you really need more in the other category, feel free to list me twice! lol).
My theme for 2011 is JOY! I am committed to do one thing everyday that I don’t *feel* like doing that will bring glory to God and be for the good of others. (Even if that means I come when someone yells “Mom!”.
Thank you for these helpful posts, Anne-Marie. Someday I’d love to try cold-process, but I’d be most excited about winning the t-shirt 😉
You are so welcome! Have you ever played MadGab? We played it a while back (my teenager and I), and we were crying because we were laughing so hard!
My main goal for this year is to try to appreciate who I am and to stop trying to meet other people’s expectations. I’ve come to realize that I really need to work on my relationship with myself and to also learn to feel better about me overall. I think my word will be “SELF CONFIDENCE”.
I’m a melt and pour soaper. 🙂
forgot to mention I’m a M&P Soaper too 🙂
My goal is to actually sell soap at the biggest Flea Market festival in my city. I have just been making soap as a hobby but never to sell so this is an exciting new adventure 🙂
Oops. Forgot to mention that I would love to win the melt-and-pour.
Anne-Marie,
I’ve done all of the exercises for designing a fabulous 2011 and I must say it’s been a revelation! I’ve never done anything like this before and I loved doing it.
Here are a few of my goals:
1. Lose 10 – 15 lbs. by 2012
2. Become an income generator. By 2012 earn an income of at least $500 per month. (I’ve been a stay-at-home mom since my daughter was born 3 years ago and have not worked since).
3. Talk to an old friend once per month via phone. (My goal is to be a better friend).
My theme for the year is FOCUS!!
In 2011, I’m working on cinching a job offer and applying my abilities in service to the community.
My theme/word of intention for the new year is “Self-sufficiency,” which is actually why I started the journey of making my own soap and is why I will be working hard this spring on preparing my garden for the coming growing season!
I’m a beginner at the soap making endeavor, so (for now), I’m primarily working on melt-and-pouring techniques.
Thanks to the community here for the confidence to enter this soapy world!
I have 3 big goals for this year: 1. Pay off MORE debt. 2. GET OUT OF BED EARLY. 3. Assign a chore to each day of the week (i.e. Mondays are laundry days, etc.)
My theme for this year is: Frugality! I fell off of the frugal wagon last year, I am ashamed to say.
I would like the M&P set :0D
I would like to try a technology fast one day a week. No email, tv,cell phones,itouch etc. Does this sound like an attainable goal or am I setting myself up for failure?
Thank you for the input. 🙂
I most definitely do have a specific fitness program. 6 days/week. 🙂
Thank you sharing those self discovery tools too. I will look into both of them. Anything that can help.
This year I have several goals that I would like to achieve involving different aspects of my life.
First of all my soap making plan for this year is to continue improving my soap making skills and eventually try to sell some at a craft fair this spring. I would like my soaps to look as lovely as some of the soaps I see here and on Etsy!
Secondly I’d like to improve my physical health, I’m already fairly active but there is always room for improvement. Weight loss and lowering my blood pressure are two measurable goals that I’d like to work on.
Personally I’d like to work harder at maintaining friendships and also improving my family relationships. This will involve spending more time communicating with loved ones and taking the time to really listen to people.
My theme word for 2011 will be “persistence”.
I make CP soaps!
The theme for 2011 in my household is “Simplify”. I would love the cold process.
My goal(s) for this year are to declutter, organize, enjoy! I would love the cold process prize.
My theme for the year is “Family Fun”. One goal that is a part of this is to spend one weekend night, monthly, together going out with our 6 year old. Or just staying in with games and movies. Another goal is to get more of our natural skin care line out there…through wholesale and large craft events. Thank you for posting this series. It got me really thinking and made me realize my long term goal really is to make enough to quit my full-time job and run our soap business full-time!
I am a CPer but love to try new things…put me down for the MP prize.:)
My goal is to try to remember each day to be grateful and focus on the positive, on how blessed I am. It is easy to forget while in the middle of chaos and trials and yet when the smoke clears, there is always a fresh new path and things don’t feel like they were that bad, in retrospect. I must choose to remember that while I am still feeling the heat of the fire! I feel like that will make me stronger and ultimately a better woman for my husband and kids!
Having a teenage daughter who is not making our lives very easy I really understand what you mean about the need to reconnect. We often feel more like police than parents.
I like your idea about a gamenight, so next week we will have an oldfashioned games night on saturday.
Thanks for the idea! Sonja
I really love this series as it fits in with my current state of mind. My (probably) last little angel was born in October and this really made me reconsider what is important in my life. Being stuck in the office and not seeing my kids enough is not what I want, I guess 😉
My main theme this year will be: Freedom.
I define my goals as follows:
1. Finish my new website by the end of January.
2. Get enough wholesale accounts & selling points by the end of August to substitute half of my current income.
3. Start as a freelancer by 1st September and work as such for max 3 days a week.
4. Get my soap brand established in the Netherlands and known for the quality and inventivity by December 2011.
5. Make a plan to become location independant within 3 years.
I am a CP soapmaker mostly, but would love to win the M&P prize.
Ciao from Holland, Sonja
My goals for the year are 1) to get better at time management (I recently got a promotion at work and I realize that if I don’t find a workable strategy for managing my time I’m going to get overwhelmed quickly – I need to work on the SMART part of this one still though…), and 2) walk at least 5 miles a week – I’m going to take some walking shoes to work and start spending my afternoon break with a brisk walk outside. I have an app on my phone that tracks where and how much I walk so I can see my progress as I go.
My theme for the year (inspired by my dog) is “Wag more, bark less.” My focus word is “Enjoy.” I have so much to be thankful for and am lucky in so many ways. This year is all about enjoying my life, my family, my boyfriend, my job, and my hobbies!
I’d love to win the M&P prize. 🙂
My theme for this year is “Grace” – fully exploring its meaning and incorporating it into my life. Some goals include paying off my last credit card, honoring a commitment to myself (including health and meditation) and really digging deep and pursuing a career I feel great about. I just started doing M&P soap and am loving it so far!
I forgot to say which prize. Hehe. I’d like the Cold Process prize please. 🙂
My goal for this year is to start using the Tuition Reimbursement my company offers by taking at least one class each semester. I also need to begin an exercise program; so I will start small, 30 minutes per week. My theme for the year is “Improvement.”
This series of posts has really helped me learn a lot about who I am and what I want out of life. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. This year, my word of intention is “Believe”…to Believe in myself and take more chances…to Believe that I am capable of making wise decisions for me and my family..A few of my goals are to spend more time doing what I enjoy(kinda funny that you are offering this prize because I have been wanting to learn the art of CP Soaping for a very long time but money is very tight right now and I dont have the means to get started), learn something new(like CP Soapmaking), and take a chance and start my body care business that I have been dreaming about for years now but have always been too doubtful of myself to begin…Again, thank you for all your help and somehow knowing exactly what I needed to make 2011 a success…I would LOVE the CP Prize..but either would be fun to play and learn with.
I did yoga every day for a couple quarters and it was very centering. I liked that. You really seem quite organized for everything that you’re working on (school is a full time job!). And I love that you have made time for family. After all, what is there in life but relationships when you strip everything else away? Regarding your newsletter goal for family, I set up a private blog for my family about 5 years ago so that way, I can keep in touch with lots of them and they can check it whenever they want.
WOW! You are focused and you’ve done a great job with realistic, time oriented and very specific goals. Fantastic. Way to identify all of those specific goals ahead of time.
Putting them in a visual place is a good idea. And, when I start to skip over them with my eyes, I change the color of the goals and place it someplace else (usually ever 3ish months). I love keeping lists! I keep them all in a notebook and just move forward on them and then, look back and am like “Oh yeah! I need to do that!” Your ‘list of 3’ sounds like what my friend Erin Baker from Baker’s Breakfast Cookies does – she only does five in a day and never lets herself NOT complete them.
Fantastic! It is so important to put your own oxygen mask on before putting them on your children. =)
Very valuable goals for the year; it will be interesting to see what daily or weekly exercises you make around keeping your feelings and thoughts in check. That’s a very difficult one for me, no matter how I try. One step forward, two steps back =)
Nice one! My friends and I did a little ‘release’ ceremony on the 21st of December. We wrote everything we were letting go in 2011 and then burned it! It was cathartic.
My goals for this new year include introducing as many people as possible to the benefits of handmade! I give soap samples to as many people as possible and especially with every order I receive. Another goal is to be better at keep up my journal writing…I have three journals I write in for different areas of my life…one being my do-good journal that lists the blessings I receive every day. One last goal to share with you is to pick up one more wholesale venue. I make mostly cold process/hot process soap but love the instant gratification of M&P.
Oh, I almost forget – Melt and Pour 🙂
My two largest goals this year are to make more time for myself by doing at least 3 hours of “crafting” each week (soap, crochet, jewelry) and losing 15 pounds by May! I put on 15 since I started back teaching in August, and I think I stressed-ate myself TOO much! My theme for this year is “Choose Happiness” because too often I think we forget we have a CHOICE in our outlook in life!
Oppps forgot – I’m a M&P soaper 🙂
I have publically declared my goals on my blog and currently have 5 fairly simple goals including:
1. Menu planning to eat healthier and stop wasting food, and so I have dinner’s already planned for the week, so I am not madly rushing around at 5 trying to organised something;
2. Start encorporating exercise into my daily routine;
3. Keep the house work under control, by doing little bits often;
4. Maintain my hobbies;
5. Get my books undercontrol for my business
Forgot my word(s)…reorganize and prioritize
I want to lose weight and workout 5 days a week. Also I would like to learn more.
Word: Risk
Melt & Pour Soap.
melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com
Get enough sleep & eat breakfast more often… I’d love to win the Cold Process Prize! 🙂
Wow, that is heavy. Being pregnant myself, I feel so many emotions roiling up inside me as I read your theme for the year. First of all, I love that you’re visualizing dancing at your daughter’s wedding. That is brilliant. Second, I am positive, 100% that you’ve already done your research but if you haven’t come across the Hippocrates diet and center, definitely check them out (http://www.cancure.org/hippocr… My friend’s son had a brain tumor two years ago so I delved deep into the cancer world for a few years during that time period and was impressed with the clean living diet that they espoused. Keep me posted on your journey. I’ll celebrate with you when you’re cancer-free.
I agree – soaping is a fantastic hobby that helps me with my sanity as well. =)
You’re doing great with your English! And you do have an amazing 2011 coming up with a lot of growth and huge potential. That is awesome. 2011 is going to be a big year of change for you. Good luck! I can’t wait to hear how it goes.
Being brutal in cutting product is definitely my weakness. My staff have to drag me to those meetings and they’re painful every time. But we cull based on sales and then I always offer an option for special orders (so for you, if you cut a particular scent of soap, you would make it for someone if they ordered 1 full 5 pound loaf … or something like that!). That definitely assuages my guilt a bit. I really hate cutting lines! =)
I like your measurable fitness goals – good job on picking two that could be easily measured.
Personal Goal first: I want to reinstate game night. I used to play board games with my oldest almost nightly, but we stopped somewhat after a major surgery. The little ones are older now, so I would like to start making it a family night at least once a week. With a teenager in the house, I sometimes feel like we need to reconnect (and not only when we go to therapy appointments!).
Business goal: to get more organized in my office. I have a basic organizational system, but since my business is picking up some, I want to put up more shelves, get out my label maker, and reorganize!!
Oh, if I am lucky enough to win the contest…cold process prize please!! 🙂
That is a great word for the year. I hope you’re able to find time to carve out some daily or weekly rituals that help you believe (writing out affirmations, talking positively to yourself in the mirrors – that kind of thing) =)
Love it! If you haven’t done the ‘ideal life exercise’ (http://soap-queen.blogspot.com… you might find it helpful to do that but with your perfect career as the focus (rather than the big picture holistic life overview). Just a thought … =)
I Skype with my folks weekly (they’re in New Zealand right now) and have a private family blog set up for things like our wedding, honeymoon and now all the hooplah with the baby bump! It’s really fun to have the entire family seeing the same thing.
I know what you mean. After a few days of not being in the gym or not choosing my food wisely, I always feel lethargic too. It feels ‘good’ the first day to not be so regimented and to eat the chocolate and cheese but after a couple days, it’s definitely not good.
As for your realization that working retail can be bad for the soul, I totally identify. I worked a lot of retail in college and definitely found the same thing. It was a bit soul crushing to come home and realize that all I had done was complain for half the evening! =) Good for you for identifying it.
Best of luck on your Masters degree. I commend you for attempting to stay out of the crushing debt that many kids get into these days. I think there is a real lack of understanding about how much $100,000 (to throw a number out there) really is. It sounds like such a small number compared to the national debt or how much celebrities drop on a single shopping trip that teens get numb to what it really means.
My word of intention for 2011 is Purpose. I want to live with purpose, which to me means to make sure I’m spending my time exactly in the moment, doing what I want or need to be doing in that moment. CP prize. Thanks and Happy New Year!
My resolutions are posted here:
http://blog.shopdirtylaundry.c…
My top two are save money and cut back on sugar.
My theme is diligence.
BEFORE YOU TALK
{listen}
BEFORE YOU REACT
{think}
BEFORE YOU SPEND
{earn}
BEFORE YOU QUIT
{try}
I would love the melt and pour prize! 🙂
My top goal this year is to get my business up and running. Goal of at least 50 sales by the end of the year.
My theme/ word of intention for the year is “stay at home mom” Thats my ultimate goal to pursue and hoping to reach in the next five years – hopefully much sooner!
My goal is to stop making excuses as to why my business can’t be successful. Sometimes I catch myself doubting my own abilities when it comes to my business, but friends and family support me and have even offered to help. So my goal this year is to believe in myself, my business and the support of my friends!
P.S.
I’m a CP gal!
I have several goals for 2011. The first being to Love. For the past few months, I’ve changed my attitude about how I feel about people and the world in general. Sometimes, working in retail makes you want to HATE people. They ask you stupid questions, and do stupid things, and completely tare up the sales floor. Once you get over that and realize that you probably do the same things when you go into a different business, you learn to not let it get to you. And once you can let peoples annoyances not get to you, you become a much happier person because you aren’t stressed out about something you can’t control. ANYWAY, I want to Love this year…I want to not only get over how annoying society can be sometimes, but I want to completely forgive, forget, and learn to love.
My second goal is to survive school this year without getting into debt. Our next biggest crisis/recession in the U.S. is going to be the amount of student loans that people are taking out. It’s understandable, it’s very hard to get some sort of descent income in your life without a degree of some kind. Granted, I have the assistance of my parents to help me pay for college, but in the fall I will be entering a Master’s of Architecture program, and I highly HIGHLY doubt my parents can fully assist me. I’ve already started saving up, and I’m working nearly 30 hours a week (this will be tough once school starts). But I HAVE to do this, I DO NOT want a student loan.
My third and last goal this year (like most people) is to eat healthier and take better care of my body. In no way do I think I’m “fat,” but I can feel the effects of my currently bad eating habits. I’m tired all the time, and pretty lazy, and just feel bloated and BLAH. This winter break I have been consistently going to the gym about 3-4 times a week and eating WAY better than I was when I was in school, and I feel so much better. I only live once, and I need to take care of the body that I’m in.
I am a cold process soap maker <3
One of my goals for this year is to learn how to put more technology into life. There are so many things out there to make my communicating with parents easier but I have been reluctant to learn how to use them – making a blog, creating a newsletter, etc…) Hopefully by Easter I can see some results. And maybe I can find some time to squeeze in some more melt and pour soaping.
Goal #1 – A new job. Something not soul-crushing and awful.
cold-process, please.
Wow. Your recent blogs have set my mind into gear.
My Word Of Intent for 2011 is Believe. Per dictionary.com believe means this-
verb (used without object)
1. to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so: ‘Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.’
Believe… I need to believe in my soaping ability and take it to the next level of selling it consistently at shows and opening a website.
I have an amazing circle of friends that have talents that range from success website designer to professional photography to artist… what else can be such a sign? Surrounded by these amazing people I am blessed and need to act on my soaping ability.
Believe… I need to believe in my soaping ability and take it to the next level of selling it consistently at shows and opening a website.
Thanks, Anne-Marie for your inspiring words!!
~M
PS
I mostly do CP… chuck me in for the CP mold & shirt 😀
Goals for business: Focus more on wholesale accounts. Be brural in cutting product that doesn’t sell well, stop pleasing 1 or 2 customers by making something special for them.
Personal Goals: Get physically fitter and stronger. Be able to pass a certain fitness test and run a 5K in less than 30 min.
Theme: I plan on working smarter, not harder. Last year I worked harder, but due to the economy my expenses were too high, therefore my profit was lower. Focusing on wholesale vs retail, cultivating my existing wholesale accounts and working with them to sell more of my product. I also need to be much more savvy about craft markets and look at expenses and expectations for sales before I commit.
CP is what I make.
My goals for 2011 are:
First and the most important one is to move in a new country (i am from Russia, moving in the UK)
Second one is to enter the university there, and the
Third one is to become independent, wich means to start a new life in a flat, to learn how to cook, how to iron clothes and these realy important things for a girl.
And, well, I have a bonus goal – to learn English (that’s why I am so sorry about mistakes I’ve made), but this goal is connected to the second one – to enter the university 🙂
I am not sure if anyone outside the US can win a prize or not, but thank you anyway, it was very helpful to me. And if yes, I have a chance to win, I would love to have the MP prize!
Many thanks,
Elena.
My goal this year is happiness and health!!! Also to learn all I can in soaping, it’s a hobbie that keeps me sane:) Happy New Year to all!!!
I’d love to win the Melt and Pour prize! Thank You!
My theme for the year is “Survive and Conquor”. I received a breast cancer diagnosis during my 33rd week of pregnancy just before Thanksgiving last year, and am determined that this will not get me – and I will dance at my daughter’s wedding (I’m having a girl).
I also received my largest wholesale order to date and am committed to keeping on track with that order and looking to bring in more while caring for a new baby and undergoing cancer treatment. I think my word for the year should be “Warrior” because I’ve go my armor on and I’m ready to take on these battles.
I would like the CP kit if I should win.
My theme for the year? – “RELEASE” time to just release and let go. Movin’ on time!
M and P gift would be great, thanks!
Ahhh…goals. I would have to say that I plan (sounds very serious when you say PLAN – heehee) to improve the way I react to things and to not allow unhelpful thoughts/feelings etc to get in the way. AND.. to reduce overall yuckyness!
M and P would be great, thanks.
Thank you for this series, Anne-Marie! I found a lot of it helpful when working on my goals.
My theme for the year is “Focus on Me.” As a homeschooling mom of three, I often forget to take care of myself. I have goals for health, fitness, and my at-home career, things that I tend to neglect. (I have parenting goals, too, because that is part of “me.”)
I would love to win the MP prize (even though I make both types). Thanks for the giveaway!
Opps I would like the M&P. I just got so caught up in blogging sorry =)
My goals for 2011…
First I must say the number one goal is try and stick to my goals!!! I get lost in the day to day and lose the focus. ( I believe its the ADD) So my overall goal is focus this year. I now have put them in BIG BOLD LETTERS on my daily message board as a constant visual reminder!
I have a easy way that I started doing about 6 months ago that really works for me. I have shared it with friends and neighbors and they too have found it remarkable in the feeling of accomplishment. I don’t know about you but I am a list maker. I keep adding and adding the list gets bigger and bigger till it becomes a monster and overwhelming mess that I don’t even attempt it as it is just to overwhelming and the thought that I will never finish.
To gain control of the “list” I now make a daily list of no more than 3 things I want to get done. At the bottom I put a bonus item(s) that if time allows.
This gives me a sense of accomplishment and I have made my daily goals.
This allows more family time and better planning for day to day and thing are always changing!
Hope my little organizer helps those like me! Try it for a week or two you will see a difference!
I already registered my business name and by September 2011 I plan on launching my line of natural personal care products. In order for this goal to be achieved I signed up with HSMG and I registered for a course about making personal care products. Every month I would like to make at least two products which will be tested on family members and friends. In December I made oatmeal soap, castile soap and a cocoa butter body butter. Before the end of January, I intend to make colored soap (any type of oil), sugar body scrub and shea butter body butter.
Another goal is to read one good book each month from authors that inspire and motivate such as Deepak Chopra, Paolo Coelho, Myles Munroe and several others. I will continue to feed my mind, body and soul only positivity.
My theme this year is to FOCUS- Follow On Course Until Successful. I am not happy in my current job situation, therefore I believe that I can be successful if I follow my dream (making natural products) and open my own business. Every critique from my research stage will be evaluated so that the products launched will be of high quality. To be successful, one must learn to accept criticisms and grow from it.
My name is Sada Creese, [email protected]
I would like to enter for the CP prize please.
Thank You 🙂
“To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only real obligation” The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
Oh, and I would love to win the cp prize :).
Hi Anne-Marie,
I’ve been following and admiring your inspiriational blog for some time and first I would like to thank you for your helpful, fun and motivating posts! I am always looking forward to your new post (and take it as a mini-reward for things I have completed). Second, I must apologize for my faults as English is not my mother tongue.
So, these are my goals for 2011:
1. Concerning fitness and health: Work-out three times a week, preferably outdoor activities and pilates/yoga. Mini goal for Q1: do the sun salutation every morning. Mini goal for Q2: work-out 3 times per week. Mini goal for Q3: Create an activity group among my friends ( busy women, a lot of mums) to meet once per month (can be upgraded :)). Q4: Stick to my program despite cold and bad weather!
2. Concerning far-away friends/family: Stay in touch by calling for birthdays, writing a kind of newsletter once per month and establishing fixed dates for gatherings (like a German holiday in October when nobody has to work).
3. Concerning family: Do something special 6 times in 2011. All of our 4 grandparents are getting older and older and I want to spend some quality time with them until they are too weak to do something. Ideas for this: Visit a chocolate museum in France near our home town, have a Easter brunch, invite them to a concert…
4. Concerning the music club I’ve been a member for 14 years: Have 2 creativity days per year to bring together adult and younger musicians (in Q1 and Q3). Organize a Christmas market for our Christmas concert (Q4). Q2: Play a great concert (as always).
My overall-theme for the year is to have a good time management as I am starting the final part of my studies (which means pratical education in school to be a teacher) and having SO MUCH work to do. I don’t want this work to overtake my social life, though. So BALANCE could be my word for 2011.
This is a very long post, but I am so glad to have supportive people around here as my husband and our closest friends don’t really appreciate goal setting and planning. I think it’s overwhelming them to be confronted with their own weaknesses!
I wish you all the strength and discipline to stick to your goals for 2011!
Steffi from philosoapia
My words for this year is focus-balanced-action
The primary goal is to have the boys more active within the business. By doing so, it will help them to understand the importance of their school work and how reading and math all come together for our daily lives. (M&P for me)
Side note: I love this time of year. I have been following your blog and your goal series for a number of years now and I must say, I am enjoying the series this year.
Some of my goals for 2011 are the following: being more crafty…I didn’t really craft too much this year so I want to explore more on that end…definitely get a job (I’ve been bombing on interviews lately since I haven’t had an interview in 5 years so I’m real rusty), by the end of the year get a really good embroidery machine and with that hopefully start a little business in the new year of 2012…love my family more (don’t get me wrong, I loved my family a lot in 2010 but more love is always good)….and there are a ton of house projects that I would love to do, start and complete in 2011….thanks for the giveaway….Melt and Pour Please
One of my goals this year is to de-clutter my things. I may be moving this year, and that doesn’t mix well with a packrat tendency, so it’s time to go through and clean out the “stash” again…
I would love to get the melt & pour prize.
My big goal for the year is to finally open up a retail presence for our business! My over-arching theme for the year is “Triumph”! :o)
I’d love to win the M&P prize – thanks for offering this contest up!
Happy New Year!
Layla Colegrove
Flowering Tree Botanicals
http://layla.etsy.com
One of my personal goals for 2011 is to maintain my fitness level by doing some time of cardio at least 4 days per week. I’m hoping this will also help me to lose my ‘last 10 pounds’ this year.
One of my business goals is to secure at least 3 more wholesale contracts with local retailers for my soap.
I would love to win the CP prize:-)
I was HORRIBLE at completing knitting projects when I was knitting routinely. In fact, I still have a baby sweater I almost knit for someone else’s baby THREE years ago that I should probably complete for mine now.
Yours is a worthwhile goal for sure =)
I LOVE everything that you’re going to work on. Definitely plan out your planning days then because gathering all your supplies in three month chunks is probably an entire day of inventory, ordering and planning right there. Just go to your calender right now and carve out those days and make them sacred.
You and me, we’ll be balance buddies together in 2011. =)) That’s definitely on my mind as we prepare for the arrival of our little one.
Last year, I counted everything I got rid of (literally, I have a score card tucked into a kitchen drawer) and I was able to simplify my life by over 250 items. A lot of them were small (books I had read, magazines I was holding onto, clothes that didn’t fit any longer) but it felt good to declutter AND I loved seeing that number grow as I simplified throughout the year (since I’m a big goal/achievement/check that thing off the list person!). =)
Wonderful theme – and a very worthwhile goal. I wonder if keeping a list (like one thing per day) of something you’re proud of from that day at work would help you with your desire to really feel like you deserve your new promotion? Just a thought …
Well said! I love that. With the fitness program, I’m sure you’ve gotten specific with yourself (I will work out X times per week for X minutes a day etc…) but if you haven’t, definitely put that out on paper for yourself as well.
I really found the Life 301 course invaluable when I went on a soul searching mission myself seven-eight years ago: http://www.life301.com/ It’s telephone so very easy to do from anywhere.
And I love the Jack Canfield book, The Success Principles for the same reason. Tons of self-discovery work in there.
Find true love? Sweet. I found true love after I made my list of non-negotiables and wrote up my dream husband’s job on paper. He showed up for me, on a blind date, 3 months later … And still to this day, I am more in love with him than I thought possible. He is a gem. But if I hadn’t made that list of non-negotiables and that road map, I wouldn’t have recognized him when I met him because he wasn’t my ‘typical’ guy. This is YOUR year =)))
I think that’s great – it’s good to be specific with your goals. If you haven’t written up your sales and marketing plan (the HOW) with increasing your business, I think I’ve written some articles on the blog that might spark you a bit and have some book suggestions. LMK if you need any. =))
LOVE the positive phrasing and the marathon goal? I am so proud of you. I have never made that one because it terrifies me. I can’t wait to follow along with your success.
Love Onward and Upward! What a great theme.
With your pursuit of retail stores, one thing I find helpful for myself is if I put myself on a rhythm of contact. When I had to contact over 800 stores for a private label EO line a few years back, I made the goal to call 20 per day. That proved too many so I downgraded to just 5 per day. The list took longer to get through (for sure!) but just 5 per day was a lot easier to swallow than 20!
Awesome! Have you decided what ‘practice’ means? Like how many batches? Or is there a specific series of things you’re going to practice on? Yes, CP soap does take practice. That’s a good goal for sure!
Any time before next Thursday; we’ll choose the winner on Friday. =)
What is the deadline please?
for the new year my goals are to be healthier, and try to be more relaxed, and to practice practice my cp soap making skills so that one day(not soon) i might be able to turn it into a business (fingers crossed)
CP Soaper here!
I have at least two goals this year. The first one is to pursue more retails stores for my products including a big store across the State.( hope to achieve this one by the end of Jan.) The second one is to develop a better inventory process. My words for this year are Onward and Upward!!!!! I do melt and pour and love the functional and creative features of doing soap in this matter..
To add to the help for depression, Vitamin B has helped me so much people are telling me my eyes look bright again. Soaping has helped too. Keep moving forward. Sorry to sound corny, but its a good thing to remember.
Awesome! My ‘word’ of 2011 is rather a phrase, which is “I did it!!”. Specific goals are: I will run a marathon by year end, streamline my soap business to specific bars (right now it’s a free for all!), and incorporate my nonprofit organization. Excited to buy a new journal for 2011 and get started! (would love melt & pour!)
I like the timer idea! I can get lost in cyber space too. Good luck to you.
Shannon
🙂
Business Goals
Goal 1 for 2011, is launching the redesign of my website ~ check! (it still needs tweaking, but I launched it none-the-less) and got my first order on the new site today
Goal 2, (ongoing) increase my wholesale business by double in 2011
And there are many more…
Personal Goals
Read more books
And there are many more…
🙂
Shannon
Oh, thanks for the inspiration and help with keeping me and all of us on track.
cold process please. 🙂
My goals this year is to find true love, and become a healthier and happier me. I love working with melt and pour! 🙂
My main goal this year, is to discover myself. Find out who I am as a person. One of the problems I have had since I can remember is being too dependent of others. I always had trouble making my own decisions.
I want to gain self confidence. And the first thing I am doing is putting myself, on a fitness program. This fitness program is for a couple reasons.
1- To prove to myself that I can achieve something myself, with my own intentions. For self confidence. 🙂
2- To open new doors for careers. (I’ve been looking into law enforcement, and fitness is essential)
3- To be healthy!
I love both CP and M&P!
However, I am strongly drawn to the M&P prize. 🙂
My theme for the year is “improve my life satisfaction level” and one of my goals is to take charge in my new team lead role at work to show myself that I really did deserve the promotion.
(I do m&p.)
To stop complaining and to try to be a little neater. My house is so cluttered.
My theme this year is-Giving Back. I thought that I was doing well in that department, but I was struck with how much I worry about silly little things, when people in the world worry about how to feed their family, or war and sickness all around them. I am going to get involved more.
The melt and pour please.
My top goals are to pamper myself with 30 minutes of yoga or cardio at least 3 times a week, plan out products and life more efficiently (in 3 month chunks at least) and gather supplies all at once so I can spend more time playing/creating and less time online; and to nurture synchronicity in my home/shop projects for a more sustainable and enjoyable production pace. (gosh that looks a lot scarier when I post it here like this. LOL)
My theme for the year is synchronicity. The wiki definition makes my head hurt. I interpret it as finding a balance and a meaningful blend of all aspects of my experience. If that’s way wrong please wait to 2012 to let me know. =)
My word of intention for 2011 is creativity. In order for me to achieve that “in 10 years, when my life is ideal” scenario, I need to focus on creativity this year. My overarching theme would be “completing creative projects”.
My goal is to complete a new knitting (and sewing) project every couple of months – I will break down each step (picking out or creating a pattern, picking out the yarn or fabric, cutting out the pattern if sewing, and devoting a certain amount of time each day to the actual knitting/sewing) and mark down the deadline for each step in my calendar, reviewing my progress each week.
If I get picked to win, I’d love the MP set. Thanks, A-M, for the prize offering and for the very useful exercises!!
One of my goals is to start the Couch-to-5K program by the week after next and complete a 5K by the end of March. I will find a race to do by the end of January. After I finish the 5K I will start a 10 week tri training program and complete a sprint tri by the end of July.
My theme for the year is “Follow Through.”
My word of intention is “Achieve.”
And I like CP 🙂
Forgot to mention I am still a newbie in CP. : )
I’ve been enjoying the goal-setting blogs that you’ve provided and I have followed them through, writing down my goals etc. I plan on increasing my soap business income by double, which means more craft fairs and I’d like to be completely self employed within 2 years.
I want to add a new product line every 6 months to my soap business, ie sugar scrubs, bath soaks etc. My word of intention for 2011-YES! That’s right, I’m going to say Yes to every opportunity the Lord creates for me!
I’m a CP soaper I’d like the CP prize.
Frances
Bittersweet Creek Soap
My theme for 2011 is focus on God, Health, Family & daily productivity. I know it sounds to be a bit much, let’s just say the traain has been derailed for a few Years!
My #1 resolution is to get healthy. I am tired of looking and feeling schlubby!
Thank you for hosting this giveaway. If I were to win, I’d love the M&P set.
Happy New Year! 🙂
My goals for this year:
1. To find a workout routine that fits my capabilities and time frame, and stick with it. I’m trying out hiphop abs right now and I’m hoping I can dance my way to a healthier me.
2.Find a new job where I am happy, so I can continue to support myself through college. My father recently passed away, so I took a break from working to mourn and to collect myself. Now I really need to stop feeling bad and get back to my responsibilities. By the end of January I plan to be situated in a job that I truly enjoy.
3.Purchase a home. My boyfriend and I have been living with family members and now its time for us to leave the nest. By the end of January we plan to be pre-approved for a loan and making an offer on a house that will suit our needs for the next several years.
My Theme for this year:
Positivity
This past year has been a difficult one. This year I want to take with me the knowledge of who I am as a person and the strength that I have gained, but also have an over all positive outlook on life. Being caught up in past pains is a waste. I want for myself, to see the beauty in what is given to me today.
Should I win, I would prefer the CP prize, but either would be nice.
My goal is to sell this year. My Hubby has so kindly paid for my hobby for about a year now as I have been unemployed almost 2 years. we relocated almost 1100 miles form home, I seriously got depressed. Soaping has total brought me out of my funk. Ok, I will sell this year and I am Thankful. I see soaping as an art and I love being creative. I also want to make shampoo this year..
CP soap
What a great series of posts.
One of my goals for this year is to learn how to nalebind. I might be able to learn this from someone locally, but if not I’ll be relying on books. Learning will begin at the end of March so I have time to finish up current projects, and by the end of September I’ll have completed a hat for myself. I’m a CP soaper.
My goal is to be more ‘green’ and show my children along the way, and to stop being scared of venturing out into the world of career-dom by applying for jobs that relate to my degree. My motto for 2011 is – ‘Perfection’
One of my goals is to take time to work out 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes. Another one is to cook one new thing a week.
My theme this year is Health
p.s: I’d love to win the cold process prize. 🙂
My theme for 2011 is “Patience”. I cannot say that I’ve ever been an overly patient person… EVER. I’ve come too adapted to the fast-food drive-thru, high-speed-internet, swipe-a-credit-card instant-gratification of our nation today. Heck, I don’t even have the patience to wait for CP soap 😉 (That being said, I’d like the MP pack should I be chosen as the winner).
I’ve learned a thing or two about patience in the last 15-months since my daughter was born. I’ve also come to realize once or twice (or a million times!) that I could work on my patience… especially now that my husband & I are expecting another little angel (or little monster, depending on my mood).
Not only do I need to work on my patience when it comes to social interactions, I could also use some patience in the business department. My husband & I run a small online retail gaming store. We get more orders on our eBay & Etsy stores then our actual website combined! — Disappointing to say the least. Rome wasn’t built in a day & businesses don’t become a success overnight. With a little bit more marketing, a little more dedication & possibly a whole lot of patience, hopefully our store will get off its feet soon 🙂
Until then… “Patience” is my theme for the year.
My main business goals are to get my website finalized and launched; and to increase sales by picking up additional wholesale accounts. My time is always at a premium, so I need to set a timer when I’m at the computer – so that I don’t waste hour upon hour just goofing! (It’s so easy to do!!)
I’m a CP soaper!
I’d like to start my year by focusing my efforts in my business to minimize expenditures and try not to get caught up in trying to do everything:)
My goal for this year is to limit my work week to 40-48 hours a week, (last year I averaged 60) and spend more time with family and doing things I enjoy. My ultimate goal is to learn to make fine soaps consistantly and beautifully so I may start a home business, and be my own boss! ~ theme for the year is Balance.
( either prize would be nice :^) )
One of my goals this year is to get my business up and running by purchasing insurance first, then signing up for and going to my first craft shows. Oh! And figuring out how to make those candles. 😉
I’m a cp soap maker.
I’ve been following your blogs for a couple weeks now, and this series of posts really inspired me.
A few of my goals are to be more assertive at work and prove to myself that I can actually achieve more than a bottom rank job. Probably sounds silly- but it means a lot to me.
I also intend on being a homeowner before the end of the year. Already underway so I feel like I’ve already got a great head start. hehe
I would love to win the melt and pour.
<3 Lindsay
My top three goals:
Lose 33 lbs, Increase sales at my farm store and organize my home. My theme this year is FOCUS 🙂
I have started the year by implementing part of my goal already and have set up a website for my business. The other goal is to get 2 retail establishments each month to sell my product. I have one on board for January, working on getting another one. My ultimate goal is for this to replace my full-time job. I am a cold process producer.