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How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

Creating A Goals Journal To Help You Dream Big, Dream Bright!

in Lifestyle on 12/03/18

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post in partnership with BIC. All opinions expressed are, as always, my own.

 

Current feeling…overwhelmed. Every Mama in the Suburbs has been where I am today. A little stressed, a lot tired, too much on the go. Over the next 60 days this family has got a LOT to get through. Work is keeping myself and Hubby on the run. School for the girls is moving at a record pace. Throw in a couple of trips, a family wedding, and my parents heading off to Florida for the winter all too soon and we’re back to overwhelmed.

When I realized I was burning the candle at both ends and not enough time was being spent with the people we love, I had what could only be called an epiphany.  People are always talking about how life is short. But honestly, it really is. It was time to get my priorities in order, do some goal setting, and find a way to spend more time smiling and less time being Make time overwhelmed. It was time to begin a new habit to help me find the happy.

After all; “Happiness is a habit. Cultivate it.” Elbert Hubbard

My plan is a simple one. Make time for family, prioritize, and write it down! We’d accomplish this by getting all of our ideas in one place, and by listing all of our dreams. We’ve created a goals journal to help manage our time and map out our goals, big and small!

We each picked up our own little notebook, a ruler and these fun and trendy BIC® Cristal® Up Ball Pens. These little beauties are the iconic pen you remember in refreshingly vivid colours.

Then, we went to work.

I knew my journal needed to have two sections: One for personal goals and one for professional.

With coffee in one hand, and my favourite music playing in the background, I broke out my new favourite pens and just started to doodle. I love that the BIC® Cristal® Up Ball Pens come in fun colours and trendy designs, plus, their smooth writing style made it easy to just let the ideas flow from pen to paper.

Before long I had a list of goals both big and small.

Personal/Family Goals:
*spend more time with my parents before they head to Florida
*get everyone ready for the wedding in November – shopping!
*Family Trip to London England – dream big
*Trip to Greece for my 50th – long-term goal!
*Build a house
*Plan a family dinner
*Clean out the laundry room – yuck

Professional Goals:
*Pay off the company car
*Get those invoices done
*Pitch 3 new companies
*Update business cards

Some of these goals are easily attainable while, others may take years to accomplish, but it never hurts to dream – you really do have to start somewhere!

Carving out just 10 minutes with our family every day to write in our journal, brainstorm, reflect, and review has proven to be an effective way to be more mindful of our time and keep us on track. It’s a great way to gift ourselves a few minutes a day and to remind ourselves to just keep swimming, and to never stop dreaming.

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    Comments

    1. Trisha Pedros says

      December 5, 2018 at 10:08 pm

      I have to start journaling! So happy to read you take time all together to do make time for it! Good for you, now to get my butt in gear! Thank you for the inspiration!

    2. Emily Mitton says

      December 5, 2018 at 5:49 pm

      Love all the colours!!

    3. krista says

      December 5, 2018 at 10:49 am

      We bought these for my granddaughter when her sister goes to IWK so she could keep herself busy making cards and pictures for her sister love the vibrant colors of these pens

    4. Silvia D says

      December 5, 2018 at 3:33 am

      love the colourful pens! I like the ideas also! great article!

    5. Jay M says

      December 4, 2018 at 7:09 pm

      Are they the kind of pens that make you want to write more? There are always those special pens that make me love my own writing 🙂

    6. Anne Taylor says

      December 4, 2018 at 3:21 pm

      Wonderful and positive idea! Thanks

    7. Jonnie says

      December 4, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      I love all the colourful pens! I always find writing things down make them feel more tangible.

    8. Jill MacAulay says

      December 4, 2018 at 1:53 pm

      Great article – I love my BIC pens too !

    9. NormaJane Nowoselski says

      December 3, 2018 at 8:59 pm

      I heard writing down your goals & dreams, seeing them in print makes a difference. Like they are more real. Attainable. I like your idea.

    10. Athena says

      December 3, 2018 at 8:29 pm

      This is such a great idea!

    11. nicolthepickle (Nicole Graham) says

      December 3, 2018 at 7:54 pm

      I really like to keep track of things in actual writing.

    12. Eita says

      December 3, 2018 at 5:59 pm

      All the colors are sure to inspire you!

    13. Jay M says

      December 3, 2018 at 12:52 pm

      Colourful pens make journaling much more fun!

    14. jan says

      December 3, 2018 at 12:27 pm

      I would love those to organize a grocery list – produce in green, meats in red ….

    15. kathy downey says

      December 3, 2018 at 9:36 am

      Great tips writing in a journal is so helpful !

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    Travel addict, sun seeker, coffee drinker, fashion lover, picture taker. This is a peek behind the closed and competitive doors of the suburbs. A place to come to learn about the best places to travel with your kids in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and beyond! stephanie@sassymodernmom.com
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