How To Plan Your Life

New Years Eve: My biggest fear when I was much younger was always looking back on the year gone by and saying to myself: what did I do besides work? I had memorable experiences, right? I am sure of it… give me a minute to think…no wait, I know! I learned something new, didn’t I? No, that wasn’t it…

Sure, I am a Taurus and like routine to a certain degree but am I just a robot that goes to work and comes home just to repeat it again the next day and run errands on the weekends? Nope! Filled with regret wasn’t going to be me on News Years Eve. So, I made it a point to plan my life. Now, it does help that I like to plan even do it for a living.

I like to think that having a Type A personality allows me to live a Type B personality life. If that makes any sense. So, here is my guideline on how to plan your life.

• Planning your life doesn’t mean you need to always be a social butterfly. It could be a quiet walk with your dog or favorite human on a road you never traveled before.
• Planning your life doesn’t mean you need to have every weekend from Fri night to Sun night booked. I can tell you that was never me. I like my “have no plans” weekends.
• Planning your life doesn’t mean you need to always spend money. We all know plenty of life’s simple pleasures are free.
• Planning your life doesn’t mean you need several hours or days, it can be small wins like 1 or 2 hours.
• Planning your life does mean you need to think ahead. It takes effort but the work pays off. You owe it to yourself to live the best you!

What I have learned over time is what works for me and my family. One planned experience a month, that is our perfect balance. Not too stressful or overwhelming and enough wiggle room for some spontaneity here and there. Some months, the experiences are bigger than other months. Taking a 2 hour Mozzarella & Burrata making class with a friend vs a mini vacation with the family. What is your perfect balance? It may be one activity or experience a week or one every quarter.

Tips & Tricks

• Appointment to Plan: My “Go To”, I put an appointment on my calendar to plan. You heard me right. No matter how big or small, I add a placeholder for it on my schedule. You have reminders to pay your bills, go to the doctors, so why not to plan for the memorable events in your life. Most of the time when you think of something you want to do or a place you want to go, you can’t stop at that moment to act on it and if you don’t add a quick reminder. Poof! It’s gone (at least from my brain it is) or if you do remember sometimes it is too late, it’s the 11th hour and the tickets are sold out or the hotel/airbnb you wanted is booked.
• Interests: I stumbled on a website one night of financial acronyms for family units that blew my mind. I thought I was “on trend” or “in the know” with DINK, DINKAWD, SINK, SINKAWD, DEWK but I kept scrolling and scrolling before finally reaching the end of the list. My favorite being WOOF. Not what you think it is, I promise you. Depending on your family unit or circle of friends, you may have shared interests or you may not but it is important to show up for each other. Match each other’s energy. There will be compromises but that doesn’t mean you need to give up your passions. I like my alone time. I make it a point to enrich myself and plan time for my hobbies.
• Inspiration: It is all around and can come from many sources, what you see, what you hear, what you read, what you watch. Sign up for email updates or follow social media accounts.Some of my favorites: Live Nation, nybucketlist, secretcnyc and Timeout. Try using AI (chatgpt) to help find inspiration. Its free and the more details you give it, the better the results. Log your ideas in your phone. I have a running list that I started years ago and refer back to it often.
• Be Brave: Ah, those voices in your head that discourage or convince you to make the safe choice or skip out on an invite that is not in your comfort zone. Of course you need to be honest with yourself. Will I ever jump out of a plane? Hells no! 20 years ago, I might have considered it but that window has closed for me. Did I take a ride on an olympic bobsled track going 50mph with my hubby because he was dying to do it, YES! And so glad I was brave. Once in a lifetime experience with a side of adrenaline. Dare To Follow and surprise yourself. You are stronger than you think.