The other day I was cruising the aisles of Home Depot looking for lightbulbs when my son who accompanied me on the errand said, “Look Mom! They have Clorox wipes and you can buy as many as you want!” I had to laugh. Even my teenage son was noticing the signs that we’re slowly emerging from the pandemic that put all of our routines and spending habits in a tailspin. As travel restrictions are being lifted, businesses are hiring, and masks are coming off (Or not. You do you. No judgement here), the World is starting to feel a little different. Do I dare say it’s starting to feel normal again, that is, if we even remember what normal was?
Over the last 16 months, I went from planning months and years ahead to being incapable of thinking more than 24 hours in advance. It’s a bit frightful how paralytic the threat of a spreading virus can render you. In January I wrote about creating your 90-day plan because I wasn’t capable of thinking more than 90 days out and figured I wasn’t alone. Well, I am officially ready to look ahead and design the rest of my year, all 180 days of it (baby steps but they’re going in the right direction).
Since my kids’ schools are out for the summer, as well as all their extracurricular activities that come along with it, my duties as an unpaid Uber driver for less than appreciative preteens and teenagers are on hold for the next 60 days. Although tempting, I don’t plan on using that reclaimed time for more sleep, longer workouts, and social lunches with my girlfriends. Instead, I plan to spend my extra time revisiting my first half of the year, reflecting on what I did right, identifying my missteps, and figuring out what I want the second half of 2021 to look like. As every good coach knows, halftime presents an opportunity to regroup, change strategies, and get motivated to go for the win.
Please note I did not say I’m making a list of goals I want to accomplish during the next six months. For now, I just want to focus on what I want my upcoming months to look like (again, baby steps). I’ll figure out how I want to spend my time by answering questions like, What birthdays, holidays, and special occasions are important to me? Who do I want to spend my time with? What activities do I want to include in my schedule? What activities do I not want to include? Once I have a clear vision of what I want my next my six months to look like, I’m going to rally and get honest on what action steps I need to take to make my vision a reality.
If you would like to join me in the fun of planning out your second half of 2021 (and beyond!), I created a Design Your Life Worksheet you can download below to make it easier for you. Happy Planning!
