Happy New Year from your Pasadena Family and Wedding Photographer

We are so excited for 2013. This really is going to be an amazing year.  Believe it and it will happen.  So what is there to be excited about?  Well…everything.  It’s a clean slate.  So, no matter what happened last year, that is in the past, and we are looking forward.  There is no point looking back and thinking, “oh I didn’t loose weight” or “I didn’t complete that goal of reorganizing my room”.  The point is to look forward at all you CAN achieve this year.

Setting goals is a great way to look forward, but before you know it you may have a list to the floor of all you want to achieve this year.  As you know, a long list can quickly become daunting and in reality will most likely not get done.  Or will get forgotten about by February.  We think the best way to set goals is to pick 3.  Its a nice small, manageable number.  And to be specific. Also for each goal set 3 actions to help you on the way.  For example, the eternal goal of loosing weight. Sigh.  Rather than just saying, “I want to loose weight this year”, set a specific goal like “This year I want to loose 20 pounds.”

What would this look like?
Goal: To loose 20 pounds.

• Action: Find a new BFF workout and do it once a week or more.
• Action: Ask a friend to workout once a week and schedule it at a regular time. Join a class or walk a few miles and catch up on gossip.
• Action: Find a new cute workout top. (Looking good while jumping around is always a bonus!)

The actions are small and simple, to help guide you on your way.  They don’t have to be revolutionary, but must make sense to you.

Goal setting is a yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily event.  It’s an ever evolving list, but should never be a burden.  Once you small actions have taken place you make new ones until your goal is met.  Once you goal is met, make a new goal.  Loose more weight, make more money, have more fun!  Whatever it is, you MUST write is down and check it off.

I know I am great at setting goals, and then completely forgetting about them 2 days later!  So now I have a huge easel type writing pad tied to the outside of my bathroom shower rail with ribbon.  It’s a weird place I know, but because my clients get to see my whole office area I wanted to keep my goals a little more private. I have my monetary goals, wedding and session goals, fitness goals etc written on them nice and big so every time I go in there I can see them.  And getting away from my desk helps me in thinking anyway.

So, whether you have a small pad on your desk, a screen saver for your phone, lipstick on the mirror, pad on the shower curtain, or a tattoo on your arm, make sure you set your goals today and don’t forget them!

Remember, set 3 goals for the year, with 3 actions to get started.  Then once you hit them, I’d be willing to bet, by April, you can set some more, and your 2013 will be your most productive year yet!

We look forward to seeing you achieve your goals this year!

Nicola

P.S One of my biggest goals is to get 25 New Family Portrait clients this year, so please help me by passing this onto the friends you know that values their family as art in their own homes.

P.P.S If you want someone to be accountable to I’d love to help. I’ll be posting my goals on Friday and would love to have you comment with your own.  Let’s help each other grow and prosper this year!