Pea of Sweetness

Working Towards my Goals with a Life Coach #LifeReimagined

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This post is sponsored by Vocalpoint and Life Reimagined®. All opinions are my own.
A couple days ago I shared my Goals for 2016. I don’t always have an easy time writing out my goals. In fact, I struggle quite a bit with laying out my priorities, like work and family, and trying to balance it around my health issues. Between my health issues as well as my husband’s and having three special needs children, it isn’t easy to keep it all together and pursue the things I’d like to accomplish.
Life Reimagined
I have heard of working with a Life Coach, but didn’t really know much about it or how it could benefit me. Working with a Life Coach from Life Reimagined® has definitely been an eye opening experience that has left me with a clearer purpose and how to pursue that purpose realistically. In fact, it help me acknowledge and write out my goals for this year.
Prior to my session with my life coach, I got set up on the Life Reimagined website to create my LifeMap. I was challenged to choose my gifts, passions, those I want to impact, and values through a simple card exercise. I truly had to think about it. I admit, although I can name my top three priorities I haven’t really given it deep thought. This really challenged me to not only consider all of these factors but to truly think about it. I had to narrow each down to just three, and I was actually quite surprised by my answers!
Life Reimagined LifeMap
The LifeMap really helped me put things in perspective. I feel like I knew my passions and values, but how am I using them to achieve my goals. At first, looking at my LifeMap, I wasn’t sure how it all fit together. I was eager for my Life Coach appointment so I could really dig deeper into it.

Working with a Life Coach

To prepare for my Life Coach session I first made sure my computer was able to work with the chat program. I simply had to add a plug-in on Google Chrome. This prepared my computer to be compatible with the system used. The life coach session uses both audio and video. I found it rather easy to set up and get ready for my session!
I logged in and was ready for my session. We greeted each other and she went right to explaining what life coaching is, how it’s different than counseling and what to expect from our session. She explained counseling is more like looking at your past and how to overcome what may have been challenging whereas life coaching is looking at the future and how to reach your goals. Before the session I had filled out a questionnaire with details about what I’m working toward, and she had that all in front of her for easy reference. I found that very helpful.
I found my Life Coach so easy to speak with, and this is actually a big deal. I am an introvert and have Sensory Processing Disorder, so being social isn’t so easy for me! The conversation just naturally flowed, though. After we talked for a bit I was asked to bring up my LifeMap so we could go over it together. I was able to share my screen so she could have a look at it. This is when I really felt like my LifeMap was pulled together. She challenged me to answer why I chose what I did, and it made me think further beyond just choosing my answers to what I really mean and why I chose them.
It almost seemed silly to me that I didn’t actually know the why right off hand, but I was so glad for the opportunity to talk to her and really dig deep into my LifeMap. I was able to view it from a new perspective and truly understand it.
Life Reimagined Working with a Life Coach
To wrap up, we talked about the how. How can I reach my goals? What are the challenges? How can I overcome the challenges. Obviously, with health issues, my husband’s health issues and our kids’ special needs there are things I can’t control. Am I maximizing the good time, though?
My Life Coach really helped me to identify how I can maximize the good time. Between my family and blogging/work – what takes the most energy? When do I feel like I have the most energy? Just those two questions alone made me realize I’ve been doing things backwards. Because we homeschool I have the flexibility to work with whatever schedule works for us. I acknowledged I have more energy later in the day and the family and homeschool priorities take more energy than my work.
That was the “ah ha!” moment that made me realize, if I change my schedule I will be able to actually get more done! Just that thought alone was so encouraging and refreshing! She suggested I take a day off to really go over my calendar and set a schedule that works best. I plan to take a day this weekend (when someone can watch the kids) to have this sit down session and organize my daily calendar the way that makes more sense for me – in a way I can get things done!
I really feel like my Life Reimagined Life Coach opened the door for me to see how I can maximize my time without sacrificing anything that is important to me. It also allows me to work around not only my health issues, but my family’s needs as well as I consider what the “good time” is for all of us. I feel like I’m starting the new year with encouragement and excitement and not that overwhelming feeling I often get when it seems like I have too much on my plate!
 

Goals for 2016

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I’m finally getting around to share my goals for 2016! I think it’s going to be a great year! Of course, one of my main goals is covered in my Word for 2016 – Contentment. I’ve learned the power of the written goals, though, and I’ve found sharing them with others helps you stay accountable!
Goals for 2016

Personal Goals for 2016

  • Better time management. This was my top goal last year, and I still haven’t gotten it down. I’d like to really get a schedule set. Again, I must acknowledge there is room for grace because with three special needs children, a husband with a disability, and my own medical issues, days often don’t go as planned. In fact, last year my health issues were intense. I’m praying for a better year – particularly now that they know the cause of my headaches. I need to recognize and leverage the “good days.”
  • I want to continue to spend more time in God’s word and have more quiet time with Him. I still feel like I need to work on this – for so many reasons. How can I be a vessel to spread His Word if I’m not listening to it?
  • Continue to strive for better health including pursuing answers and solutions for my health issues, using my essential oils and supplements regularly, get adequate sleep, drink more water and work out regularly.
  • Continue to work on being efficient. I have Sensory Processing Disorder so being efficient is challenging for me. I get overwhelmed and overstimulated so it’s like having a short attention span yet a need for perfection. It can be overwhelming!
  • Get the house more organized. We still have a few unpacked boxes. *Sigh* I just want to get all the things we’re not using out and everything else organized better.
  • Continue having regular date nights with my husband as well as making sure I make time for him. As a mom and blogger with health issues, I do have limited time, but it is so very important to give that time to him.
  • Lose weight. I’m going to be talking more about my health and fitness goals and starting my “Wellness Wednesday” link-ups!
  • Have a successful homeschool year – whatever that may look like for us. I’d like to get into a schedule that works well for us (we’re just starting our new homeschool year, so we still have some time to find our groove), plan more field trips and more hands-on projects.
  • Do more. OK, that sounds pretty generic. With my health issues this year, I didn’t really do much at all. I’d like to get out of the house more and get involved in things I’m passionate about.

Professional Goals for 2016

  • Last year was rough. I’d like to really grow Pea of Sweetness this year. I’m definitely happy with my decision to sell Deals of Sweetness so I can not only focus on getting more content here on Pea of Sweetness, but so I can also bring it back to what it used to be. I want Pea of Sweetness to be a whole reflection of me, and dividing my interest between two similar blogs was taking a toll. I can’t wait to bring new, fresh content to Pea of Sweetness this year!
  • Stop comparing. (I really covered this in my Word for 2016. It’s why I chose contentment.) I shouldn’t be comparing my growth to others. I have to trust that Pea of Sweetness is exactly where God wants it to be right now. It is reaching the people He wants it to reach at this time. It’s not about being popular or “big” – it’s about being open to His Will.
  • Create a schedule that makes sense for me given my other responsibilities – and stick to it.
  • Create a solid editorial calendar and plan for all of my websites and perfect the pages, design, and content of each. I also want to really get Sweetness Sisters Media going and offer support for bloggers and start promoting all of our services like helping others get a blog started with a nice theme/blog design as well!
  • Additionally, get Nerdy Household up and started. Yes, I said I don’t want to divide interest, but this is a fun site my husband and I will be working on together. Plus, it’s not really dividing interest because gaming, anime, etc., although it is a big part of me, doesn’t really fit well here on Pea of Sweetness.
  • Go through and fix old posts – create pinnable images if there isn’t one, edit any text if necessary, set a featured image if needed, etc.
  • Finish my book and look into publishing information.

What are your goals for 2016?

 

Goals for 2015

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It’s here! I’m pretty sure I talked about it for the past two or three weeks, but I’m finally posting it – my goals for 2015! Of course, I think my Word for 2015 pretty much laid out a lot of what I’m aiming for this year both personally and professionally (with my blogs) in finding and pursuing my purpose, but I want to share a little more detail. The truth is, this is the first time I’m putting my goals down in writing anywhere, so it’s something I’ve been needing to do!
Goals for 2015

Personal Goals

  • Better time management. Set a plan and stick to it. I acknowledge there is room for grace because with three special needs children, a husband with a disability, and my own medical issues, days often don’t go as planned, but I also have a feel for our good times and bad times and can (and should) plan my schedule around these.
  • Spend more time in God’s word and more quiet time with Him. I get caught up in being so busy I fail to take the time to hear His word. How can I be a vessel to spread His Word if I’m not listening to it?
  • Take care of myself. Add gym time to the calendar. Schedule doctor appointments and go to them. Take time away from the computer when I need it. Say “no” to work when I need to. Use my essential oils and supplements regularly. Whatever it takes to be in the best health I need to be to care for our family and our home.
  • Learn how to be more efficient. I have Sensory Processing Disorder. Being efficient is a challenge. I get overwhelmed and overstimulated so it’s like having a short attention span yet a need for perfection. It’s maddening! Trying to keep the house in order causes major anxiety, so I need to learn to do it efficiently and squash the anxiety.
  • Unpack the boxes! Since my husband joined the Army years ago we have never actually settled into a home. Now that he is out of the Army I would finally like to settle down. Even though we are renting this home, we finally feel “at home,” and feel like we can settle down, and I know it would feel so much more peaceful to finally unpack all the boxes and just settle in!
  • Give more to my husband. With all the financial stress we went through last year plus the eviction then moving again from Texas to Ohio, we were under a lot of stress. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful relationship with my husband, but I know I could be giving more. We celebrate our 10 year anniversary this year, and I want to really want to give more to our marriage – and not just this year, but every year.
  • Lose weight. Yes, I do have some weight loss goals. I’m going to be talking more about my health and fitness goals on Deals of Sweetness and hosting a weekly weigh-in where I will check in with an update on how I’m doing. I will probably be sharing my actual weight as well for accountability, but the “weigh-in” is just a play on words for checking in for the week.
  • Put more into our homeschool. With all the stress last year, we had a pretty rough homeschool year as well. So this year I really want to make sure we fill in all the gaps and challenge the kids to push a little harder (while not discouraging them, of course). I want to include more hands-on activities and field trips this year as well.
  • Get involved. I’d like to really get involved at the church. With a special needs family it can be easy to fall into the trap of missing church. You get to a point where you feel nobody notices and lose motivation to return. I don’t want to fall into that trap anymore. I want to get involved. I want to be connected.

Professional Goals

  • Because of our rough year Pea of Sweetness really didn’t experience any growth. It didn’t go under by any means (Phew!), but I would have loved to be at a different place by now. In fact, I branched out to Deals of Sweetness so I could continue to do reviews and giveaways outside of my key focus topics of homeschooling, homemaking, special needs, and parenting, and there were times where Deals of Sweetness surpassed Pea of Sweetness in views. I felt confused and frustrated. I was excited that my new blog was getting that many views but frustrated that Pea of Sweetness wasn’t growing much!
     
    I realize it wasn’t because of the transition itself (though it had some effect because I also started transitioning eco-friendly living, which used to be a big part of Pea of Sweetness), but because of all the stress I was under, I wasn’t really writing regular content. That is still the case now and might be for another few weeks, but then it’s going to change. My goal is to set a solid editorial calendar plan that includes regular content outside of reviews and within my key categories. I’m still brainstorming on the ideas, but I’m praying it will be a blessing!
  • Stop comparing. The above being said. I shouldn’t be comparing my growth to my other blog or any other blog. I have to trust that Pea of Sweetness is exactly where God wants it to be right now. It is reaching the people He wants it to reach at this time. I’m not writing on here to be in the spotlight (and I totally just sang “I don’t need my name in lights. I’m famous in my Father’s eyes.”) in my head. I digress. I’m writing on here because He has called me to reach others, so I have to trust Him. That also means I have to trust myself because He chose me for a reason.
  • Create a schedule. Schedule specific days and times to network regularly as well as interact on social media regularly – particularly Pinterest, which is my weakness as it’s not something I tend to use regularly but is a good source of traffic to those who use it.
  • Create an editorial calendar and plan for all of my blogs and perfect the pages, design, and content of each – including the one I’m putting together for a friend and our gaming blog that I haven’t even put together yet! I also want to really get Sweetness Sisters Media going and offer support for bloggers and start promoting all of our services like helping others get a blog started with a nice theme/blog design as well!
  • Go through and fix old posts – create pinnable images if there isn’t one, edit any text if necessary, set a featured image if needed, etc.
  • Finish my book and look into publishing information.

Phew! What are your goals for 2015?

 

Are you Setting Realistic Goals?

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I was going to post my Goals for 2015 this week, but the truth is, I’ve been battling headaches/migraines every single day since January 22nd. Yes. It’s been awful. So to even put together a post with all of my goals for this year at this time isn’t quite realistic. I feel like I’m just getting caught up and going into the new year with my blogging, and we truly are just getting going and easing slowly into our new homeschool year. So, my “Goals for 2015” post will have to wait one more week.
In the meantime, I wanted to share a post I shared on The Homeschool Post last week because I definitely feel it’s relevant! I think we all gear up to set goals for the new year and sometimes we get a little carried away. Or sometimes we hold back because we fear setting goals that are unattainable. So I shared some tips for setting realistic goals.
Setting Realistic Goals
What are your homeschool goals for the new year? Are you starting your new homeschool year like we are or getting back into the routine? How is it going? By now you’re probably getting an idea of whether the goals you have set are realistic or maybe they could be set higher or adjusted to be more attainable for your family. Remember, every family is different, and your goals *should* be different than other families’ goals! Be sure to check out my full post for more tips and encouragement!
One of my goals I’ll share now is to take better care of myself so I can more easily reach goals for our home and homeschool, and that starts with taking care of my health. I hope to feel better soon and share my 2015 goals next week and more regular posts soon! I hope your year is off to an amazing start!