182. My unique formula for new year goal setting

Tis the season for goal setting!

In this episode I share my original goal setting framework - which I borrowed from the Wedding Industry - which will ensure a fabulous, fun, growth-filled year ahead.

Forget something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Get ready to do something BOLD, something NEW, something FOLLOWED and something for YOU.

Transcript

Hello Happy New Year!!

I love this time of year, it’s like a shower for the senses.

A fresh start, excitement for the year ahead.

If you had some tough times last year, it’s a great opportunity to look at bringing more joy in.

If you lost somebody last year, my sincere condolences.

Grief is heavy. I like that quote that says there is no grief without love.

On January 23rd it’ll mark 10 years since I lost my dad.

And it’s strange it’s like I can feel grief resurging with a similar quality of the first anniversary.

I’m going to plan a little something, something. He was a very keen fisherman so it’s usually something with seafood, sun and beer.

And Patrick is allergic to shellfish, so more oysters for me.

Ok,

If you had a fabulous year, let’s keep the momentum going.

Patrick and I had a lovely quiet Christmas at home in Brisbane, which is unlike our jetsetting usual selves. We’re also having a quiet New Year.. but we are off to California at the end of Jan and by the looks of my Qantas app I have to scroll a fair way to get to the end of my upcoming flights which is just how I like it.

Gone are the days of the post-holiday blues, I like to have my trips triple-stacked, and I feel most comfortable when I have them quadruple stacked.

And I fully understand that might sound like I live the high life. Remember I have no kids, no pets, no car and I am getting very good at working Frequent Flyer points. And you’ll choke on your champagne if I reveal some of the deals I managed to nab.

I would say it’s about identifying what brings you joy, and nothing lights me up more than airport lounges and landing in new places.

What lights you up? What actually makes you feel like there is no where else you would rather be? Let’s do more of that in 2024.

I say life by design not life in the grind.

It’s waking up and saying ‘how good is it going to get’?

It’s living with pronoia  - the belief the universe is always conspiring in your favour.

It’s jumping out of bed and getting TO the day not pushing THROUGH the day.

It’s about thriving not merely surviving.

Energy flows where intention goes.

If you keep bringing your focus back to gratitude and positivity, it does wonders.

Now I know you might feel like a unicorn just vomited a rainbow on you.

And let’s be real. I have off days. I have challenges in my business. I have hard decisions to make.

But with a bit of practice I’ve been able to not let things derail my day.

I remember reading that one of the only certainties we have is uncertainty, yet so many people don’t accept this, and spend so much energy trying to resist change, trying to resist negative emotions, trying to control the response of other people. I have been there, and leaning into that acceptance that everything changes – this was a big learning from my ten day Vipassana Meditation Course. Everything is temporary. Everything moves. Everything changes.

And if we can flow like water, we trust the universe to operate in our favour.

So that’s a bit of a pep talk to set the scene.

Remember you can download my free Pep Talks in Your Pocket to help you prepare for your next speaking opportunity in the show notes.

Today I want to share with you my original formula for goal setting, which I tried on last year and am going for it again in 2024.

And I borrowed it from the WEDDING INDUSTRY.

What does a bride have?

Something Old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

And I was researching where this came from, and apparently it’s about good luck charms from an old English Rhyme from Lancashire and my voice has gone up into a pitch possibly only dogs can hear because I went on exchange to Lancaster Uni.

So the something old symbolising continuity, something new – optimism for the future, borrowed is borrowed happiness and blue represent purity, love and fidelity.

My New Year goal setting formula begins not with something OLD.

But with something BOLD.

What is something BOLD you are going to do in 2024.

So for me in 2023. I did a few BOLD things. The one that springs to mind is of course the nudie swim in Tasmania. As part of the Dark Mofo Winter Solstice Festival Patrick and I joined 2000 other souls to run into the ocean at sunrise. It was crazy it was fun and not long after I land back in Queensland I get a very interesting Instagram DM from a follower who said “I know this sounds weird but I think you and your partner are on the front page of the paper.” And sure enough we google the Tasmania Mercury and there we were one arm aounrd each other, the other raised to the sky forming the U in Mercury. So what did we do? Sent it to KwikCopy to get printed and framed so we have the memory for ever more. Crazy. Fun. BOLD.

And doing something bold snaps you out of the every day routines, reminds you what it feels like to be alive and it’s a massive confidence boost and helps release fears of what people think of you. I’ve not only stood naked on a beach with thousands of strangers, my bare butt is on the front page. I’m comfortable in my skin and I’m not particularly interested in other people’s opinions. It’s very liberating – and by the way you can choose to do something with your clothes on.

Something BOLD.

And it gives you a great point of reference too. Honestly, if standing on a stage delivering a speech is the scariest thing you can imagine. You need to get out more. Having a point of reference of what is hard, is super helpful. So is of course having the skills and strategies, which is why if speaking is a bug bear for you and you listen to this podcast and you’re not in Soul Speakers, why not?

The next one is Something NEW.

If you’re not growing you’re disintegrating. If you’re doing the same old same old you’re going to stagnate. This isn’t you, you’re listening to a personal development podcast, so no need to preach to the converted here.

Last year I did a lot of new things. The one that stands out is skiing in New Zealand.

Something FOLLOWED.

You know it’s great to do new things, but what about building on old things. Following through. Finishing what we started.

For example I did my Reiki 1 course last year, I’m going to follow with my Reiki 2 this year.

I started writing my book last year, definitely going to follow that this year.

So think about where you can FOLLOW and BUILD on something you enjoyed or started last year.

And finally SOMETHING FOR YOU.

Now I’m the first to admit I live an extremely self centred life and make no apologies for it. In keeping my own energy strong and my own needs met the level at which I show up for my clients is unsurpassed and if you’ve worked with me – can you remember a time, I didn’t send through something I said I would, or didn’t show up because I was sick or was late. It has never happened. And when you’re looking for a coach, that’s what you want. Someone who will be there at full energy for you every time.

So almost everything I do is for me.

Maybe you feel pulled from pillar to post.

Maybe spending money on yourself is a rarity. Because you’re always putting the family first and you feel guilt about investing in yourself.

When I tell people I invested 50k give or take last year in coaching and courses, I always get wide eyes. Some can’t believe so much, other business owner friends are like is that all Sal, what are you doing?

And look of course I’m going to sing the praises of investing in your voice and education, in joining Soul Speakers, or taking my make money while you speak challenge.. but this goal point doesn’t need to be coaching and courses.

My big thing was. It was attending my 7 day Mermaids of the Magdalene Water Priestess Retreat in the South of France. God it was good for the soul. Being with those women, going to the historic churches and castles and carrying out rituals to adore and love each other. It was bliss. The upgrades I felt in my body were palpable.

What are you doing this year for YOU?

One of my clients actually did a year of YOU. Where she realised how much of her life was given to others so she spent a whole year doing things for herself – love that.

When we put ourselves first, we recharge the batteries so we have so much more energy and joy and light to bring to those around us.

So how do you like that? Something BOLD something NEW, Something FOLLOWED something for YOU.

So what are my goals for 2024?

I have them written down, I share them with my inner circle, I look forward to revealing something BOLD, something NEW, I kinda revealed my something FOLLOWED, and theirs is something for YOU I want to share.

This is a very busy time of year for me, because lots of people have new year goals around being more visible, stepping on more stages, making their message heard in a bigger way, and if this is you… I would like to offer you a free 45 min 1:1 if you join Soul Speakers by the end of Jan. You just need to join and then DM me and ask about the podcast deal and I will send you the link. I don’t offer 45 min sessions, I do 90 min ones for USD$1000, so this is a fantastic offer, because I really want to support you to reach your goals, I want to make it easy for you to choose to take action on the change you want and stop kicking the can down the road and think oh one day.

What if one day doesn’t come.

We have one hit out in this human suit.

Let’s go for what we want fearlessly.

Let’s be guided by our brave future self.

Let’s have a heart-bursting fabulous 2024.

Thank you for your support of That Voice Podcast, and I’d love to welcome you back to airwaves in the new year.