Books and Journals that will help you stick to your goals

It's that time of year, where many people are looking forward to getting into a new year. I personally don't believe that you need to wait for a particular month, to make changes to your life, but a lot of people see January as the perfect time to make resolutions and new plans for their life, Today, I want to share some books and journals that I personally enjoy and find useful, and even if you aren't in the "make improvements to your life" mindset yourself, they could make nice Christmas gifts for people who love fresh starts, or just want to make improvements in one area of their life.

Books:  There are so many self-help books on the market, some are just rip-offs of others, some are vague, but I've chosen three that I think a lot of people will find useful in their everyday lives

The One Thing by Gary Keller: This is the perfect book for anyone who is stressed or overwhelmed, which can really badly affect your health. The author explains that even if you have a long list of tasks, there is always going to be one that will make all of the others easier, if this is done first. Every goal that you need to accomplish has ONE THING that must be done - it's never just one task, but if you don't complete this one task, the goal won't be completed. Once this one thing is done, all of the other smaller tasks will seem easier. Therefore, it is important to dedicate a block of time to this task, and this task alone, until it is completed. It might sound easy and simple, but if you have a busy life, are overwhelmed, or a procrastinator, this book will help you to see that prioritising one thing, will make everything else easier.

The $1000 Project by Canna Campbell: I first discovered Canna through her YouTube channel, Sugar Mamma. I found her through another channel and then binge-watched her videos, on how to build a share portfolio, budgeting that still allows for treats and more. This book is designed to help you make $1k (or whatever figure suits you best), without touching your salary, or existing savings, if you have any. She talks through how to budget, finding where you can make cutbacks, how to clear debt, how to think creatively and hustle, to raise money, how to eventually create passive income. She talks about doing Frugal February, where she makes savings everywhere she can (even more so than other months, because one month of not going out for dinner, for example, will save money - something we all learned that we could survive in lockdown!). Her tips are all logical - sell anything you don't use/need/love, don't keep buying the latest makeup releases if you don't need them, if you see a pair of shoes or a dress that you really want to buy, give it a few days and then decide if you really want it. Selling items that you don't need, will help you to declutter, and this will also help you mentally, as a cluttered home can lead to a cluttered mind. Once you have raised your 1k (or whatever figure you choose as your aim), you can then use it to pay off debt, or to start investing in your future - it may seem like a small amount, but it soon adds up. I think this book is great for anyone who wants their money to work harder for them, who wants to get out of debt, or who wants to know how to start investing.

Atomic Habits by James Clear: This is the perfect book to read before setting resolutions, because it shows how you are pretty much setting yourself up for failure, if you set 10 resolutions. Instead, take one, and take time to make it a habit, then add the second one in (habit stacking), and so on. So, for example, you say that you are going to read more, take supplements daily, lose weight and get fit. Start by putting your supplements beside your breakfast bowl/plate at night, then committing to having a healthy breakfast every day and meal planning, then when that feels natural to you, add in doing a small amount of exercise before having your breakfast (then you can build this time up, as you find it a little easier), then commit to putting your phone away at lunchtime, or for half an hour before bed, and reading. By doing this, you will gradually achieve your 10 goals, but it won't be lots of changes all at once, which you are more likely to give up on all of them after a week or two, if they feel like a chore. Running for 5 minutes every day, will lead to running 5k, and saving £10 per week, will eventually add up to having £10k. Think big, but start small, and once things are habits, you won't even think twice about doing them!

Journals: I have used journals for as long as I can remember. I never really kept a diary as a child, but I loved making lists and plans (I still do). I've upgraded from my plain notebooks to planners and journals. My Pro Planner is one that I received for Christmas last year. It's well worth checking this site out as they have general daily agendas, networking agendas (a separate diary for work), desk planners, planning pads, matching pens, bundles, and even clothes! They have a section for your vision board for the year, which I find very useful - the visions can be as big or small as you wish, as long as you really want to achieve them. There is a monthly planner, for important dates etc, finance planners, motivational quotes, and then double pages weekly planners, which are divided into half hour slots, beginning at 6am and ending at 10:30pm. There's also room for notes, and each weekly planner has a top priority list, and a section for things that you're grateful for.  It runs from December 27th 2021 to Jan 1st 2023.  It's a large, hardback planner, so probably one for your bedside locker or desk, rather than your handbag, but it has pretty much everything you could need in it. 

CGD Daily Goal Setter: As you can see, mine is a bit grubby as I use it all of the time! This site has so many agendas/diaries/journals - some dated, some undated, which is convenient as not everyone is ready to start on January 1st! The one that I currently own (the goal setter) seems to have been discontinued, which is disappointing, as I'm on my second one of these. That said, there are daily planners and 'getting stuff done' planners, which are similar and will suit my needs. I love that this brand covers all aspects of life - wellness, finance, fitness, self love, project planners and more. Some people only need some extra help/focus on one area of life and writing it down and planning, will make them accountable. They also sell bundles too.

Do you use journals or planners? I'd love t hear your favourite brands!

Thanks for reading!

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