Day 9: Creating the Action Plan – Making Space for Your Vision

Turning your vision into reality requires more than just dreaming—it needs a concrete, actionable plan. Today, you’ll map out how to prioritize your big rocks and ensure they fit into your life. This process is about intentionally making space in your calendar, building habits that align with your goals, and incorporating mindfulness to stay present and committed.

Step 1: Clarify Your Priorities

Before making a plan, ensure you’re clear on your big rocks—the most important aspects of your life and goals.

Activity:

1. Review your reflections from the Wheel of Life and Values exercises.

2. Write down your top 3-5 priorities for 2025.

   • Example: “Focus on health,” “Strengthen relationships,” “Grow my coaching business.”

3.        Write your goals related to your priorities. Write it in a meaningful way related to your values.

o   Example: Instead of writing the goal in abstract ways like “Lose 10 lbs”, associate your goal with something meaningful like an event or situation where you can visualize like “I am wearing a new dress in size 12 for my niece’s graduation on June 6. I have a flat stomach. I move with ease and strength from exercising. I see muscle in my arms.” Or even better, write your long-term visions like “I am playing with my grandchildren. I am strong and able to pick them up, and I have the endurance and ease of motion to do fun trips and activities with them.”

Tip: Keep these priorities and goals visible—write them in your planner or pin them where you’ll see them daily. BONUS – create a Vision Board with representations of what you want in your life. Put it up where you can see it daily so it can inspire you to make your goals a priority.

4.        Write actions you will take to achieve your goals.

Step 2: Make Space in Your Calendar

Time is finite, and if you don’t intentionally block time for what matters most, it can get crowded out by less important tasks.

Activity:

1. Time Blocking:

   • Review your weekly schedule and identify blocks of time for each priority.

   • Example:

     • Mornings for exercise or self-care.

     • Evenings for family or personal development.

   • Schedule these blocks like you would a meeting—non-negotiable. Even better, schedule them with someone so you have accountability (more on this in tomorrow and Thursday’s post)

2. Eliminate Time-Wasters:

   • Review your current habits. Are you spending too much time on social media, unproductive tasks, or distractions?

   • Replace these with actions aligned to your priorities.

Inspiration: Think of your calendar as a reflection of your values. If your schedule doesn’t align with your big rocks, it’s time to adjust.

Step 3: Use Habit Stacking to Build Consistency

Creating lasting change often requires building new habits. Habit stacking is a simple and effective way to integrate these into your life.

What is Habit Stacking?

• It involves pairing a new habit with an existing one to make it easier to stick to.

• Example: If you already have a habit of brewing coffee in the morning, pair it with a new habit of journaling for five minutes.

Activity:

1. Identify 2-3 habits you’d like to build in alignment with your goals.

   • Example: Meditating, journaling, exercising, or reviewing your action plan.

2. Pair each habit with something you already do daily.

   • “After I brush my teeth, I will meditate for 5 minutes.”

   • “After I log into my work email, I will spend 10 minutes prioritizing tasks.”

Tip: Start small. A habit that takes only 2-5 minutes to complete is easier to maintain.

Step 4: Incorporate Mindfulness Into Your Action Plan

Mindfulness helps you stay present and intentional as you work toward your goals. It’s a practice of tuning into what you’re doing right now without getting distracted by stress or overwhelm.

How to Be Mindful in Your Plan:

1. Set Daily Intentions: At the start of each day, write down one action that aligns with your priorities.

   • Example: “Today, I’ll spend 20 minutes writing.”

2. Pause and Check In: Throughout the day, ask yourself:

   • Am I focusing on what matters most?

   • How am I feeling about my progress?

3. Celebrate Small Wins: At the end of the day, acknowledge one thing you did well.

4. Bonus: Set aside time before you go to bed to set next day intentions. This actually primes your brain for success for the next day. Notice this is different that worrying about problems. This is aligning your brain with your values and long-term goals. How do you want to feel? What do you want to accomplish?

Inspiration: Being mindful helps you focus on progress over perfection. It’s not about doing everything perfectly; it’s about showing up consistently.

Step 5: Build Flexibility Into Your Plan

Life happens, and your plan needs room for unexpected events or adjustments.

Tips for Staying Flexible:

1. Schedule buffer time in your calendar for catch-up or self-care.

2. Revisit your plan weekly to adjust for changing priorities.

3. Give yourself permission to rest if needed—it’s part of staying productive.

4. Anticipate changes to your schedule. For example, if you have a business trip coming and cannot cook for yourself or do your regular exercise, anticipate what you can do instead.

Inspiration: Flexibility isn’t failure. It’s a strategy for staying committed, even when circumstances change.

Affirmation for Day 9:

"I intentionally create space in my life for what matters most, knowing that every small, mindful step brings me closer to my vision."

By taking these steps, you’ll not only set yourself up for success but also ensure that your days reflect your values and priorities. Tomorrow, we’ll focus on overcoming obstacles and building resilience to stay committed long-term.

And Happy New Year! Enjoy your celebrations!