The beginning of the month is a time for reflection. You take inventory of how far you’ve come in the last month and set new intentions for the new one. In this post, we’ll cover how to start the month off right and how to set monthly goals that propel you towards the life you want.
Related post: How Daily Self-Reflection Will Change Your Life
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Why are monthly goals important?
The start of a month is the perfect time to reflect on our intentions for the new month. You evaluate how you’re tracking towards your overall goal, how you’re doing financially, mentally, and you create space for what’s to come.
Not only is the beginning of the month the time to reset, but many times our big goals can be daunting and overwhelming to think about if you don’t have a clear plan.
Many people get lost or feel stuck because they have a hard time seeing how their dreams are possible.
That’s why the first thing you need to do if you have a big goal or dream is to break it down into micro-goals and create a roadmap to success.
Then every month, your monthly goals will focus your attention on specific steps or aspects in your roadmap.
How to set monthly goals
1. Reflect on the past month
The start of a new month signifies a fresh start in some ways. Before you start setting new goals, you’ll want to begin by reflecting on how the past month went and check-in on your progress towards your overall plan.
Reflection allows you to find opportunities and learn from the past month. You learn from the past so that you can move forward in a positive direction.
You can track your changes and understand areas to focus on moving forward.
2. Set goals for different areas in your life
Now that you’ve reflected on your progress, it’s time to set a focus and plan for this month. What are the next steps you need to take or focus on that will move you towards the life you want?
Once you know your monthly goals, map out how you plan to successfully achieve them by the end of the month. Be specific and give yourself deadlines.
You have a higher chance of achieving goals if they are specific. There will be less roadblock to do it because you clearly understand what you need to do.
For example, instead of just saying that you’re going to “read more this month,” commit to “reading for at least 15 minutes every day.”
Or, let’s say your monthly goal is to “finish two books by the end of the month,” commit to finishing the first book by the 15th of the month so that you have the second half of the month to read the second book.
3. Create Personal Finance goals
Not managing your money right can cause a lot of stress and overwhelm. The beginning of the month is the perfect time to review and track how you’re doing monetarily.
Create a budget sheet and monitor how you spend your money. Evaluate how you’re tracking towards your financial goals and set a budget for projected costs and upcoming plans.
Related post: 15 Easy Ways to Save Money
4. Declutter your space
Clutter can build up over a month and be distracting. A Princeton University study found that clutter reduces a person’s ability to focus on specific tasks.
The beginning of the month is the perfect time to clean and declutter your space! You can start the new month with a fresh mind and space.
5. Map out your month
Grab a calendar and map out what you have going on this month.
Planning your month will give you a birds-eye view of everything going on to ensure you’re giving yourself time for your goals, family/friends, self-care days, work, etc.
6. Set an intention and affirmation
Words are powerful. They can shape how we view and show up in the world. Affirmations are positive words or statements that we repeat to internalize and affect our perception over time.
Set an intention at the beginning of the month. How do you intend to show up every day this month?
Then choose an affirmation that reflects this intention. Repeat this affirmation each day to internalize and uplift yourself.
7. Choose a monthly challenge (optional)
This step is optional but can be fun! A monthly challenge is when you give yourself something to achieve by the end of the month.
They can either be something fun or something related to your overall goal. Some examples are:
- 500 push-ups by the end of the month
- No meat
- Dry/no-alcohol month
- Finish 2x books
- Meditate every day for at least 5 minutes
Monthly challenges teach discipline. They help prove to yourself that you can give yourself a command and follow-through on it.
Related post: The Best Manifestation Techniques to Try Today
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Disclosure: Lifestyle by Remi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Please read full disclosure here.
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