Yesterday was my last live call/video with Sarra Cannon for her Publish and Thrive class. This is my second time through the class. I always pick up new bits, especially as I progress on my writer/artist journey, I find myself ready for the next piece of the learning and picking up something new, or at least a new understanding of how it works for me.
Then today was the kickoff call for her HB90 course (Heart Breathings 90 days is what that stands for). It's a system to help create plans, projects and tasks in 90 day (quarter) chunks that can be altered, changed, adjusted, during the 90 days if needed. Then you can plan for the full year, in those 90 day chunks. You set you goals/vision for what you want your life to look like in one year (or 5 or 10) and then the projects and tasks are broken down from there.
So often, we put too much on our plates and then we don't accomplish anything, because we are so snowed under with all the overwhelm. So, I've been through the HB90 4 times now, and am getting the process down a little better each time. (I used to be super organized and get tons done...and then somehow I got broken... (sad face)...So, I'm working with this new system, and little by little adding my own seasonings to the “dishes” on the “menu”.
So ask yourself, "How do you decide what to put on your plate?" For my actual meals, I decide by using my diet plans (Ketovore for me). What is the right portion for me? What are the proper dishes and side dishes? Am I avoiding carbs for the most part, because I feel the best when I do? So, I choose what's best for me, along with what tastes best, and what I have the energy to prepare.
I think that matches up with goal planning, too, and sometimes I'm just not following my "diet", on my plans, but having too much dessert, and fast food! So, having the 90 day reset lets me adjust, maybe skip a couple of planned meals for now to get back on track.
More "diet" thoughts (I must be hungry today!) When I try to do ALL THE THINGS!, it's like trying to make a Thanksgiving Dinner for 12 - EVERY DAY, by myself. It's just too much!
Thinking instead, about trying to make a balanced "meal" for my daily jobs, broken into several smaller "meals", rather than a feast (and all the dishes that have to be cleaned, later!) each day, lets me adjust the meals for what I have the energy for, and what I have the “food” for in the “pantry” (assets, lists, writing seeds), what I might need to shop for (research) and make a meal later in the quarter (that short story may be a novella later). But, I need a "menu" to work from.
That is what HB90 is for me. A "Menu" of what I want for "meals" that I can do a “grocery list” from, and use the things I already have in my "pantry". And if I need to skip a meal, it's okay. And if someone extra shows up for dinner, that's okay, too. I can just move the "meals" around to fit the situation better, but I still know what all the menu parts are that will lead me to a successful venture later.
This outlook has already allowed me to write more (3 short stories finished and 2 more in progress), to do more art (working on covers and designing business logos currently), to actually create a website to sell Cover Art from (www.coverartgems.com)(not quite fully baked, yet) and still get some home things done (remodeling on the cheap, cats, pups and hubby and self cared for and fed, volunteer work) And working on building my businesses as well.
So, I'm really grateful for the lessons, and her sharing her knowledge. And I'm excited for the opportunities I have for freelancing and building my "menu" from a base that I can tweak/season, that works for me. And I'm super excited about the plans for the future and seeing them come to fruition.
Let me know what planning system you use and how the year is going for you, so far.