How to Crush Your New Year Goals and Aspirations: A sneak peek into my 2024 plan.

Welcome to a fresh start in 2024! As we begin this new year, it’s important to set goals and aspirations for ourselves. We want to push ourselves so that we can move forward in life but also be mindful of our current situation. With this in mind, I’ve outlined five (mostly) realistic goals that I believe can be achieved in 2024. These goals cover various areas of our lives, including finances, health, relationships, and business.

I’ll admit, I’m approximately four-ish weeks late on posting my “New Year, Better Me” post. But I have good reason! I’ve been slowly getting into a routine and ACTUALLY implementing some of these goals. Ladies, believe me — it hasn’t been easy. (Especially when my boyfriend is a Mexican food connoisseur and a picky eater). But alas, here we are. Ready to grind, build and inspire ourselves for a better 2024.

Invest 20%

Saving money is always a great goal, but investing that money can provide a bigger reward. While I already have quite a few different investment platforms and accounts, I am always looking to grow my financial egg. This year I aspire to invest an additional 20% of my income into the various accounts that I have. It may sounds daunting, but even if I only hit half that goal, I’ll still be farther along than last year!

Start by investing 20% of your gross income into mutual funds, stocks, bonds, or retirement plans. These options will allow your money to grow over time. Remember to do your research and invest wisely — and if you’re at a loss, reach out to one of the many accredited and highly respected Financial Advisors out there. It’s never too late to start investing, and you can reach your goal with as little as 25$ per week. Be sure to check out this older article on saving for retirement, if you need a place to start!

Crush 20%

Debt can be overwhelming, and while it often does, it DOESN’T have to control our lives. Like many of you, I have crushing student loan debt. #ThanksLawSchool Over the years I have focused on the “set it and forget it” model of repayment, which has been fine, but in 2024, I want to crush down some of that debt to be able to invest more. Besides Growing money is sexy, right?! For me, this looked like trimming my budget and re-prioritizing where I spend my excess money (money that is not for essentials, like rent, food, bills). I was able to set aside an additional chunk of money to put toward my student loans — and that sure feels good.

Start by figuring out where you stand in terms of debt. Set a goal to pay off 20% of your debt in 2024 by finding ways to cut back on unnecessary expenses, increasing income, and finding ways to lower debts or interest rates on student loans and credit cards. Once you have a plan in place, it’s easier to chip away at your debt. Remember: speaking these aspirations into the world helps them manifest faster!

Nourish MY Body

Eating well and staying hydrated is essential for our physical and mental health. Mindfully consuming the food your body needs is a significant step ahead of the game. I was recently listening to a new podcast called The Blonde Files and heard a guest nutritionist on the show say that “it’s OK to eat foods you love, so long as they love you back.” Say wuttt? That was the first time I’d ever heard a nutritionist discuss food in anything other than macros, or calories. It was simply, love and eat the food that loves you back . Obviously, be mindful of how much you’re consuming, but the idea is that when you strictly deprive yourself of something, you crave it more. This year my goal is to drink more water, eat out less, and focuse on the foods that love me just as much as I love them.

This year, aim to be more attentive to your food choices, drink plenty of water and love the food that loves you back! You can even try out meal subscription plans like Home Chef, which I order 2x per month to spice things up, choose your food preferences, and stress less about planning and shopping for groceries.

Walks With Hans

Pets are not just a companion but also a significant source of happiness and provide other physical and mental health benefits. Unfortunately, as strong business women, it can often be difficult to balance building a business with frequent pupper dog interaction. So I added a goal of spending at least 30 minutes outside with Hans every day. Now Hansie hates the rain so on rainy days, we cuddle on the couch or play hide and seek in the house. The point for me is to recognize that I am his best friend and that I need to make time for that, even when I’m tired or stressed. So far, we’re off to a good start.

To connect better with your furry friends this year, aspire tmake a habit of taking them out for long walks; at least one per day. It’s a great opportunity to bond with your pet, and keep yourself from remaining idle for too long.

Niche Down The Business

Being realistic and practical while evaluating business expansion or determining niches to work within, that help to achieve the core goals of the business is very crucial. Take out time and determine what works for you before taking more hands-on jobs than necessary. For me, I decided to take a hard look at my practice and remove the things that were no longer serving me. For 2024, I decided to cut my county defense contracts except for my juvenile contract. I signed up to become a mediator, and enrolled in a Divorce Coach Academy to become certified in Alternative Dispute Resolution for Divorce Coaching. I realized that I needed to focus my practice on areas that served me, because when I am happy and fulfilled, I can better serve my clients.

That doesn’t mean I cut criminal work out completely, but it does mean that I chose to only take criminal matters that resonate with me.

In conclusion, a successful 2024 isn’t just about the extreme changes we make in our lives. Instead it’s about consistently making small and achievable goals that will make a difference in the end. The five goals outlined in this blog will help you work towards a more mindful and consistent year. Invest wisely, pay off debts, nourish your body, spend time with pets, and find your business’s niche.

Let’s make 2024 the year of possibilities!