Take Inventory

  Ok, so I want to talk to you about something that might seem kind of basic, but it's a crucial component to moving forward no matter what goal you have in mind.  You need to take an inventory.  You have to have an idea of where you're starting from to get a good picture of where you want to go.  And when I say, "take inventory,"  I mean everything.

You Finances:
  Start to get an idea of where you sit financially.  Get a record of everything you have (or don't have) so you know what you're working with or working towards.  After all, if you want to pay off your debt but have no idea how much you owe or to whom, you will be shooting at an obscure target.  It's time to get definite figures down on paper or computer, whichever you prefer.  Then, keep your numbers updated.  Track and update your figures monthly, and compare your standing to last month.  How much did your savings grow?  Are you on track to hit your target at this end of this year?  How about in five years?  Ten?  Retirement?  You will never know if you don't take an inventory of where you are.  It may be scary.  Maybe you've been putting it off because you know things look bad.  I encourage you to get honest with yourself.  This will only spur you in the right direction.

Your Health:
  Are there some health goals you know you've been slacking on?  Maybe you know you need to lose a bit of weight for your health, but you have been afraid to step on the scale and find out just how much.  Maybe you need to quit smoking, cut back on sugar, or start exercising.  Get a fitness journal, app, or just a plain old notebook and take stock of where you're at.  Maybe you need to track your eating for a while to see where you are falling short.  Maybe you need to take a look at how many steps you're actually taking in a day so you can set yourself a goal to improve.  If you don't know where you are at, it's hard to get a feel for where you want to go next and how to get there.  You have to have a starting point.

Your Personal Growth:
  In order to grow as a person, you have to truly analyze yourself and see what areas need improvement.  If you aren't good at this maybe seek out an honest friend or coworker who could nudge you in the right direction.  Often times others can see the things in ourselves that we fail to see.  For example, maybe you know you need to brush up your public speaking skills, but you've been putting it off.  Getting some honest feedback from a boss or class mate on what exactly you need to work on could give you some direction.  Maybe you know you need to read more or meditate.  Give yourself a time audit to see where you are spending your time and how you can adjust this to do more of what needs done.

  There are so many more areas of life that we could delve into and talk about gaining a starting point to move forward from, but I suggest you start with these three and start actively making strides forward.  We could all benefit from becoming more organized and getting a better handle on what we have.  Start taking your inventory today, and set yourself a goal to move on to the next level.  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.