Everything starts with a plan. When you decide to get married and you want to throw a great party, you start about a year in advance to make a plan. When you want to start a new business, you make a plan, way before you go to anyone to try and borrow money for it.

So, when you want to go in a new direction in your life, shouldn’t you also start with a plan? The plan has to have elements that excite and propel you forward, a bit of a carrot hanging ahead of you. Without that, the plan will lack the drawing power to get you to work even harder to achieve it. You must be able to see, taste and smell the finish line. Great athletes visualize winning a long time before they reach their goal. They even envision the tough challenges that will occur and how they will overcome them.

I was speaking with a dear friend tonight and she was embracing the thought of a life plan for the different stages a woman goes through. Men do as well,I am sure, but differently and I can only speak as a woman. The children are raised and in their own life stream. Time to decide where I want to go from here.

I have said I am planning a big birthday celebration for a milestone next year. I want to incorporate singing some songs that have meaning to me, and have already begun gathering favorite songs and trying them out in the privacy of my car! I guess next will be the venue and how much I will need to start saving toward that. I am also beginning to let good friends know to save the date so they can come celebrate my life with me.

The food will come later…for some that might come first. It all has to do with our own priorities, and that is the fun of making a plan. It begins to show you what your priorities are, what motivates and drives you and comes easily for you. Also which things take more time and effort but are important as well.

Having people around me with boundless positive energy is my main focus for this year. Finding mentors and people to share deep thoughts with, to spur one another to greater heights within ourselves….that seems to be my main focus. Gathering those people together, as in a wonderful harvest I have been feeding and nurturing and watering for years. It is time to bring in the harvest and have an amazing feast together! Doesn’t that sound like a great plan?