Make 2018 Great!

What are you doing to make 2018 great for you?

Do you have a special project planned for the new year? A goal you are working toward? Maybe you want to learn a new skill, develop a healthy habit, reconnect with friends or family, or check something off of your bucket list.

I have my 2018 projects planned out and will be working on them throughout the year. As well as my professional goals, I will also be reaching a personal milestone — my 25th wedding anniversary is in a week!

Some of my favourite goal-setting and productivity tools:

Your Best Year Yet! by Jinny S. Ditzler

Feel you’re not getting anywhere?
Putting off what matters most because you’re too busy?
Know you have talent and intelligence you’re not using?

Just imagine:

• Having more money
• Feeling and looking better
• Enjoying fulfilling relationships
• Doing more of what matters to you
• Having meaning in your life
• Finding spiritual inspiration

You already have what it takes to achieve the results you’ve always wanted. Here’s the missing piece that helps you put that talent to work in way that’s simple, fun, and practical. Life goes too quickly to waste – start today to make the next 12 months Your Best Year Yet!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey

When it was first published in 1989, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was an almost instant bestseller–and quickly became a permanent part of the cultural lexicon. With over 25 million copies sold worldwide in over 40 languages since its first publication, this book continues to help millions of readers become more effective in both their personal and professional lives.

This is one of the rare books that has influenced presidents, CEOs, educators, and individuals all over the world not only to improve their businesses and careers but to live with integrity, service, dignity, and success in all areas of life. It has had an undeniable impact for the past 25 years–and will no doubt continue to be influential for many more.

Getting Things Done, by David Allen

Since it was first published almost fifteen years ago, David Allen’s Getting Things Done has become one of the most influential business books of its era, and the ultimate book on personal organization. “GTD” is now shorthand for an entire way of approaching professional and personal tasks, and has spawned an entire culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and offshoots.
 
Allen has rewritten the book from start to finish, tweaking his classic text with important perspectives on the new workplace, and adding material that will make the book fresh and relevant for years to come. This new edition of Getting Things Done will be welcomed not only by its hundreds of thousands of existing fans but also by a whole new generation eager to adopt its proven principles.

Planners and diaries:

I use planners and diaries of my own design, but here are some that have inspired me lately. I regularly browse through planner pages to tweak the design of my forms. Kind of like reading cookbooks!

Bullet Journal

Bullet Journal® (or BuJo® for short) was created by Ryder Carroll, a digital product designer living in Brooklyn, NY. Through many years of trial and error, the system has evolved into the ideas presented here. He sees this as an evolving, adaptable practice meant to be self curated as you determine what works best for you. This website, in addition to serving as a thank you to our generous community, is a space where inspiration, organization, and general musings on mindfulness can live and grow with the support of our talented Bullet Journalists.

Productive Flourishing

Tired of trying to fit the square peg that is your life into the round hole that is most conventional planners and organizers? Trust me: it’s not you, it’s them.

As a creative change-maker working on multiple projects with different deadlines – and a whole cast of collaborators, clients, and others experiencing your work – you need more than a conventional planner can offer. You need clarity on your objectives at any given time.

Our planners are designed to create that clarity for you. They’ve been downloaded over 1 million times by people like you who want to work smarter, not harder.

Happy Planner

Filled with creative and inspirational artwork to help make YOU a happy planner!

The Happy Planner® is an expandable, disc-bound planner system that combines your love for creativity with your need for organization.  Plan a happy life.™

Each 18 month planner features:

• Sturdy, laminated covers
• Laminated tabs
• Some dividers treated with FOIL
• 2017-18 year-at-a-glance calendar pages
• Unique monthly and weekly layouts

Life Planner

The one and only LifePlanner™ is the ultimate tool in stylish organization for your busy life! Set your goals for the year, make note of monthly events and organize your weekly schedule just how you want! Customize and personalize your LifePlanner™ for a truly unique planner that’s as unique as you!

And for the Writers:

Publishing Planner

Make 2018 the year you get your publishing business organized!

After searching for a solution for my own business and coming up empty, I decided to create one for myself.

Then my author friends wanted one…

Introducing the 2018 Publishing Planner

And more:

And here are some more books of wisdom and self-improvement you may be interested in:

Seven Degrees of Wisdom, by Joss Burnel and others

If you’ve ever wished you could sit down with a mother or grandmother – yours or someone else’s – and get their advice or input, here’s your chance to do that.

We are seven women – mothers and/or grandmothers – ranging in age from early 20s to early 80s. Between us we have pretty much done and seen it all, burning some bits and gathering pearls along the way. Aging, Having a Voice, Wisdom, Courage, Love, Loss and Risk are the topics you will find within the pages of this book. From poetry to short story and prose, we share our experiences of some of the profound moments of life. Grab a cup of tea, a glass of wine, or mug of coffee. Get comfortable. You just may find the advice you’ve been seeking and even some you didn’t know you needed.

And the sequel: Seven Degrees of Wisdom: Digging Deeper

Self Help Stories, by J. MacGregor

Allegories, parables, metaphors, anecdotes and fables — the way we learn best is to find the nuggets of wisdom, truth and inspiration tucked inside an unforgettable story. The powerful therapeutic tales in this collection will guide, heal, and motivate your journey to self-improvement and personal growth.

Baboons, pumpkins, red kettles, elephants, dandelions, scorpions, sinking ships, rebel planets, and toddlers at the wheel — these fun fables and fascinating tales contain profound lessons to help you lead a healthier, happier and more meaningful life.

More than just a collection of inspirational anecdotes, each short chapter comes with:

• Questions to challenge and stimulate your thinking about the topic;
• A short story with a clear message;
• A simple analysis so that you can understand the relevance for your life;
• A set of practical action steps and tips which you can follow to make constructive changes in the way you think, feel, behave and relate to others;
• A short and sharp takeaway to help you remember the lesson.

The Self-Improvement Journey, by Ryan Dieudonne

If you want to improve your life, improve yourself.

Self improvement expert Ryan dieudonne asserts, “Most people don’t realize that successful and unsuccessful people do not differ substantially in their abilities. They vary in their desire to reach their potential. The way they reach that potential is through commitment to personal growth.”
The Self-Improvement journey provides the essentials leaders need to keep striving for excellence no matter where they are or what they are doing. Some lessons you will learn from Ryan’s years of experience:

• Secret of becoming a lifelong learner
• Where to focus your time for maximum growth
• What sacrifices are worth making to keep getting better
• How to overcome obstacles to self-improvement

Self-Love Experiment, by Shannon Kaiser

Too many people seem to believe that they are not allowed to put themselves first or go after their own dreams out of fear of being selfish or sacrificing others’ needs. The Self-Love Experiment rectifies this problem. Whether you want to achieve weight loss, land your dream job, find your soul mate, or get out of debt, it all comes back to self-love and accepting yourself first. Shannon Kaiser learned the secrets to loving herself, finding purpose, and living a passion-filled life after recovering from eating disorders, drug addictions, corporate burnout, and depression.

Shannon walks you through her own personal experiment, a simple plan that compassionately guides you through the process of removing fear-based thoughts, so you can fall in love with life. If you want to change your outcome in life, you have to change your daily habits and perspective. Shannon takes you on this great journey into self-love and true self-acceptance.

Happiness in This Life, by Pope Francis

For Pope Francis, the appreciation of our everyday lives is a spiritual undertaking. Joy is a divine attribute, and creating joy around us an essential part of faith. Every homily and speech in this book delivers, in warm, engaging language accessible to believers and nonbelievers alike, a key lesson, instructing readers on finding love and happiness in a chaotic world.

Along the way, Pope Francis discusses the sanctity of women’s rights, talks about how the love of sports can bring out our best qualities, and explains why fighting discrimination is the essence of loving thy neighbor. He shares personal stories and anecdotes from his life, provides comforting messages of hope, and discusses the ways flawed families can make you a better person. The core ideas of Francis’s papacy—mercy, support for marginalized people, and diplomacy—shine through.

The Renewal, by Sallyann Gray

The Renewal discusses the restless feelings many adults face today. After acquiring many material possessions, landing a dream job, marrying and having kids, there is an outward appearance of success but little inner fulfillment.

It highlights the steps one can take to renew their mind which will lead to a more fulfilled and purposeful life. It guides and discusses the spiritual principles that will enable you to renew your mind, renew your heart, renew your spirit and RENEW your LIFE.

And for daily inspiration:

Daily Peace 

Insightful, timeless, and elegantly designed, Daily Peace provides a focus on finding inner peace. Each page is an invitation to pause, reflect, and recharge, complemented with inspiring quotations and exquisite National Geographic images. Whether readers are dealing with loss, facing a transition, or searching for day-by-day motivation, Daily Peace is a go-to guide that provides meaning and perspective. Monthly themes—from resilience and healing to hope and comfort to forgiveness and generosity—will inspire you every day of the year.

The One Year Bible

The One Year Bible makes reading through the Bible achievable with daily 15-minute readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. This edition uses the popular New International Version text.

The Book of Mormon 365-Day Reader

This ebook has been split into 365 readings and all that is left for you is to open the book and get started!

Read the Book of Mormon by yourself, with your family, or a study group. Enrich your life with daily reading.

This Workman Family Classic edition contains:
• Background/Introduction
• Reading schedules
• Family reading strategies
• Extension activities

Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul, by Melody Beattie

Journey to the Heart by New York Times bestselling author of Codependent No More, Beyond Codependency, and Lessons of Love, contains 365 insightful daily meditations that inspire readers to unlock their personal creativity and discover their divine purposes in life.

365 Prescriptions for the Soul, by Dr. Bernie s. Siegel

Dr. Bernie Siegel writes with humorous, down-to-earth wisdom that has improved the lives of countless readers. In 365 Prescriptions for the Soul, he treats us to his most user-friendly work of all: daily doses of inspiration and humor that gently and joyfully help us live more peaceful, loving, and fulfilling lives.

Believing in Myself, by Earnie Larsen & Carol Hegarty

This enlightening book from a pioneer in the field of recovery presents a daily meditation for every day of the year, complete with an inspirational quote and a thought-for-the-day.

Believing in Myself is a must read for anyone struggling with self-esteem issues. A solid sense of self-worth is the single most important factor in determining our happiness in life and our success in work and relationships. With it, virtually all things are possible; without it, even victories can feel like defeats. Raising low self-esteem is an essential part of the healing process for those who are recovering from addictions and dependencies—and for anyone who still feels the pain of childhood traumas or other emotional wounds.