YOU CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT REVIEWING WHERE YOU’VE BEEN…

BEFORE ANY TEST, A GOOD TEACHER WILL PROVIDE A REVIEW…

EVERY YEAR BRINGS NEW POSSIBILITIES, BUT WITH THOSE POSSIBILITIES WILL COME TESTS, TRIALS, A TESTING OF YOUR FAITH, A TESTING OF YOUR WILL, YOUR DESIRE.

HOW WILL YOU MEASURE UP?  HOW DID YOU MEASURE UP LAST YEAR?

Do you know that most obstacles we encounter are the same? Most people never make it to another level so they end up fighting the same devil! You do not ascend, graduate, move forward until you master the enemy that has been beating you! Without reviewing the footage of your encounters with the enemy, you will keep reacting the same.  Evaluating the past is the only way to view the problem and change your course of action.

Growth occurs in areas and stages not just ages.  You may grow in one area and be stagnant in another.  This overview helps one to discover strengths, admit weaknesses and set real personal goals that are attainable, personable and profitable!  Believe it or not too many people set goals based on the ideas, perceptions, preferences, priorities and importance to others!  Don’t impress anyone! Work to improve you and the rest will follow!

IF YOU WERE A COMPANY, you would review your revenues and expenses per quarter, per year and see how well you did in some months versus other months. In that same manner, this template will help you gauge where you are as an individual in all areas of your life.  These 6 groups represent all of our human needs.  You’ll also be surprised as to how one area affects another, especially financially! Lack of confidence, social pressure and emotional imbalance greatly affects financial and mental well-being.  How one feels emotionally is directly connected to his or her socialization with others, financial choices, and of course, physically as it relates to one’s health.  Financial stress often leads to overeating and other physical (health) problems.  It’s a cycle or it can become a cycle.  However, if you review where you fell off, what happened and then determine if you ever rebound from the fall; it can better assist you going forward.

The goal is to write down the goals you set for yourself personally.  Then evaluate and see how well you did on those goals in diverse areas.  This is a personal assessment and can be such a blessing to you on your journey for 2019!

• Socially – How is your interaction with others? Do you feel overwhelmed socially? What pressure did you place on yourself to be there for others? Do you know the difference between being there for others and becoming a crutch?  Who are your friends vs. associates? Expectations from others?  Did you make or establish new relationships?  Why or why not? Did you eliminate people from your group?  Did you eliminate people from your inner circle?  It’s okay to place distance, between you and people who hurt you consistently, in fact that’s healthy, however; you do not allow them to change or alter the person you are within.  The storms outside can never harm us until we allow them to come in!  That means don’t hold grudges, they are worthless and only harm you! Keeping people at arm’s length isn’t a grudge that’s exercising wisdom.  If you want justice or feel the need to be vindicated, turn them over to God and you let it go!  Vengeance is HIS and HE ALWAYS REPAYS!  I’m speaking from experience! I got myself involved in a modern day cult/church.  I lost time from family, extended family, friends and even loss myself.  It was my own doing, choices from bad information however, the truth is I allowed myself to be manipulated (people cannot do anything unless you allow them), however, when I cried out to God, gave it over to HIM, I stood and watched the justice be served. The funny thing is, I saw it but I didn’t rejoice.  I had no emotion because I had given it to HIM and was focused on me! Grudges kill you socially and when one is isolated from people you are cutting yourself off from EVERYTHING!  We were created to need one another, we just have to make better choices about where and who we bring into our midst.  There are 3 REALMS:

1. INNER COURT – You, Your Spouse, THE HOLY SPIRIT
2. OUTER OURT – Children (you don’t take vows with your children and eventually, they grow up and live their own life!), family etc… These people are close and you trust them. You choose them.
3. WITNESSES/ACQUAINTANCES/FRIENDS – Shallow relationships. Necessary, yes they serve purpose, but you don’t put too much value or stock into them.  Surface and they become closer if trust is earned. Co-workers, College Friends, etc…

• Mentally – There is a lot going on EVERYWHERE WITH EVERYONE, how are you handling it? How do you feel daily or most often?  Do you feel overwhelmed? Depression is real, what do you do for your mental health?  Did anything happen this year that helped or hurt you more than usual?
• Spiritually – How do you feel about God? Do you believe? What don’t you believe?  Do you feel you’re being punished?  Do you feel let down?  What happened this year that significantly increased or decreased your beliefs?  It’s okay to say you’re disappointed and it’s better to ask questions.  How many questions have you asked others that should be directed to HIM and HIM ALONE?!  How do you know you hear HIM versus hearing yourself?  Have you found your purpose? Where does your Spiritual Journey take you this year?  Do you like where you were? Do you feel you need to do more?  To whom are you listening?
• Emotionally – How healthy are you emotionally? Do you carry too much? Have you shed pounds this year or gained them?  Do you know what to carry and how?  Think of the weight carry, what you can lay aside?  A well-balanced emotional person is healthy and can make decisions in all areas better.
• Financially – hmmmm! This is my favorite!  How much did you spend eating out? (not an estimate but an actual number) What’s the percentage of that expenditure as it relates to the amount you’ve bought in financially?  Have you set a budget for next year? If not, why not?  Accountants know that bad numbers last year do not zero out at midnight, they are carried over! Bad financial habits do not just change magically.  You have to be conscious about money management to break bad habits and enhance new ones.
• Physically – So how much did you lose or gain? Why? What are your eating habits?  Are you eating your way through problems?  Is food a comfort?  Where’s your balance?  How can 2019 be different?

The brief descriptions in each of these categories, is meant to give you an idea of things to write for the past and things to address in your future!  This is a personal assessment, a method for evaluating where you’ve been sincerely.  Most people really only evaluate how they feel on New Year’s Eve, they don’t take into account all they have done, what they have gone through, how they have gone through so real goals aren’t ever made.

Read, think, plan, strategize and I hope that in 2019, you make strides to become and accomplish real goals!

Now Elite is extending their services to provide individual beginning financial planning in 2019.  This is a self-help course so don’t sign up if you aren’t serious about it.  Serious inquiries should email: Elitebookkeepingservices@ymail.com.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!