Monday Motivation | How To Get Your Goals Back On Track

Published on May 1, 2017February 19, 2018 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

Hello, Lovelies. Today I wanted to encourage you all to reflect upon the money, career, and lifestyle goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. It is easy to be motivated at the beginning of every year because many of us view that time as a master reset. With December being a time of reflection we take the time to think about all of the things we could do better. We then set up goals for the new year. By January we are ready to make a plan and act on those goals and by May…. well, let’s just say sometimes things fall off a bit. If you have fallen behind or off track for your goals, don’t worry. You might just need a moment to stop and refuel. The moment you are ready to quit is usually the moment before a miracle. Don’t give up.

Are Your Goals Still Relevant?

A lot can happen in four months, so it good to go back to your goal’s list to see which ones are still relevant, which ones need be adjusted, which ones need more of you to make them work, or which can be removed altogether. Leaving irrelevant goals on your list takes up unnecessary space in your mind and takes the focus away from things that really matter.

Stop & Refuel

The truth about accomplishing a goal is that the journey is not always fun nor easy. We are so quick to give up on things just because they get hard. If being the boss was easy then everyone would be the boss. If being fit was easy then everyone would probably be walking around showing off their 6-pack (certainly I wouldn’t be the only one rocking a crop top on the weekends). If having no debt was easy, then people would probably be less flashy and invest in things, people, and experiences that really matter. The thing is, instead of fixating on the journey, find your energy in picturing the end result of the work. How would your life change if you accomplished the money, career, and lifestyle goals you set for yourself? Would you be happier? Would you live a richer life? Is it a life that your 20-year-old self would be proud of? Figure out what is keeping you from taking these steps. The only way to walk is mile is one step at a time. The same is true for you and your goals. Now think about this, what happens if you keep doing things exactly like you have been doing them? Are you happy with the state of your finances? Is your career where you want it to be? Are you currently living the life you deserve? If so, keep pushing girlfriend. If not, take the rest of the day to stop and refuel so you can crush your goals in the second quarter of the year. Stay Fab!

Jumpstart Your Week With Action!

Published on February 20, 2017 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

I know Monday’s can come with a bit of eek to them. It represents the end of the leisurely weekend where brunch rules supreme and making time for the things you want to do becomes a priority (#WeekendGoals). Now it is back to reality and time to prioritize all the things that need to happen to help you be successful throughout the week. I want you to think about this quote. “You are always one decision away from a totally different life”. The decisions you make, good or bad, big or small, can have a major impact on the direction your life takes. I once made the small decision to go see my little sister dance in a recital and I met my husband. I have a friend who was unhappy with her job but loved her career. She made the decision to apply to three jobs in three weeks and she now has a signed offer at another company with better benefits and a better salary. Since following through on a decision requires action you need to think about what actions you make today that will align with your money, career, or lifestyle goals for tomorrow.

{2016 Money Recap} She Makes Cents Money Challenge Success!!

Published on December 30, 2016May 23, 2017 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Hello #SMCmoneytribe! It’s the last Friday of the year and I am so happy to hear from you all who are completing the She Makes Cents 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge today and tomorrow. I officially finished mine today! In the past three years I have attempted to complete this challenge, I would accomplish a short term goal and just stop. This year, however, I have made it all the way to the end thanks to my accountability partners in the #SMCmoneytribe, as well as, my will to stay focus on my goals of zero credit card debt (mission accomplished) and snowballing my student loans (current goal in progress). 2016-52-week-money-challenge

She Makes Cents Money Challenge vs. the 52 Week Money Challenge

The She Makes Cents Money Challenge is a variation of the traditional 52 Week Money Challenge. In the traditional version, participants save a specific dollar amount based on the corresponding week. For example on week one you save $1.00 and on week 52 you save $52.00. Doing it this way would have you shelling out the bigger bucks in the weeks leading up to the holidays. No Bueno. Also, doing the traditional version only leaves you with $1378.00, which is not bad for money that you would normally spend unintentionally, but it could be better. With the She Makes Cents BINGO Money Challenge, you have the same time period, 52 weeks, but you empowered to decide how much you save on a weekly basis. You control your own money and have the ability to cross of boxes that correspond to your current financial situation at any given time, which is how is should always be. Plus with the bonus boxes you can save $1900.00+.

The Breakdown of Money

This past year, I found myself keeping track of the weekly and monthly savings and comparing the amounts during my frequent progress reports. I saved the most money in the month of January with $286.00 and the least amount of money during the month of September with $76.00. Below is my breakdown of the monthly savings that reflect my grand total savings for 2016… an even $1900.00!!!! 2016-money-challenge-yearly-report

Join the #SMCmoneytribe

Thank you to everyone who did this challenge this past year. It was so much fun. We all cultivated the habit of saving and you might have made a new friend in the process like I did, hi Alysa! Want to join the #SMCmoneytribe to get access to a tribe of goal minded accountability partners who are invested in your success and your FREE money guide? Click here, fill in your info, and we will do the rest. Mark your calender’s for the next round of the challenge starting January 7th!

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

{Life Skills} How To Comeback From A Setback

Published on July 20, 2016April 25, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

I came across this quote the other day and I thought it was too good not to share. I talk and write about goals all the time, but I rarely write about how to stay on track after a setback. In the simplest of definitions, a setback occurs when there is a reversal in progress. Last year, I had a slight financial setback when I put a few thousand dollars on my previously paid off credit card. I consider this a setback because it literally set me back and an entire year of my money snowball and the added interest I will be paying to make up that year is definitely a reversal of progress. This year, my setback was not being exactly where I wanted to be career wise. This is something that has stressed me out a great deal until I realized this is my arrow year. They say an arrow can be shot only by pulling it backward so when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it’s going to launch you into something great. I hope this post launches you back onto your chosen path to greatness.

4 Steps to Come Back from A Set Back

Question Your Goals. Are the goals you set for yourself still relevant? What was important to you six months ago, may not even be on your radar anymore. That being said, it is okay to abandon goals that you have outgrown for more relevant endeavors. Take a step back and examine your career, relationships, and finances and decide what’s worth resetting and what can be let go.
Setbacks Are Meant for Learning. Okay, so your proverbial “tire” got a flat. What was your lesson? Was it to slow down? Focus more on the road ahead? Lean into the curves that life throws you? The only waste of a setback is not learning the lesson. A lesson missed is a mistake waiting to be repeated.
Break Down Your Goals Into Smaller Manageable Goals. Sometimes people have a reversal in progress when they get overwhelmed by the task at hand. It’s like eating pizza. You shouldn’t be able to eat the entire pie at one time, you have to eat it slice by slice. Weird example, I know… but you get the point. Here’s something a little more personal. I have a goal to be debt free (not including our mortgages) in the next five years. If I looked at the $27,000 in credit card and student loan debt in its entirety, I might have easily gotten overwhelmed with my goal. I had to break it down into smaller manageable goals. First I separated the debts- $5,000.00 for credit cards and $22,000.00 for the remainder of my student loans. I then set separate goals dates to be done with the debt. For example, my goal was to pay off my credit card debt by August 1, 2016, and I am happy to report that I accomplished that goal ahead of time. I did that by setting weekly goals with the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge and bi-weekly goals of making a minimum $150.00 payment every two weeks regardless of the minimum payment. With the credit cards out of the way, I am now able to snowball that money to tackle part two of my student loans and knock out that remaining debt in four years or less.
Set a Goal Date & Get Her Done. In this post, “{Got Goals} How To Make and Achieve Your Goals” I break down the tools needed to complete this step. Check out the post and you will see what I’m talking about. Don’t forget when breaking down your goals into smaller manageable goals to assign milestone markers for you to stop and reflect on your progress. When I got my credit card under the $1,000.00 mark, I stopped and patted myself on the back because I could see my achievements in the near future.