Organizing Your Finances: Practical Financial Strategies for People with ADHD

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Throughout this month we have focused on money management. Today we are focusing on the practical, simple, and effective quick tools for managing finances without being overwhelmed.  If you are just beginning your finance and money management journey or in the middle of it, here are some ADHD – friendly simple tools and tips that will help you meet your financial goals. Choose one strategy to help you move forward with your goals.

Use automation and technology

There are many easy tools to set up for your income, expenses, and budgeting.  Take time to set these up and review them monthly. Using automation and technology frees up your time and sets in motion your plans. One of the most important steps is to pay yourself first with an automated savings account.

  • Automatic Payments: Set up automatic payments for bills to avoid missing due dates.
  • Automatic Savings: Use automated transfers to save regularly without having to remember to do it manually.
  • Budgeting Apps: Apps like Mint, YNAB (You Need a Budget), or PocketGuard can help track spending and stay within budget.
  • Reminder Apps: Use reminder apps or calendar alerts for bill due dates and financial tasks.

Simplify and Streamline

It is easy to be drawn into complicated accounts and single-line budgeting. Keep your system as simple as possible. Know what numbers matter most in your accounting and your taxes. Make your system easy to subdivide into manageable chunks of information. Make your accounting sheets as visual as possible with color coding to track your plans.

  • Consolidate Accounts: Reduce the number of accounts to manage by consolidating them when possible.
  • Minimalist Budgeting: Focus on a few key categories to make budgeting simpler and easier to follow.
  • Consolidated Information: Create a consolidated sheet of all your accounts to access these at any time.

Visual Tools

Money can seem invisible. Make it easy to “see” your monthly and annual income, as well as your savings.

  • Visual Budgets: Use charts, graphs, or color-coded systems to make financial information more engaging and easier to understand.
  • Spending Journals: Keep a visual spending journal to track where money goes and identify patterns.
  • Color-coded spending: Keep a log of what you spend with colors to match your feelings about the funds, such as green for income and red for expense.

 

Seek Support

Finding trusted advisors will help you with your financial goals. Your advisor can coach you through setting up your system, help you be accountable, and help you learn new strategies.

  • Financial Advisor: Work with a financial advisor who understands ADHD and can provide personalized guidance.
  • Accountability Partner: Have a trusted friend or family member help keep you accountable.
  • Support Groups: Others who struggle with finances and keep you accountable to your goals.

Find your path to organizing your finances with a system that works for you and routines that help you manage your resources.

Organizing Your Finances: How to Create and Maintain a Budget with ADHD

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organizing finances how to create and maintain a budget

 

Managing finances is challenging, but if you have ADHD, staying on top of budgeting can feel especially difficult. With the right strategies and tools, you can create and maintain a budget that works for you. Here are some practical tips to help you get started and stay on track.

 

Break down your project

There are many overwhelming parts to setting up a budget. First, you need to know how you are spending your funds now. A project like this can be intimidating, leading to procrastination. Break down your budgeting process into smaller, manageable steps.

  • Day 1: Gather all financial documents.
  • Day 2: List all income sources.
  • Day 3: List all monthly expenses.
  • Day 4: Categorize expenses into needs, wants, and savings.

Taking small steps each day can make the process feel more achievable. If you choose to do all these steps on one day, set aside 4 hours to accomplish this.

Use ADHD-Friendly Tools

There are numerous apps designed to help you manage your finances easily. Apps like Quicken, YNAB (You Need a Budget), and PocketGuard can help you track spending, set goals, and receive reminders. Choose an app with a clean, intuitive interface to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Use reports to synthesize information for you. Set this up on your devices to use every day. Set a time to check in daily to keep this top of mind.

Keep It Simple

Simplicity is key when creating a budget that you can stick to. Choose a straightforward budgeting method that doesn’t overwhelm you with details. One effective approach is the 50/30/20 rule:

  • 50% of your income goes to needs (rent, groceries, utilities).
  • 30% goes to wants (dining out, entertainment).
  • 20% goes to savings and debt repayment.

This method helps you categorize your expenses without getting bogged down in details.

Set Up Automatic Payments

Automate as many payments as possible to reduce the number of tasks you need to remember. Set up automatic payments for bills like rent, utilities, and credit cards. This ensures you won’t miss due dates, helping you avoid late fees and maintain a good credit score. If you have insufficient funds, set up the least expensive recurring payments like gas and electricity, and set a reminder to pay bills twice a month on the same day, such as a Saturday or Sunday.

 

Use Visual Aids

Visual aids can be incredibly helpful for people with ADHD. Here are some options.

  • Charts and graphs: Many budgeting apps provide visual representations of your spending habits.
  • Post-it notes: Write down key financial tasks and stick them where you’ll see them.
  • Calendars: Mark bill due dates and financial goals on a physical or digital calendar.

Seeing your progress visually can be motivating and help keep you on track.

Start a routine 

Schedule regular check-ins to review your budget. Set a daily, weekly, or monthly appointment with yourself to update your expenses and adjust your budget if needed. Consistent reviews help you stay aware of your financial situation and make you accountable to your intentions.

Build a team for support

Share your goals with a friend or family member to be your accountability partner. Sit with a body double while you are checking your accounts. It takes only one other to support you as you work toward your financial goals.

 

Be aware of obstacles

Staying on track with a budget can be the biggest challenge despite strong motivation.  If impulsivity interferes, implement a pause for purchases with a 24-hour rule before you purchase. If you get distracted or disinterested, reward yourself for following through with money management or choose a new location to check your apps. Identify triggers for emotional spending and find alternative coping mechanisms, such as exercise, hobbies, or talking to a friend. Consider setting aside a small, discretionary fund for occasional treats to prevent feeling deprived of fun or spontaneity. Feel less overwhelmed by money by breaking your money management into smaller steps. Being aware of obstacles and using strategies to combat these help you keep on top of your money management.

 

Creating and maintaining a budget with ADHD is entirely possible. By keeping your budget simple, using helpful tools, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and setting regular check-ins, you can take control of your finances. Remember to be kind to yourself and celebrate your successes, no matter how small. With persistence and the right strategies, you can achieve financial stability and peace of mind.

 

 

Organizing Your Finances: Strategies to Combat Overspending and Over-purchasing

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Shop like you mean it! It is easy to succumb to overspending due to Instagram clicks. Impulse spending can become a habit with “56% of consumers saying they are more influenced by social media images and videos when online shopping now than before the pandemic.” If you are concerned about your spending habits, understanding your spending patterns and creating a system for tracking purchases can help. Here are some practical tips to regain control of your budget and create financial stability.

 

Becoming aware of overspending

How do you know that overspending is becoming a problem? Are you having trouble paying your monthly credit card? Have you not been able to save for emergencies or financial goals? Are you feeling uncomfortable with the number of packages arriving at your home?  Is your home filled to the brim with no space to organize? These are all ways to become more aware of your overspending and overpurchasing. Financial apps make it easy to track your spending and share data on where you are spending too much.

 

 

Understanding Your Spending Patterns

The first step in addressing overspending is to understand your spending patterns. Download your expenses into a spreadsheet from your debit card, credit card, and bank statement. Review your expenses over the past few months by categorizing your spending into essential and non-essential categories.  This data is most valuable in learning what you have been purchasing. This will help you identify areas where you may be overspending unnecessarily.

 

Setting Spending Limits

Now that you are aware of your purchases, it could be time to set limits on your spending in specific areas. Consider setting spending limits for certain categories of expenses such as clothes, personal care, or beauty. One way to set spending limits is to set a specific amount to spend on a category over a time frame. You can carry a limited amount of cash for these purchases or track your expenses with apps such as Every Dollar and Spendee.

 

Avoiding Impulse Purchases

Impulse purchases are a common culprit of overspending. Before making a purchase, implement a waiting period. That waiting period could be a pause before purchasing such as a rule to wait 24 hours or even a week before making a non-essential purchase. This delay can help determine if the purchase is truly necessary or just an impulse.

 

Keeping out of the cookie jar

It is easier to follow a diet without cookies at home. Remove social media that prompts you to impulse purchase online. When it is more difficult to purchase, it creates a pause to think more about that purchase.

 

Making a game of saving

If you find yourself consistently overspending in certain areas, explore alternative ways to save money. This could include only shopping sales, using coupons, and buying generic brands. Small changes in your spending habits and rules about purchases can add up to significant savings over time.

 

Tracking your finances and combating overspending requires discipline and diligence, but the rewards are well worth it.  Like any change, it takes time to gain momentum. By understanding your spending patterns and implementing rules for purchases, you can regain control of your finances and work towards a more secure financial future. Remember, it’s always important to manage your resources more effectively.

 

Organizing Your Money and Finances: Money Management

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The times we live in are rough financially.  One of our biggest worries is money.  We are more aware of the personal power of using our resources wisely. Those resources start with your finances and your time. Financial organizing is as important as organizing your home.  It starts with setting intentions, establishing priorities, and creating goals for your funds. You want to know where you spend money and how much you spend.  All of this happens with money management and financial organizing. Try one of these five tips to get started organizing your finances.

 

Creating a money mindset

Perhaps as an adult with ADHD, disconnected utilities, insufficient funds, late payments, and unpaid bills even with enough money in the bank may be constant struggles for you. Fear and overwhelm might create a roadblock in working on or organizing your finances. Getting organized is the first step to realizing your financial goals. These goals can be attained by a working knowledge of your finances. You can set short and long-term goals by writing these down and analyzing how to achieve these.  Set aside time each week to be aware and learn about your finances. Be specific about your goals and use these as your “why” to get organized. Share your responsibilities with a partner to work as a team.  A money mindset gives you a sense of accomplishment and command over your fears.

 

The Power of One

Keep a list of all your accounts. That includes bank accounts, credit cards, lines of credit, and credit unions. Many of us are unaware of just how many places have our money. From this list you can pare down to single accounts to work with and use.

As in all organizing, you want to be able to find what you have! Having just one checking account is the way to know how and where you are spending it! Having one credit card not only simplifies paying the bill during the month, it also makes you most aware of where your money is going. If you are a small business owner, you should also have one credit card and one checking account for your company. Simplifying our connection to money can make all the difference. There is a lot less paper coming in as a result too!

 

Capture the details


Writing down how and where you spend money is an enlightening experience! Just like those food logs that scare us into a lifestyle change, we can do the same for money. Keep a log of EACH item you purchase in a month. Not only will you realistically know what things cost to create a realistic budget, you will also know just how many times you are using money for “wants” rather than “needs”.

 

Ledgers can make a difference for us in keeping track of and being accountable for our funds. Use your check register all the time to record checks and debit card transactions as these occur. For bill paying, keep a ledger to record your payments to utilities, credit cards, and other monthly expenses. This way you see what each bill is each month, compare the expenses of the bill each month, and be sure you paid it each month. Seeing it on paper makes money not only a currency traded but also an effective way to track your financial goals. You can also use Quicken and budgeting apps to record the payments to see annually what your expenses are and to help balance your checking account each month.

 

Apps like Quicken, You Need A Budget (YNAB), and Simplifi help you automate the process of gathering information. Track your spending by assigning categories and tags to transactions, and then generate reports to show where your money is going. This can help you identify areas where you might be overspending, and prioritize your spending to cut back on unnecessary expenses. It can also help you stay on track with your budget and financial goals. Set up the system and then set a monthly time to review the reports. 

 

Automate your money management to accomplish your goals


Good routines reinforce your plan. You hear it all the time: “Pay yourself first!” Set up an automatic payment from you to your savings account. It is the most painless way to get ahead on your savings. Having trouble paying your bills on time? Set up automated payments to get this done timely. You can use auto debit from your bank account or a credit card. You will still need to keep up to date on what is being paid and to whom, but the process can make a difference in getting the job done. Finish bill paying by filing all receipts into an easy access file or notebook. Automation can give you visual tools to help you see your finances.  Charts for bill paying, categorized payments, debt tracking and financial goals help you see where your money is going and where you can change your behaviors.

 

Routines reinforce your priorities

Even with automation, you need solid routines to be sure you stay on track. A monthly money meeting with yourself and your partner insures your bills are being paid and you further strategize on how you are spending money. Set this date and make it fun by meeting at a coffee house, having a special treat, and keeping the meeting short.  At that meeting review your bills and see what goals you are accomplishing. Set goals for the next quarter and the year. These meetings give you knowledge and opportunity to drive your success.

 

Get started where you have the most questions about your money. Wondering where you spend your money all month? You can start with an expense tracker app like Mint.com to automate and then review your spending. Want to be able to pay your bills on time online? Set up your bank account app for automatic bill pay. Looking ahead to save more? Automate your savings plan.  If you are struggling in this area, meet with a money manager or certified financial planner to help as your guide. Once you start, you will feel comfortable spending more time on your finances.

How to End the School Year Strong

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The end of the school year is a whirlwind of activities, fun, and stuff. With more activities going on, more fun being had, and more stuff coming in from school, we feel overwhelmed with organizing.  It takes a new mindset for transition and new strategies to reset your space. Check out these three tips to end the school year strong.

Create a mindset focusing on transition and reset

The month of May is just like the month of December with so much to do. Summer activity has already started with the swim team, holidays, and kids at home. Have a mindset of resetting between the busy school year and the upcoming summer fun. Set aside 2 or 3 days to transition between school ending and summer officially starting. That is when you have several days to reset with relaxation. Return to your regular bedtime and regain your momentum. Your energy will return after a few days to have the brain power to reset your home.

 

Wrap up end of the school year or spring projects

The last 10% of any project is the hardest part. That includes wrapping up the school year or spring projects you have started. Returning items to Amazon or other retailers, pulling together or discarding remnants of a project, or reviewing paperwork might be the last 10% of the project. During this time focus on straightening up the space and letting go of extra stuff that has accumulated through the spring.

 

Take time for gratitude and reflection

In busy times we often forget that time spent in gratitude and reflection yields big learning moments. During the last week of school, set aside time to write a note to those who have been a part of the school year and share what has been most valuable. Others are grateful for your sharing what meant the most to you. In a week or so after school ends, sit together during a family dinner and talk about the year.

  • What hard things did you do or learn?
  • What motivated you the most?
  • What was the best thing that happened?

These times of reflection will build positivity, resilience, and strength for you and your family.

Create an end-of-spring ritual for yourself

If you are beyond school years, it is also a time to reflect on goals. Too often time and seasons pass quickly. A quarterly time for reflection uplifts you and resets where you are in accomplishing your personal and professional goals.

How to Keep Organized With No Time at Home

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During the month of May, it is not surprising how little time we spend at home. We are attending end-of-year activities, recitals, and more. It is now marked “Maycember” because of all the extra activities. I have noticed that having no time at home causes chaos with families. Laundry, meal prep, and organizing falters.  Check out these strategies to help you stay organized despite your lack of time.

 

Make a list of 15-minute tasks

Micro-steps are the winning strategy during busy times. Perhaps you think that list will be too long to accomplish. However, in reality, those are the most valuable tasks that are being accomplished. If there is a longer task, break it into more manageable tasks. If you are hosting a party, attending a graduation, or any other additional activity, use all your 15-minute time blocks to focus on your priority.

Outsource meal prep

Busy times call for resourcefulness. Outsource meal prep by ordering prepared meals and snacks. Local foodies share resources on social media, grocery stores have prepared meals at the front of the store, and local family restaurants offer family meals to go. Write down your plan so you know what you have available. Post a list on the refrigerator and freezer for your family to know what is ready. Make a routine of ordering on Sunday to be ready for the week ahead.

Focus on using what you have

Clutter builds up big time at this time of year. Extra Amazon and retail orders “just in case” come in quickly and pile up. It feels easier to order than to find your stuff in your home. Focus on ordering less and using what you have to accomplish the same end. Extra ordering at this time of year results in more expenses too.

Build a support team

Having a support team at this time of year makes life better. That support team starts with a cleaning team. It is a joy to have someone else take responsibility for dusting, vacuuming, and more when you are not available. Find local resources through referrals. Other support includes a lawn person, window cleaner, and power washing person.

Focus and reward routines

Use the little time at home you have wisely with routines. That might be an evening and Sunday reset time when all items get returned to homes. You will be more organized overall with less out on the counter. Establish a weekly administrative time to pay bills and go through the mail. Nothing lapses in payments or completed paper work if you have a time set to do this work. You might need an incentive for your routines. That incentive would be a reward that speaks to you, such as reading, crafts, or treats. Building that routine starts with visual reminders such as a chart or auditory reminders like an alarm.

 

Enjoy the moment

Family times, graduations, recitals, and other May events come around once a year. Give yourself permission to enjoy this time with others. Let go of your perfectionism around organizing and productivity and enjoy the moment. Busy times like these are what make memories for you and your family.

How to Manage Any Overwhelming, Large Project

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Undertaking a large project can be overwhelming and intimidating. That large project could be a wedding, volunteering with an association, starting a business, or completing a major work assignment.  The size and complexity of the task can paralyze your thinking and prevent you from getting started. Here are some effective strategies to help you manage any overwhelming, large project.

 

Start with a Clear Plan

The first step in managing any large project is to create a clear and detailed plan with deadlines. Break the project down into smaller, more manageable tasks, and create a timeline for completing each one. Make your timeline visual to help you see the steps along the way to manage anxiety and perfectionism. Work backward from the original deadline to ensure completion ahead of time. This will help you stay organized and focused as you work towards your goal. Use project management tools like Trello, Asana, or a Gantt chart to help you keep track of tasks and deadlines.

Assess obstacles

No project goes along without a glitch. Assessing these challenges early in the project will help you be aware of situations that will arise. Be prepared for needing additional resources to complete the project. The obstacles also include competing projects, changing timelines, and unclear outcomes.

Prioritize Tasks

Not all tasks are equal in the amount of time required, the resources needed, or the placement in the timeline. Prioritize your tasks based on their importance and deadlines. Focus on completing high-priority tasks first, and then move on to less critical ones. This will help you make steady progress and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Early on in a project you have the most energy, enthusiasm, and resources to use. Be sure you are front-loading the most important tasks so make significant progress early in the project.

 

Break it Down

Breaking the project down into smaller, more manageable tasks is crucial. This makes the project seem less overwhelming and allows you to focus on one task at a time. Divide the project into smaller milestones, and celebrate your achievements as you reach each one. This will help keep you motivated and on track. Use your tracking tool

 

Use Time Management Techniques

Effective time management is essential when managing a large project. Distraction and complexity come into play in any project. Use techniques like the Pomodoro Technique and time blocking to help you stay focused and productive. Set aside specific blocks of time to work on your project, and eliminate distractions during these times. Regularly monitor your progress. You can identify issues with time management by assessing how long parts of the project are taking and re-evaluating your original plan. You can adjust and adapt accordingly when monitoring regularly.

 

Collaborate and Delegate Responsibilities

You may have been assigned this project solely, but don’t go it alone. Bring in team members as needed to learn new skills, build energy, and move forward. Delegate tasks to team members or enlist the help of friends and family members if possible. Working as a team not only lightens your workload but also allows you to benefit from the skills and expertise of others. Routinely over-communicate, review resources, and bring together any loose pieces as you work together on the project.

 

Celebrate Successes

Celebrate the milestones along the way. Each step is an important step so acknowledge this. Treat yourself to a moment of gratulations, a small reward, or a celebration with your team to mark each step as well as the completion of the project. Assess what went well, and what could be improved on to learn best about project management.

 

 

Navigating Project Overload: Finding Your Capacity (Especially with ADHD)

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It is common to find ourselves juggling multiple projects simultaneously all the time. Whether at work, school or in our personal lives, the demands of life usually require us to wear many hats at once. Finding the right capacity and balance between productivity and overwhelm can be a challenge, especially for individuals with ADHD. We typically have too many projects to do well and without stress. Here are some strategies for managing project overload, determining your capacity, and tracking tasks effectively.

Understanding Your Capacity

Capacity refers to the maximum amount of projects or tasks you can effectively manage without becoming overwhelmed or experiencing a decline in performance. It’s crucial to recognize that this threshold varies from person to person and can even fluctuate based on factors such as stress levels, life transitions, emotional regulation, and sleep quality.  Your capacity depends on your self-awareness of how much you can handle. It also depends on the level of performance you expect of yourself and the amount of time required to meet your project goals.  Often the only signs you have of reaching capacity are feelings of anxiety and stress. For people with ADHD, there can be some magical thinking being limitless. Enthusiasm for possibilities is exciting. Big projects such as creating a beautiful home environment and DIY solutions to house projects can lead to too many incomplete projects and stress. Knowing your capacity plays a part in this.

 

Strategies for Managing Project Overload

You might have already realized that you are over your capacity. The signals of stress are there. If so, there are strategies to use to move forward.

  • Start by prioritizing your tasks and your goals. Not all projects are equally important, even if that seems to be the case due to emotional regulation. Identify the tasks that are most urgent or important and focus your energy on those first. You can use Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle or the ABCDE method can help you prioritize effectively. Use your intuition as well as data to determine priorities.
  • A little planning goes a long way. Make your plan using a visual guide. Use a calendar or Gantt chart to help you organize the projects into sequence. These visual aids help you allocate your entire self to one project at a time. This applies at work and at home.
  • Establish micro-steps to chunk larger projects into manageable sections. With each step accomplished, you feel the sense of accomplishment of moving forward. You can use Asana or Trello to help you manage these microsteps.
  • Set aside time each day or week to review your tasks, priorities, and progress. This allows you to make adjustments as needed and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
  • Once a project is complete, review your capacity. Pause before adding more projects to complete the existing projects. Review what was successful and why and create a system for the capacity you have set.
  • Delegate and collaborate with those on your team at home and work. Ask for help or delegate tasks when necessary. Whether it’s a trusted colleague, friend, or family member, having a support system can make managing project overload feel less daunting.
  • Decide if you not going to complete the project. Can you let go of the parts that have become clutter from the abandoned project? I encourage you to give this some strong thought to do so.
  • Remember that the key to all energy and productivity is your self-care. The foundation of a good night’s rest, hydration, exercise and nutrition make all the difference when you are feeling overwhelmed and overloaded.

 

Navigating project overload can be challenging in self-awareness and self-concept. Remember that finding the right balance takes time and experimentation, so be patient with yourself and celebrate small victories along the way. With dedication and knowledge, you can conquer project overload and thrive in both your personal and professional endeavors.

Managing the Constant of Change

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managing constant change

 

Change is a constant in life. Acknowledging this does not make it any easier. Navigating transitions can sometimes feel like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded. From medical challenges to switching jobs to moving homes or adjusting to a new routine, change can bring a whirlwind of emotions and challenges. With preparation, self-awareness, and the right strategies in place, you can emerge stronger and create new perspectives and ongoing systems.

Acknowledge your feelings

Recognizing and validating your feelings is the first step during times of change. It is normal to feel anxious, uncertain, or overwhelmed when faced with not-so-good news. Brene Brown would say to name those feelings.  You can acknowledge these and accept your emotions without judging yourself. Take a moment to regroup, rethink the change after a good night’s rest, and then think about what that change means. You might even welcome this change once you have taken time to reflect.

 

Create a plan

When faced with change, creating a plan of action can provide a sense of structure and direction. Break down the transition into smaller, manageable steps, set your priorities, and outline your goals. Create a roadmap to follow to help alleviate feelings of overwhelm and provide clarity. Your plan can include a timeline so that you can manage each step with the capacity you have.

 

Build a team

Do not go it alone when it comes to change. Reach out to friends, family members, a support group, a therapist, or a coach for guidance and encouragement. Processing this change, gathering data for insight, and learning from others’ experiences make change more manageable. Your team, who understand and support you, can provide valuable insights and reassurance during challenging times.

 

Utilize tools

The best plans are supported by structure and trusted tools. Effectively using your calendar, planner, notebook, digital notebook, checklists, and other visual tools helps you manage change and especially helps by removing the cognitive load. Relying on your memory is not the best way to handle change. It will be easier with this support to remember your priorities and goals.

 

Stay flexible

If Plan A does not work, there are 25 other letters in the alphabet. While having a plan is essential, it’s also crucial to remain flexible and adaptable. Change happens in multiple steps and can be unpredictable. Embrace the unexpected with humor and perspective, and be open to adjusting your approach as needed.

 

Practice self-care

During times of change, self-care becomes even more important. Prioritize what recharges your batteries and promotes well-being. Keep your self-care a high priority, including daily exercise, your mindfulness practice, getting to bed on time, taking supplements, or spending time with loved ones.  Self-care builds resilience, a much-needed quality during change.

 

Celebrate each micro-step

Celebrate small victories during the process. Each step forward builds your confidence, strength, and resilience. Share these successes with your team who can honestly share joy and success with you.

 

 

Managing change is difficult, however, it is also an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. By creating a plan and choosing strategies to support you, you can navigate change with less stress. It is not ever going to be easy, but you know you can do this!

Are you ready to make a (small or big) change?

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are you ready to make a change?

 

Recognizing the signs signaling the need for change in our lives is often the easy part.  It is the decision to move forward that requires commitment. Whether it’s a change in diet, healthier habits, changing a relationship, or organizing your space, taking the next steps for change requires commitment and tenacity. Others are quick to offer multiple ideas and lots of advice on how to make a change. We often feel like “it only was that easy.” What does it mean when you are ready for change?  How do you know you are ready for change?

How do you know you are NOT ready for change?

Recognizing when you’re not ready for change is just as important as acknowledging when you are. Here are some signs that may indicate you’re not quite ready.

  • You are not ready to change when others are coercing you.  You are being pushed in a direction to make change.  You’re using the word “should” or “ought to” to describe the change.
  • You have a sense of fear or dread about the change you are thinking of making. There may be underlying issues that need resolution first.
  • You know in your mind that change is good, but you are procrastinating on getting started.  The procrastination is lengthy.
  • You don’t have a great reason why to change. Your lack of “why” keeps you from having the determination you need.
  • You may be unclear about the steps to make that change. With a lack of clarity, you are unsure of
  • You are already at full capacity with your work, home, and life. There is no bandwidth, time or energy to do the work needed.

It is important to listen to these signs for readiness.

You are ready for change when…

Readiness for change is a deeply personal process that involves reflection and self-awareness. Trusting your instincts, listening to your inner voice, and recognizing the signs that indicate readiness can help you navigate change with confidence and clarity.

  • You feel that you are stuck in a rut. You feel dissatisfied with something in your life, your work or your relationships.
  • There is a strong desire for personal or professional growth and you feel motivated to learn new skills, take on new challenges, or pursue opportunities for self-improvement.
  • You have deeper self-awareness and understanding of yourself. You are ready to take steps to make change happen because you have identified areas of your life that do not align with your goals.
  • More than just acknowledging that life is not going smoothly, you are sick and tired of being sick and tired.  You remember the definition of insanity, “doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome,”  and know what that means.  Despite how difficult it might be, you are ready to do something different.
  • There are feelings of excitement, anticipation, and enthusiasm for the prospect of change and new opportunities. These positive emotions are a driving force for motivation.
  • You are researching how to get help to make the change and hone in on who can help.  It may take time to know who is the best to help and you are ready to talk to that person, start that program, or attend a group meeting.
  • You are energized to create something or be something new. You have time, energy and focus to break out of what’s holding you back and start on a new path.
  • You have a compelling reason to create a new habit.

 

How do I know when I am ready for change?

I wanted to share how I know I am ready to make a change myself.  I think about a compelling reason for the change that is deeply related to a core value.  Some of my biggest changes have come from what I think are outstanding reasons to make a change.  From there I break that into a baby step of baby steps. Those are baby steps that I can do each day. I am ready for change because I find a small way to get started on a big thing.

 

 

when you have the why you can create the how

 

The path to change is not easy. It can be moved forward with inspiration and tenacity.  I am here to help you in person or virtually to accomplish the changes you want to make.