Whether you want to decide some long-term plans now or NOT, this episode is for you.

You can download the accompanying guide (including more examples than I shared in the episode) here.

In this episode, I walk through how I approach long-term planning and goal setting in a realistic, pressure-free way. I don't believe every woman has to be constantly striving to improve—and that can make traditional New Year's resolutions feel out of step with real life.

So I share:

• Why January might not be the best time to set goals (and what to try instead)

• The three caveats I want you to keep in mind before diving into goal setting

• Why I believe not having goals is totally okay

• How asking "how do I want my life to feel?" can ground your planning in what truly matters

• What it looks like to brainstorm from that place and identify just one goal to focus on

• How to use your calendar (in a Bright Method way!) to bring that goal to life

• How to assess unexpected opportunities as they pop up throughout the year—through the lens of how you want your life to feel

Whether your goal is tangible and action-oriented (like training for a race) or more internal (like drinking less or listening more), I walk through how to make it actionable with your calendar—and, more importantly, how to adjust and not overcommit. Because even if you're not "doing" a big thing, you're still doing a lot. Let's give that credit—and get realistic about what one more thing would actually take.

I also mention:

• Episode 25 of this podcast, "Current reality first – and then add in the aspirational change,"
• Podcast episodes from Goli's Lessons from a Quitter podcast:
  • "Picking Your One Goal" (Apple; Spotify)
  • "Replay: Side Effect of Going After Your Goal" (Apple; Spotify)
• Bonus tool (not mentioned in episode) for long-term planning: this blog article

Links you might enjoy:

• 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm.

• 📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time.

• ✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.