Each year I create a bucket list of things I want to experience or complete. I do this after I reflect on the past year and how much I am living in alignment with my values.

I value health, family/friends, community, personal growth and independence.

I have personal goals and professional goals. Each excite me equally.

So each year I make sure my big bucket list item fit with my values so that I know I am spending my time, money, energy and words on what’s important to me.

Before I used to be busy being busy with no real growth. Now I move leaps and bounds each year!

At the beginning of 2015 I set 5 value based items on my bucket list and sent them into the Universe with the belief that somehow they would happen.

I also created a pinterest board to keep me motivated and focused.

It’s now August and I have completed four of my five goals and I have registered for my fifth and final item of 2015!

My items were (in no particular order):

1) See Brene Brown speak live.  She has been a Social Work Idol of mine for years.  I use her work with my patients and most definitely for myself.  We all experience shame.  In April I saw her speak at The Art of Leadership for women in Calgary. Today I purchased her new book Rising Strong.

2) Attend World Domination Summit.  This has been on my “never ending” bucket list since 2012.  In Fall of 2014 I saw Chris Guillebeau speak in Calgary for his new book The Happiness of Pursuit and decided 2015 was the year.  Met amazing people and renewed my passion to de-stigmatize mental illness and clinician wellness.  I’ve also come to realize how much I love teaching… more to come on that later.

3) Buy a home.  I owned property for most of my 20s but I have been renting for the past five years. It was time to set some roots again.  I wholeheartedly love my new home and am excited to move in this September.

4) Run my first 5K.  I have no desire to run marathons.  I’m scared of what it will do to my joints long term.  But I did run my first 5K.  It was the Shoppers Drug Mart Run for Women and we raised over $50,000 for women’s mental health services in Calgary.  A few other therapist ran with me – it was a good morning! Most importantly, I learned something about myself – I much prefer running alone the river… alone.

5) AND FINALLY  I’ve always wanted to take Integrative Yoga Therapy Teacher Training.  And I’ve registered!!  This winter I will be spending three weeks in Costa Rica as I learn how to add yoga to my teaching repertoire. I know that Yoga helps with anxiety, stress, depression and many other health conditions.  It was a huge commitment in terms of time, energy and money so I’m proud of myself for taking the leap!

It feels good to know that within the first 8 months of the year I have achieve all my goals.

I still have some very exciting things happening in the fall…

• I’m teaching my first online class Learn to Meditate:  Mindfulness Meditation for Busy People

• My first book is being published 20 Quick Strategies to Help Your Patients and Clients Manage Stress

• My Sister is getting married and we need to start dress shopping!

• And maybe…. just maybe… a weekend retreat will be added in.

Start thinking now

Spend some time over the next fews months to reflect on how much your time, money, energy and words are aligned with your values.  Then, in December, begin to think about a couple of big steps you can take to create a calmer, happier, stress-free lifestyle that has you living your values on a daily basis.  You deserve it!

Cheers,

Char

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