Mission Possible - Week 12

It’s that time of the year! December is a very special month. For most people, it is the busiest month of the year. It is the time of closing goals, celebrating, and sharing. There are so many things happening behind the scenes that not many people talk about, reflecting on the past year, financial struggles, seasonal stress, and depression. During these coming days, we will discuss how you can have the best December yet.

For Day 78, did you know that one of the biggest causes of stress after the holidays is your finances? This is because people owe on average $6,500 USD on their credit cards and the biggest increase in debt is seen this time of year. Now \that we are aware of this reality, let’s see what we can do to avoid it. Here are 5 tips to avoid falling into debt on during the holidays:

1. Set a budget: based on your income and expenses, what is the maximum amount you can spend?
2. Make a list of what you have to buy: write down the names of all of the people you need to buy a gift for and what you want to buy for them. Take the list with you when you go shopping and stick to it.
3. Investigate the prices before buying: based on your list, investigate the prices of the things you want to buy so you can find the best deals.
4. Don’t buy things just because they are on sale: make sure to only buy things that are on the list. If there is something else you want, ask yourself if you would want it if it weren’t on sale. If not, leave it.
5. Use only one credit card: using only 1 credit card will allow you to easily track all of your spending and control any fraudulent activities.

On Day 79, I shared with you 4 super useful tools for personal development. Look out for when they go on sale! They are the following:

1. Calm: this is one of the best apps for all kinds of guided meditation, daily inspiration, and stretching exercises.
2. MasterClass: a platform where you will have access to more than 180 courses from recognized experts in different subjects - from acting and cooking to business and science. 
3.  Remarkable: the only tablet that feels like paper. You can use it for journaling, note-taking, and brainstorming exercises.
4. Productivity Planner and The 5 Minute Jornal: these are for people that love to write a diary and need more structure. They are ideal for organizing your week effectively and starting a gratitude habit.

On Day 80, I will give you my 5 most essential books for personal development. They are the following:

1. Atomic Habits by James Clear: this is the ultimate guide for breaking habits that you don’t benefit from and adopting new ones. This book shows us how our daily routines can turn into massive and positive changes over time.
2. The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho: this is a classic novel in which a boy named Santiago, embarks on a journey to find a treasure in the pyramids of Egypt after having a recurring dream about it. In his journey, he meets mentors, falls in love, and most importantly, he finds who he really is and how to focus on what really matters in life.
3. The Four Agreements: draws on the long tradition of the Toltecs, an ancient indigenous people of Mexico, to show you that we have been domesticated from childhood, with internal rules (beliefs) that limit us, and what we can do to break from them and replace them with new ones that empower us.
4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: teaches you how to be more effective both personally and professionally by changing your vision of how the world works and giving you 7 habits that will lead you to immense success.
5. Essentialism: it is fundamentally about taking control of your life. The same amount of energy, when directed purposefully, can bring you that much closer to your goal. It teaches you how to choose the right things to do, reject everything else, and direct your time and energy to create the biggest impact where it matters.

On Day 81, we touched on the importance of staying healthy throughout this season which is full of delicious food and social activities. Here are 5 tips to stay healthy during the holidays:

1. Don’t skip meals: this way you avoid overeating. Remember that if you eat on time and in a balanced way, you avoid having anxiety spikes during the day.
2. Prioritize your protein intake: We take longer to digest protein which in turn helps us feel full longer.
3. Stay active: this helps us not only to burn extra calories but also maintain our health both physically and mentally by releasing stress, improving our mood, and reducing anxiety.
4. Stay hydrated: our brain can confuse thirst with hunger. To differentiate this, the next time you feel hungry, drink water. Then, wait 10 minutes and see if you are still hungry.
5. Plan your weekly meals: keep your refrigerator filled with fresh food. This way, it will always be your first option. 

On Day 82, I talked about a topic that some of my clients have brought up during our sessions - “Daya, I’m not sure I’m happy with who I am right now or whom I am becoming”. Here are 3 common things that may be happening and what you can do about them.

1. Your actions may not be aligned with your values: in this case, it is important to take a step back and define your values. Then, you need to be intentional about aligning your actions with your values.
2. You are not clear about what YOU want for your life: when you are not clear about what you want for your life, you will be working for what others want for YOUR life. That’s why it is important to define your goals and what are the steps you have to take to get there.
3. You may not know how to set limits: you set limits to protect your time, emotions, body, and mental health.

On Day 83, I shared 6 reasons why it is important to set limits in your relationships

1. It allows you to listen and see other points of view while respecting your own.
2. To avoid future conflicts and resentments.
3. To increase your self-esteem and self-respect.
4. To protect your physical and emotional space
5. To be assertive with your time.
6. To recognize that your limits and needs are different from those of others.

On Day 84, I shared 5 types of limits that are important to establish in your relationships

1. Physical: refers to your personal space, your privacy, and your body. There are some people that are comfortable with public displays of affection (hugs, kisses, and holding hands), and some people prefer not to be touched in public.
2. Sexual: refers to your expectations regarding intimacy. For example, sexual comments and touching may be uncomfortable for you.
3. Intellectual: it refers to other people respecting your thoughts and beliefs. Intellectual boundaries are not respected when someone dismisses the ideas and opinions of another person.
4. Emotional: it refers to respecting your feelings and how open you are with them. You may not feel comfortable sharing your feelings, especially with a friend or partner. Instead, you might prefer to share them gradually over time.
5. Financial refers to money management. For example, whether you like saving, spending, or lending money.

On Day 85, I shared 4 steps to set limits in your relationships:

1. Define your limits: think about what will protect your peace and physical and mental well-being.
2. Openly communicate your limits: communication will always be key in relationships, so it is important for your loved one to know what those limits are.
3. Respectfully remind those around you if it is necessary.
4. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to the things that steal your peace: remember, you are the only person responsible for making sure that those limits are respected.

Week 12 is done, 2 more to go! Join me in this journey as I turn this so-called “setback” into the best opportunity of my life.

- Content Creator: Dayana Rebolledo, PMP, PMI-ACP, PCC, Prosci

- Writer: Cesar Enriquez

- Editor: Santiago Mansur Monroy