#advisorelle

[xolunelle]

Setting Goals

AdvisorElle, Episode 2

(Find the PDFs for the post HERE and HERE)

Sometimes, goal setting can feel really daunting or even pressuring. "How many goals are right?" "Are these goals SMART?" "How should this goal be implemented?" "Is this even a goal???" These are some questions that have gone through my head when trying to plan out what I want for the year. Luckily, I've been able to work out a system that works for me and through this post, I hope it works for you as well.

Write down, haphazardly if you want to, what you want to see in your life. (No ideas for this? Go on Pinterest, grab a book, take anything that might give you any inspiration.)

While you're on Pinterest, make a vision board. (This helps, especially when you need some extra motivation, or when you feel like you've lost your way while navigating your goals.)

Organize your messily written goals into categories.

Choose 5 to 10 goals that you think you can achieve within this year.

Rewrite the goals in simpler terms, you can even use the SMART method.

Break down the goals into simple steps and decide how to apply the goals on a monthly basis.

Over each month's planning, take a step towards those goals (add it to your list of goals for the month).

Make a to-do list daily or weekly and include a step towards each goal (no matter how small - small progress is still progress!)

Write a letter to your future self, in case of any hiccups in the journey. Encourage yourself, explain why you're doing what you're doing.

Lastly, don't forget to celebrate and track all progress on your goals (this makes the process more enjoyable).

Wishing you the best with your goals! X's and O's, Elle.

[xolunelle]

Making Vision Boards

AdvisorElle, Episode 3

[To: The person who requested this post (not adding the username for privacy) - Thank you so much and I wish you all the best <3]

I mentioned vision boards and how they work so well for me in my previous post. Before I get into how I make mine and my tips, here are some goals that I reached by giving myself the ability to see what I was working towards.

2024 (February, April and November - I would include most months, but these were the most memorable)

During February, I managed to live a lifestyle EXACTLY like the one on the photos (studying, working hard, reading more, stretching and taking care of my health).

April was the month that my grades were given (for that specific term) - and guess what, I passed well!! I also studied more Japanese, did more ballet, got more books and baked more that month.

Last but not least, one of my favourite months of last year - during this November, I managed to make new friends, dress really well and feel good about myself, I read more. I essentially achieved everything on this board during that month.

Now these are only some examples of the vision boards that I made throughout the year (and it was my first time trying that out!). But something that I quickly realized was that these vision boards were there not to be stared at without any form of work, I needed to put in the work, not just the pretty images.

Moving on to my tips:

Please make a 'monthly intentions' list or breakdown of what you want to do during the month. These can work towards "bigger" yearly goals, or they can just be random goals you want to work towards, as long as they are taking you forward or maintaining where you are now.

Look for images and quotes that actually align with these goals. Through Pinterest or any other media app. If you are like me, and you want everything to stick to one theme, you can search up colours or 'aesthetics' behind each word. For example, some of the images that I got on my November vision board appeared by searching 'brown aesthetic' and going underneath any images that appeared to align with my goals.

In addition, if you don't manage to find the quotes that you want, you can make them yourself via Canva and save them as images. [Example: November (3rd image) - top row, second image.]

The images chosen don't need to explicitly state "THIS IS THE GOAL" unless you want it to, you just need to have the association with each image.

I want to emphasize this: the images you choose MUST not be ones you kind of just slap on the Canva document or PowerPoint, they actually need to have meaning. (This was something I struggled with while doing my first vision board and it ended up just becoming another random background).

I did mention before, but they do help making each month more intentional. They also give you something to look at when you're maybe feeling unmotivated or tired while working through goals (which is why most of the workbooks made by A.M. Journals feature one). And (in my humble opinion) making monthly vision boards is a lot less daunting that yearly vision boards. I may switch out the focus of each month based on what I'm going through or what goals I really want to press into achieving.

Above all, there is a beauty in being able to navigate yourself, no matter what you go through and no matter what comes your way.

X's and O's, Elle.

[xolunelle]

Personal Style: How I Cultivated Mine

AdvisorElle, Episode 1

(Find the PDF for the post HERE)

With the internet (especially Pinterest, in this context) and its many recommendations on what you should wear for the different seasons, it may seem pretty hard to cultivate your own personal style, right? There are so many options, so many things to choose from, that instead of helping us choose and define our options, we really only end up confused. This was also my situation before; however, I managed to come to a point where I believe that I've found a good point in my style, and I want to help you get here too!

The History

At first, my journey to cultivating my style was heavily influenced by popular shows and social media, meaning that when everyone wanted to dress like VSCO girl with the large shirts, Birkenstocks and Hydro Flasks, I wanted to too. When everyone wanted to dress bohemian, I wanted to too. If everyone liked bows and was coquette, I was too. This led to a constant cycle of not really knowing what I liked or aligned with, since any new trend would lead to me changing my style.

What (kind of) forced me to find my style was my recent final examinations, where I needed to pick outfits that would represent how I want to be seen, at the examination center. I realised that I enjoyed wearing really simple, yet classic and polished outfits as they truly made me feel the best.

The Steps

If a good outfit can instantly make any day better (at least for me), how much more can a closet that aligns with who you are as a person? Let's see how to get this through the steps following!

STEP 1: How do you want to be seen by others?

The inevitable thing with clothing is that what you wear reflects how you want to be seen. (A disclaimer: this is not a statement intended to claim that one should treat others the way that they view them based on their clothing, but rather that clothing one wears represents the feelings they want to give others.) So, you need to ask yourself: "How do I want others to see me?" "What sort of feeling do I want to invoke within others?" After deciding on an answer, look around for clothing that makes you feel this way. Then you'll be better able to embody how you want others to feel in the clothing.

STEP 2: Is your closet still full of items you no longer align with?

Once you've settled the previous step, you need to go through your closet and see what aligns and what doesn't. Clothing that aligns with how you want to present yourself can stay, but clothing that does not should be given to friends and family, donated or sold online (you could even reuse it for another purpose, just please don't throw it away haphazardly).

STEP 3: What's your lifestyle? What's your climate?

Now that the clothing that does not align with you is given away, you should choose clothing that aligns with your lifestyle and climate. Clothing that is not in sync with your lifestyle is very likely to cause problems finding outfits for everyday occurrences (another one of my struggles -- I only had really nice clothes for events, but nothing to wear on a quick errand or simple day out). A closet should be balanced! In addition, you need to take note of your climate. If it's often cold, you'll need clothing that makes you warm. If the heat is absolutely wild (like where I live), you'll need more clothing that is loose fitted or made out of materials that are cooling.

Closing Thoughts

In general, the golden rule is that all clothing in your closet must align with how you want to present yourself, your lifestyle and your climate. Also, although you may have a set style that you are cultivating, always experiment. This can add more depth to your personal style.

I hope this post helped! X's and O's, Elle.