I'm so glad to see all the new members who are joining us for Forget the Joneses this year!! For the first year ever, we will be ENDING with a spending freeze instead of starting with it. HOWEVER, if you are deeply in debt you may want to consider starting your spending freeze early and continuing on through the duration of the program. This year, we're going six weeks and giving assignments Monday-Friday. There will be 30 assignments in all.
I'm going to try and keep things simple by giving assignments that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. There may be a few that last longer, but the main thing will be to make them easy to carry out.
Did You Get Your "Homework" Done?
If you haven't yet done your "homework," here are some questions to answer. Your answers will come into play in future assignments. Click on each link and respond there. If you want, include your worksheets in your Forget the Joneses Binder.
- Think of the last few times you were really joyful
- If I had an extra hour in my day, I would....
- What are the three things that keep you up at might most often, or are the most troubling to you?
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My life would be happier, more fulfilling and more peaceful if
- What are some ways you've invested in yourself?
- My Household Would Be Happier If...
- Which activities cause you to lose all track of time?
Forget the Joneses Day One Assignment: Create a Bucket List
Take fifteen minutes of uninterrupted time to write down as many things you'd like to accomplish in your life as you can. Choose things in a wide variety of areas of your life: personal, professional, financial, spiritual, and so on. What would you like to learn? What kind of person do you want to become? What do you want for yourself and for your family? What would you do if you were guaranteed not to fail? Some of the questions you answered in the homework above should help you identify what you'd like to put on your list. If you'd like to extend the project to come up with a list of 100, that's even better.
Daydreaming isn't just for kids! A lot of us don't allow ourselves to dream anymore because we don't see our dreams as feasible. Or, maybe it's a protective mechanism because we don't want to get our hopes up about something only to have them not happen and be let down. Try to break past those psychological barriers and allow yourself to fantasize about what you would do if you have unlimited funds and unlimited ability.
These should be things that really mean something to you personally and will have a positive impact on your life. Your list should look like nobody else's list, and be a true reflection of your own unique interests, priorities, and goals.
If you'd like to use a template, here is a .pdf you can print out to create your bucket list. It includes a variety of different categories (relationships, leisure, etc.) as well as a space to indicate if it's a short-term, mid-range, or long-term goal. Try to include a variety of things, and indicate their priority level (by circling it). For example funding my retirement is a high-priority item on my bucket list, visiting all 50 states - while still something I'd like to do - is on the "low" priority dream list because it's not as important.
