5 Tips to Set Outdoor Classroom Goals for the New Year

One of my favorite rituals at the end of the year is to plan and map out my goals for the upcoming year.  I like to look back, review and reflect before leaping into dreaming about the possibilities of the future. Choosing a word for the year becomes my mantra and creating a vision board takes my goals and brings them to life in an artistic way. 

Tip #1: Look Back & Reflect

I use big calendars and map out every month with upcoming projects, e-courses, on-site workshops, and retreats. It’s always exhilarating.  I am creative and have a huge calendar on my wall in my studio that gives me a creative, visual map with some directions for the year.  You can find these big calendars at Paper Source. Another way to look back and reflect is to pull out your smaller calendar and find events. 

Ask yourself, “What did I love doing?”, “What brought me joy?”, “What did I dread doing?”, “What do I want to more of? Less of?” For me? it has been all about how to spend less time in front of the screen and more time outdoors. What will it be for you? 

Tip #2: Choose a Word for the Year

The power of choosing a mantra word for the year offers intentionality towards your “Why”, which can be a powerful motivator. Once you find these tools, you are no longer bound to your circumstances. Don’t just choose any word. Take a couple of days before settling into your word of the year. Try a few different words, say the word(s) out loud, and see how they feel. Does your word fit with the goals you are trying to achieve this year? Can you imagine yourself waking up every morning for 364 days chanting this word? This year I was lucky enough to find my word in big bold letters in a magazine. It always amazes me when you put this energy of what you need into the world, it always comes back to you and appears. Magic!

Tip #3: Look forward and dream

Now that you have chosen your word for the year, it’s time to look forward and dream. I love an empty calendar, blank journal, and lot’s of long walks. Although we have been living through dark times with the pandemic, it is more important than ever to ponder what is possible. Start with curiosity questions. Where do you want to be in a year? 3 years? 5 years? Start writing important events in your new year calendar. Get a feeling of your intentions for the New Year. 

tip #4: Create a Vision Board

Now it’s time to take your word and your dreams for the new year and create a board of pictures and words that emulate your goals for the upcoming year.

What is a vision board? A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal. A vision board is any sort of board, book, box, or anything on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life. I cut out pictures and words from magazines. Sometimes I write my own words, sometimes I don’t. There is no right or wrong way of doing this exercise. Creating a vision board is simply an exercise to create visual inspiration that can manifest your goals and what I love is how different they turn out year after year. 

What are you planning in your Outdoor Classroom for the New Year? How do you plan to make your visions come to life in your Outdoor Classroom? 

We want to hear from you. Come join us in the Outdoor Classrooms Facebook Group and share your word, reflections and a picture of your vision board. Or simply share your ideas and comments below

Tip #5: Wonder, Wander, Repeat

Stay curious and create habits that will enable you to meet your goals. Need a group to do that with? Learn more about THE CIRCLE: Our membership community. 

Thank you for all you do! 

In gratitude,

Victoria