Falling in love starts with one thing. That’s right, a date. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t dated in a decade or are happily in a relationship; you have a date with yourself. It’s 2021, and it is time you learn how to fall in love with realistic planning.

Realistic planning is the carefully crafted art of treating yourself to goals that are attainable and worth pursuing. This isn’t just an internet-fad that is going to go away. This is the start of a revolution to take care our yourself while improving yourself all at the same time.

Grab your favorite comfortable sweater and your favorite pen and notebook. It’s time to get started with realistic planning…

What Is Realistic Planning?

Realistic planning is as simple as it sounds. You make a plan that is realistic. We know, we tried really hard with that definition.

When you begin to take on self-care habits like journaling and planning, it can be easy to dive in so deep you can’t see anything around you anymore. Often, people get started with journaling and they find themselves drowning in a sea of rainbow felt point pens.

Realistic planning allows you to take small steps in the right direction to handling your self-care. Whether you’re making an agenda for the week, taking on journaling to work through some feelings, or creating a list of goals and aspirations for yourself, they need to be feasible.

It can be hard to fall in love with realistic planning if you’re someone that tends to jump the gun or — conversely — waits until the very last moment to complete a task. However, this new healthy habit you are on a happy date with will allow you to safely dip your toes in the water of self-care.

How To Start Realistic Planning?

Don’t run far, far away from self-care planning; embrace it and it’ll be love at first sight. The hardest part is simply getting started.

We can book a date for you all day long, but you are the one who has to pick up your pen and start planning or writing.

A simple, realistic planning method that’s great for beginners is planning out your day the night before. By simply creating a small three to five item checklist one night will help create the habit of setting attainable plans for yourself. From there, move to planning two days at a time, a week, or even month. Small and steady steps will help your self-care beau cross the victory line into your heart.

Why Fall In Love With Realistic Planning?

When you fall in love with realistic planning and the habit of self-care journaling, you create a healthy and safe release for your stress and emotions.

A punching bag helps relieve stress, but it isn’t quite the same relief you get after you put words to paper. There is something about writing that just lifts the weight off your chest.

As a bonus benefit, when you care for yourself, you can care for others even harder. From your pets to your friends, family, or even coworkers, your self-care will radiate outwards and onto them. So go ahead and hug your cat for a few seconds, or an hour.

“Realistic Planning Takes Too Much Time!”

That’s a valid concern. While we went ahead and set you up on this blind date with realistic planning for Valentine’s Day, that doesn’t mean it has to take over your life.

You can spend two minutes or two hours in front of your notebook for planning. The amount of time needed to reap the benefits of self-care is completely up to you

The only time realistic planning warrants interrupting another activity is if you’re about to text your ex again. Put the phone down, grab your notebook, and start working on yourself!