Tag: goals

National Days in April You Should Know

National Days in April You Should Know

by anglarose1 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

HAPPY APRIL!

I hope all you beautiful people had a lovely Easter holiday! Spring is about to be happening in full force, I can feel it in my bones (and my sinuses)! I’m so excited to be in a new month, I can’t believe how quickly this year is flying by already. The next two month on the blog and on my Instagram are going to be really exciting! I’ve got some new partnerships coming up and lots to write about and recount, so I hope you’re ready! Let’s talk about some blog business and National Days in April!

New month’s always means one thing for me as a blogger: blog planning. At the end of each month, I gear up and start coming up with content for BTF and my Instagram for the upcoming month. Some people are shocked when I tell them that I try to plan my blog posts out a month in advance, but that’s just how I have to roll for me! I’m sure fellow content creators can relate, but if I don’t have ideas down and planned out in advance, I won’t produce at all. Coming up with ideas for blog posts and Insta posts/stories is a lot harder than I think people understand!

What’s one way I try to come up with monthly content? Looking up National Days for the upcoming month! Some months are easier than others, because they have lots of well-known holidays throughout their 30-31 days, but every month has some lesser known “National Days” in there too! You know, like the 40 different “National Daughter Days” or “National Sibling Days” you see all over Facebook, but much more fun and interesting!

If you’re looking for a starting point for some content ideas or you’re just interested in quirky holidays, here are a handful of National Days in April that I found exciting, relevant, and fun!

*note, this is not every National Day in April but a chosen few

National Days in April 2021

April 1st

  • April Fool’s Day
  • National Burrito Day
  • National Sourdough Bread Day
    • Now is the time to put your quarantine sourdough skills to good use, people

April 2nd

  • National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day
  • National Autism Awareness Day

April 3rd

  • National Film Score Day
  • World Party Day

April 4th

  • Easter Sunday (2021)
  • National Vitamin C Day
    • Chug that Emergen-C today, baby

April 5th

  • National Caramel Day
  • National Deep Dish Pizza Day

April 7th

  • National Beer Day
    • Heyo
  • National Walking Day
    • Hit that trail, sister!
  • Childhelp National Day of Hope

April 10th

  • National Siblings Day

April 11th

  • National Pets Day

April 12th

  • National Grilled Cheese Day
    • This is amazing, thank you

April 14th

  • National Look Up At the Sky Day

April 16th

  • National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day
    • ORGANIZE PEOPLE! THROW IT OUT, YOU DON’T NEED IT!

April 19th

  • National Garlic Day
  • National Hanging Out Day
    • Hang out with your pals (if you’re vaccinated)!

April 20th

  • National Cheddar Fries Day
    • YUM

April 22nd

  • Earth Day (2021)
  • National Jelly Bean Day

April 27th

  • National Tell a Story Day

April 28th

  • Global Pay It Forward Day

April 29th

  • International Dance Day

National Weeks in April 2021

  • National Library Week – April 4-10, 2021
  • National Princess Week – Last Full Week of April

April is National *blank* Month (2021)

  • National Autism Awareness Month
  • National Alcohol Awareness Month
  • Stress Awareness Month
  • National Month of Hope
  • National Soft Pretzel Month
  • Sexual Assault Awareness Month
  • National Poetry Month

Again, this isn’t a full list of National Days in April, this is just a list of some of my favorites! And National Princess Week? Sign me up! I hope that these National Days sparked some ideas for upcoming April content, or at least gave you another fun day to add to your calendar this month!

Next week, stay tuned for a post about all thing’s theatre! Keep an eye on my Instagram for upcoming posts and things!

Lots of love to YOU!

~ Ang

Passion Piece Feature

Passion Piece Feature

by anglarose1 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
Passion Piece Feature Feature #9 Lauren Ladouceur

Feature #9

Lauren Ladouceur of Plan With Laur

Happy Monday!

I’m back with the Beyond the Footlights Passion Piece Feature for March! This month I’m so thrilled to feature the incredible woman behind Plan With Laur, Lauren Ladouceur! I first came across Lauren’s profile a few months ago in a search of my own for individuals on Instagram that were part of the planning community. As you all know here, I’m obsessed with all things planning, stationary, planners, etc. While I have talked about planning on my own here on the blog as well as social media, I hadn’t really sought out other people/communities in that niche. When I found Lauren and Plan With Laur I immediately felt like I had found a little community I could be part of!

I recently attended Lauren’s Recommit to Your Goals workshop using her bundle and it was just what I needed at this point in the year. So often we set goals for ourselves at the start of the year, and we don’t stick to them- for many different and individual reasons. Lauren’s bundle and workshop helped me remember the WHY behind my big goals, establish attainable steps towards reaching my goal, and reframe my thinking as I decided to press on!

Here is a bit about Lauren in her own words:

“I’m the daughter of two military parents, so planning is rooted in my DNA: The frequent  moves and trips of my childhood gave me great appreciation to detail and plans early on. These  days, I work my 9 to 5 job and share my love for planning and goal-setting on the side. Though I  haven’t always had a planner, I’ve always been planning. I thrive in structured environments that  I can make sense of. 

Helping others is foundational for me. I want to make people feel heard and loved. With  planning, everyone has resources at their disposal but not everyone knows how to use them. Your  planner can be a window into your life, and I try to help you find a frame through which you  enjoy looking inside.”

Who are you, where are you from, and where are you spending your time these days? 

My name is Lauren but the planning community knows me as Plan With Laur. I’m your go-to gal  for all things planners, productivity, and how to use the resources at your disposal to plan today  for a better tomorrow. Where I’m from is difficult to answer because both of my parents were in  the military. I attended undergrad in the South but I call Boston home…for now!

What are you currently doing for work, if anything?

I’m a corporate talent professional in my day job. Most of my professional background is in  event marketing, however, which is why I think planning is something I naturally gravitate  towards in my personal life.

Tell me a little about your journey towards developing Plan with Laur and how it has  brought you to where you are today?

My story with Plan With Laur starts by finding the planner community. When I tell people  there’s a community of planners, they typically give me a blank stare. But when I moved to  Boston I didn’t know anyone and didn’t have a community. I bought a planner literally to make  plans to go places and meet new people. That probably sounds like the most Type A thing ever,  but planning gives me a sense of purpose and direction. 

Passion Piece Feature Feature #9 Lauren Ladouceur

While waiting for my planner to arrive I found a YouTube community and Facebook groups of  like-minded people. Everyone in the community was talking so in depth about these complicated  planning strategies and very niche products. There was a huge learning curve. There wasn’t a “if  you’re new to planning start here” content creator, so I decided to contribute by teaching people  how to plan. 

I believe in simple, realistic, and functional planning. Sticker kits and washi tape is part of that,  but I talk about the plans themselves. At the heart of my community is to help people feel seen and heard. We all make plans and have aspirational goals around planning or productivity,  whether it’s for work or our personal life.

If you can, list for me your top 5 passions- no matter what they are!

In no particular order: Disney. running, Broadway, helping others and memory keeping.

Does the work you are currently doing fall into the same category as any of those passions?

I truly believe that I’m on this earth to help others. I seek this out in both my jobs, as a talent  professional and as a content creator. Memory keeping is a subset of planning, so I get to work  on memory keeping and share it with my community. I keep my Disney, Broadway, and running  passions apart from my work because I preach balance. 

What has inspired most you in a time where we are seeing so much change in the world?

As a Black person in the US, this year was emotionally exhausting. Racism and ignorance and  prejudice didn’t start in 2020 obviously, but there’s been a sea change of public opinion. I think  people are becoming more mindful of the privilege they carry. We still have a long way to go, but  we’re taking collective steps that are so important for progress.

What are some things you like to do in your down time to nurture your passions, so they can stay just as alive, consistent, and active as your work?

Passion Piece Feature Feature #9 Lauren Ladouceur

This is a good opportunity to talk about passion-adjacent activities. These are things that relate to  your passions. When I think of a painter, I typically imagine them nurturing their passion by  creating art. But there’s a whole host of passion-adjacent things they could be doing– volunteering their talents to teach someone else, watching YouTube, reading about new  techniques. This holistic approach means I’m doing something different each day! For me, this  might look like creating Broadway musical playlists for my next run, or training for my next  marathon at Disney.

What are your top 3 goals in your life/work?

My top goal is to create a community with Plan With Laur that teaches people how to plan better,  set and achieve their goals, reclaim their time and live a life they love. After that, I want to  cultivate a strong and resilient body and mind. And I always want to prioritize quality time with  the people I love most.

What does your self-care routine look like?

Sipping hot tea, memory keeping and watching the Bachelor or Bachelorette.

What advice do you have for anyone struggling to make the time for their passions in their  life?

Small is your best friend. Small goals, small blocks of time, and small action items give you  momentum to chip away at the larger goal; in this case, making time for your passion. It’s a  constant battle against the many distractions the world throws at us. But you can always make 5 minutes a day.

What are you hopeful for as we press on in 2021? What prospects excite you, scare you, and  make your heart flutter with anticipation? 

I can’t wait to travel again. When it’s safe to do so, you’ll catch me on a plane near you!

Thank you so much to Lauren for sharing her time with me, as well as sharing her story and planning journey with the Beyond the Footlights Community! You can follow Lauren on Instagram @planwithlaur, check out her her YouTube Channel, and her website at www.planwithlaur.com.

Happy Planning!

~ Ang

Goal-Getter

Goal-Getter

by anglarose1 ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
Goal Getter How To Set Attainable Monthly Goals

How To Set Attainable Monthly Goals

Hi, sweet friends!

With the start of a new month quickly approaching, I wanted to take some time to talk about monthly goal setting!

Monthly goal setting is something that I only started doing at the end of May (for June), but I have found that it is something that keeps me on track and serves as a constant reminder of the things I am working towards!

I should clarify- when I say “goals,” I’m talking goals on a smaller scale. We all have our larger goals that we would like to accomplish in our life, even in the next five or so years: write a book, travel, start a business, book a Broadway show…

The list of larger than life goals can be endless and should be individual to you and your aspirations! But the goals that I set for myself every month are goals that I know I would like to accomplish in the here and now rather than in my future. These goals are comprised of things I know I would like to accomplish for myself on a daily or weekly basis during the month, or things that I know I can realistically complete in a 30-day time frame.

Many of my goals really serve as reminders for me! My list is generally comprised of actions that I want to take throughout the month to better myself in a variety of ways and help myself achieve mental, emotional, and physical peace. When I complete something that is on my list of goals, I feel a sense of peace and fulfillment that propels me forward and onto my next task!

Let me share with you a few things that were on my list of July Goals so you may better understand what I mean (these are quoted from my writing):

  • Do yoga every day BUT be gentle with myself, and take a day off if need be
  • Read 1-2 books this month
  • Start listening to podcasts at least one day a week
  • Continue waking up by 9 AM
  • Continue my money spreadsheet and spend less than June
  • Choose 2 days a week to limit social media usage to avoid burnout

So, how can YOU set up a list of goals for your month that will help you achieve peace in your everyday life?

  • Assess your values! This doesn’t mean you have to dig down deep, it really just means asking yourself what matters most to you, for yourself. Do you value your quiet time, taking care of yourself, taking care of others, education, working hard, etc.? The list goes on and on. Figure out what values need to become priorities first and foremost.
  • Figure out what you need mentally, emotionally, and physically! This is so important, and there is no right or wrong answer. Start by pausing and considering what may have caused you more mental dis-ease than you would have liked to experience this month. What can you limit/increase exposure to in your life that would create more mental ease in your life? Repeat this evaluation in terms of your emotional and physical states!
  • Ask yourself what you feel you are lacking in your life. Since graduating, I have felt the lack of education and learning in my life, so I wanted to keep reading and learning through listening to more podcasts! You may not have the time to incorporate the things you are lacking into your life every single day, but adding them to your list of goals for the month creates a space for them that you may not have even had at all!
  • By the same token, what feels excessive or unnecessary in your life that you may want to cut back on? I felt overwhelmed by social media, so I added cutting back a few days to my list of goals! This list is not just about adding things into your life, it can also be about what you’d like to get rid of to create a healthier space for yourself!
  • Ask yourself if there are goals in your work or personal endeavors/projects that you would like to accomplish. I have a separate section of my list of goals that focuses on my monthly goals for the blog! Again, these are not the goals that I would like to achieve with the blog long-term, they are simply the tasks that I know I can accomplish in a month if I set my mind to it and work hard.

At the bottom of my list for July, I wrote this:

“Be gentle with yourself and these goals. You will not reach them all at once. If you don’t reach them this month you are not a failure. Love yourself!”

Goal Getter How To Set Attainable Monthly Goals

I love my past self for this reminder. I couldn’t put it into better, simpler terms if I tried! Be gentle with yourself and these goals. As you can see, I set out to do yoga every day, but what I had learned from the previous month is that that goal was great to have, but sometimes I just didn’t want to do it because my body was telling me not to. But I wasn’t gentle with myself, and I did it anyway. These goals are not set in stone, nothing bad will happen to you if you don’t do what you thought you’d have the space and time for!

You will not reach them all at once. You just won’t! You’ve got to give yourself some grace. Just as you will not write the novel you aspire to write in a day/week/month, and just like you will not have 500 new subscribers/customers overnight, you will not be able to check off every goal every day. But it’s ok. If you don’t reach them all this month you are not a failure!

Love yourself. That one speaks for itself.

If YOU make a monthly goal list for yourself for August, I’d love for you to share it with me via social media @ang_larose1 on Instagram, @BTFblog on Twitter or via email!

I love you, I can’t wait to see you all crush your goals!

xoxo

~ Angela