I Didn’t Need Another Planner…I Needed a Better System

I’ve never had trouble with creativity or dreaming big.

The hard part for me has always been finishing whatever I started.

I’d jump from one idea to the next, convinced thisidea - or this business - was the right one. The one that would finally make sense and work. I was trying to build three different businesses at once, constantly switching gears, always busy, yet never feeling like I was making meaningful progress in any of them.

At the end of the day, I often felt like a failure.

Have you ever felt that way?

Looking back, motivation was never the problem. Focus was.

In several blog posts, I’ve mentioned my trip to Utah a few months ago that became a turning point for me.

That trip changed the way I think about the future.

I stopped asking “What do I need to get done today?” and started asking, “Who do I want to become?” That one question changed everything.

I realized I wanted more than just another accomplishment - or my name on another leaderboard. (Although, let’s be honest…I do love seeing my name on a good list!).

I wanted to build a healthy, intentional life that would allow to enjoy the years ahead with my husband. I picture us building our home in Tennessee, traveling, staying active, and having the energy to fully embrace whatever comes next.

That shift changed more than my goals. It changed my mornings. And my mornings changed my days.

After retiring from years of 3am alarms to teach fitness classes, I suddenly had the freedom to sleep as late as I wanted. As wonderful as that sounded, I found it too easy to let my morning get away from me.

So, I still set an alarm. Not for 3am anymore, but for 7am. You can’t see it but just know that I’m smiling about that!

That one decision became the beginning of a completely different morning routine.

And instead of reaching for my phone first thing, I started reading.

Instead of scrolling, I started thinking.

Instead of reacting to my day, I started creating it.

Those small changes in my morning routine led to something unexpected.

Have you heard of the book The 12 Week Year? Ironically, I’ve owned the book for years but never actually read it. There’s another example of me starting something but not finishing! But this time my “why” was different. When I bought the book years ago, I wasn’t the woman I am today.

I loved the idea of focusing on the next 12 weeks instead of an entire year. Suddenly, big goals felt manageable and everyday has a purpose instead of just another to-do list.

The book challenged me to think differently about how I spent my time.

For years, while I was working for someone else, I’d dream about what I’d do if I could control of my own schedule.

Well…now I finally could.

And I quickly realized that freedom without a plan isn’t truly freedom at all.

I don’t naturally love structure. Or following rules. But I craved organization, so if I wanted a different life, I had to stop doing the same things that kept me stuck.

As I started writing things down, a system began to emerge. But my system was scattered ideas written in multiple notebooks, sticky notes stuck to my desk, random pages in a planner I rarely opened.

That wasn’t a system. It was organized chaos.

I needed a system, so I created one that works for me.

The planner didn’t make me productive. FOCUS did.

One that helped me identify the few things that mattered most each day instead of chasing an endless to-do list.

I can’t begin to tell you the difference that has made. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m moving forward instead of just staying busy.

I’m writing a blog post every single week - something I have wanted to do for YEARS!

My newsletters are planned ahead of time instead of thrown together at the last minute.

I know exactly what my priorities are each week, and I take time to review what’s working and what isn’t.

Instead of trying to build everything at once, I’m intentionally creating health and wellness programs that best align with my purpose and the women I want to serve.

The planner didn’t make me productive.

FOCUS did.

The planner simply gives that focus a place to live every day. And when you become focused, you become intentional. When you’re intentional, productivity follows.

I’ve also learned that success isn’t about saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way.

This year, I made the intentional decision not to pursue a goal that had been one of my biggest accomplishments last year. It wasn’t because I wasn’t proud of it or because it wasn’t worth earning. It was because I wanted to give more of my time and energy to building the future I truly see for myself.

Sometimes growth isn’t about adding more.

Sometimes it’s about protecting what matters most.

Today, productivity means something completely different to me. It’s no longer about checking off the most boxes. It’s about making sure the things I do each day actually move me toward the life I’m trying to build.

It’s about making sure the things I do each day move me closer to the woman I’m becoming.

Menopause is not about shutting down and shying away. It’s about kicking in the door and declaring “I’ve Arrived!

Ready to become more intentional?

If you’ve ever felt busy but not productive, I hope this encourages you to pause and ask yourself one simple question:

“Is the way I’m spending my time helping me become the person I want to be"?”

That question changed everything for me.