2026 Action Plan: 5 Steps to Transform Your Year

25:27Danielle:I didn't feel intense financial stress this year. That really lit me up. What are you most grateful for from the past year? I wrote, I'm so grateful for Hello Sunshine and the whole team that have made this sort of new era possible for me. I feel in flow and a lot of it is because of them. My apartment, I love decorating it. I still need to get art for the walls. And then my health and I'm going to prioritize that more this year. What's something you can forgive yourself to move forward with peace? Okay, gossiping. And I go back and forth on gossip because like if you're in a safe space, some of it feels like Barbara Walters would always gossip.

26:08Danielle:She was known for it. But every time I've done it, I feel icky after. And I actually talked to my therapist about it last week and came up with a plan because I'm never initiating gossip. That's just not me. But I'm a very literal person. And so if somebody asks me a point blank question, I have a hard time either talking around it or not answering. It's the Chicago in me. Like I'm to the point. I'm going to give you the truth. And so I was like, I need to be able to be that person and not get myself into a space where I'm ever feeling like I'm talking poorly about somebody. And my therapist said a few things.

26:45Danielle:She said, one, you can sort of answer a question with a question. So if somebody asks you about somebody, you can say, oh, that's interesting. Why are you asking? That feels like a good reroute. then she said you can also sort of pull something from that question and redirect what is one change you made this year that improved the quality of your life I really poured into my friends more and I saw this clip I think in March from Esther Perel and she was like you know we all have so many friends online but who are the people that would pick you up from the airport or feed your cat. I don't have a cat.

27:23Danielle:But I poured into my feed my cat friends. And that was really intentional because I have a lot of acquaintances and I really wanted to pour into the feed my cat friends. So what are three things you can give yourself credit for this past year? I wrote that I showed up. I prepared for almost everything. I showed up for friends' birthdays. I planned some friends' birthdays, had some people at my house. I showed up for funerals, for my family, for friends. And I felt like my relationship with my mom was so much better. Last year, I remember doing this podcast on New Year's and crying into the mic and having this realization that I think I've been hard on her and that I really am more like her than I probably even knew.

28:05Danielle:And I think our relationship getting stronger and more connected is credit to both of us because we both shifted and changed. But that's given me so much joy. I'm actually going to bring her onto the podcast. What promise do you keep breaking to yourself? Why? No phone in the morning and visualization and manifestation. I want to do Joe Dispenza manifestation and visualization practices. They're 10 minutes, 15 minutes. I can do that every morning. And I don't want to wake up and scroll on my phone. And I've been doing that. Who challenged you the most this year? What did the challenge teach you about yourself?

28:39Danielle:There are two people I wrote down. I'm not going to name them. And I realized that it's when I feel slighted. I take it deeply personal when someone is two-faced. Everything is reminiscent of our childhood wounds. And so one of the things from my childhood was that I think sometimes it was hard to disagree with one of my parents. It just didn't feel worthwhile because there was so much upheaval after the disagreement or having a different opinion. And this person that challenged me was reminiscent of that. And I didn't realize it for like a year until my therapist finally pointed it out. And that was really helpful.

29:18Danielle:What's your most memorable story or experience from this past year? I really feel like Gloria's house, being able to sit with her and the whole team around her is so fun. Like even when I'm not with Gloria and I'm with her team, I just feel like so happy. Like I love hearing about their lives. I love hearing about her old love stories and asking her questions about what she thinks about politics and sociology and romance. Like this year she told me that she doesn't really understand breakups because like you just date somebody and then you kind of stop seeing them and you start dating somebody else.

29:54Danielle:Like you don't really need to tell anybody. I loved going into her room and sitting and just being and talking. I grew up in a talking house and it's very reminiscent of that. She was like my person. I've read every word she's written. I talk about Barbara Walters as like a journalistic icon, but I didn't value how she lived her life, to be honest. I don't know that she moved with like the type of kindness or other things that I value. And Gloria does. I can't believe I get to sit in her living room, but that feels like one of those subconscious manifestation things. What was the most valuable lesson you learned this year?

30:33Danielle:I wrote that hard feelings pass eventually. So just like move them through your body in the somatic way. I realized I don't have to sit in it. Years ago, I would like sit in the pain or the insecurity. And I would for days be upset about things or feel depressed. And I don't have that now. Like every time I'm sad, I'm like nothing is personal. They're responding to something unsolved within them. And what feels like rejection is truly self-protection. It always is. Like I have enough life experience to look back and know that. And a lot of times what feels like criticism is often unhealed shame in ourselves asking to be seen.

31:14Danielle:When you stop making other people's reactions mean something about your worth, you reclaim your energy. And you learn to kind of witness instead of absorb and to respond instead of react. And I think compassion becomes easier and peace becomes possible. So I just have let things move. What was your biggest struggle this year? What did it teach you? And I wrote, I was carrying too much alone and holding myself to a pretty high standard while doing it. And I like high standards, but I don't know that I need to carry it alone anymore. And I'm going to navigate that this year. And I wrote a few other things like you can expand on these as much or as little as it comes to you.

31:51Danielle:I also think that's actually one of the questions I asked ChatGPT, because if you've been using it, you input so much about yourself. And so if you ask it, it can kind of spur ideas for you. Okay. What area of your life did you grow most in this year? I wrote bandwidth, not sitting in hard feelings. I wrote that early versions of me moved quickly to outperform discomfort. And this year I started just staying and like letting the feelings move through me instead of rushing past them. What's one thing that I've been holding on to that you're ready to release. This is a big one, guys. This is a limiting belief I've had for quite some time that the executive coach actually helped me move through.

32:32Danielle:And I wrote, a limiting belief I have is that I can't have a partner that I am like obsessed with and my career at the same time. And one of the exercises she had me do, in case this is helpful in terms of like getting rid of your limiting beliefs, is she had me write out examples of people either in my life that I knew or in media whose careers have actually flourished because of their partner and that sort of support or examples of people whose relationships feel like very steady and connected and the thing that I'm looking for. Who poured into you this year that you want to thank? So this one is actually really cool.

33:13Danielle:The people that you write, my recommendation for you is to either write them a text, an email, or a handwritten note, and it can be quick. And just thank them and specifically tell them what you are thanking them for. I'll give you an example. I had six people that came to my mind right away, but one of them is my friend Neha. And on our car ride, we took a car back from Santa Barbara from the Godmother's bookstore event. It was probably like an hour and 45 minutes. And I'm always super conscious of not taking up too much airtime. Like I really want to ask questions and have people feel heard and seen and listened to.

33:52Danielle:And she let me talk for like 45 minutes straight because I was going through it and she just listened to me and she held space for me without judgment. It was so healing. I needed her and she didn't even know I needed her. And we were kind of new friends. I wrote her a text and said, I just want to thank you for that moment. I don't know if you know how much it meant to me and how much I needed it. I think those go such a long way. Just let people know Okay, what's one way you've contributed to others lives this year? I wrote time I listened really attentively even when it was exhausting or hard And sometimes I didn't have the bandwidth and I still tried and then raising money for mong and I tried to contribute to gloria's life too because Part of fellowship is not just them pouring into you.

34:40Danielle:It's you trying to extend their legacy and pour into them

34:50Who doesn't love warm, carby comfort? Satisfying sandwiches, loaded bagels, rich mac and cheese. Crave-worthy and smart, Hero Bread's loaves, bagels and noodles have just 0-5 gram snack carbs, 0 gram sugar and up to 19 grams of protein and 32 grams of fiber per serving. Hero Bread bakes with heart-healthy olive oil and delivers a soft, fluffy, flavorful experience you love. Shop now on Hero.co. Use code IHEART for 10 % off. That's Hero.co. Per serving, not a low-calorie food. Some products contain Allulose. See nutrition info on Hero.co for sodium and sugar content. When it comes to advancing your education, you have more options than you think.

35:25At Rasmussen University, we find ways to remove barriers, not build them. Like a new laptop if you're eligible and enroll in select online or on-campus programs. That means flexible and engaging online courses and resources, tuition savings options if you qualify, exceptional student support, and much more. Online nationally or check out their 20 campuses across six states. Start when you're ready and get the support you need. Visit rasmussen.edu. Find the vacation you're looking for in Missouri. Whether you're searching for this, wanting something like this. Oh, that's cute. Maybe up for something like this.

36:03Or just really, really need something more like this. you'll find the vacation you want in Missouri Missouri it's the getaway that gets you plan your fun at visitmo.com hi I'm Cindy Crawford and I'm the founder of meaningful beauty well I don't know about you but like I never liked being told oh wow you look so good for your age like why even bother saying that why don't you just say you look great at any age every age. That's what Meaningful Beauty is all about. We create products that make you feel confident in your skin at the age you are now. Meaningful Beauty. Beautiful skin at every age.

36:50Learn more at MeaningfulBeauty.com.

36:56This year, it's Pop's turn for a laugh. So celebrate Father's Day with a gift that really pops. A customized Funko Pop of him. First, think of all the things that make your dad the man Then turn those ideas into a personalized Funko Pop. Select hair, clothing, and skin tone options to match his fit. Don't forget to show off his favorite hobbies and sports with amazing accessories. You can even add his best friend. Start creating now at Funko.com. Be unique, not anyone else. Express it now. Just pop yourself. That's Funko.com.

37:32Danielle:Okay, here we are. So now we've answered questions. we've kind of gotten into flow, we've free written a little bit, and now we're still free writing. But step two is free write your goals. So I'm not asking you any specific questions. I'm just throwing it out there, whatever comes to your mind. And I've had a lot of writers tell me that it's important to use pen to paper, that something different comes out of you. I honestly didn't have that opportunity this year. I did all of this on a four-hour plane ride to Nashville, and that's when I felt inspired. So do what works for you, but free write your goals.

38:08Danielle:I wrote down certain people I wanted to interview. I'm launching two new card games this year and so I want to successfully and impactfully launch those two card games and ideate on three ideas I have for new ones. I wanna build Question Everything out into a fully sustainable company and I don't wanna do it alone. I have some ideas about vision and creatives I want to work with to help bring my vision to life, but I don't want to do it alone anymore. And when I say alone, I don't mean like the podcast. I mean the company because there's a ton of beautiful people that put their hands and love into this podcast.

38:44Danielle:Okay. I want to have meaningful moments with Gloria and I want to convene. Her living room is so special. I want to make more of those moments happen. And I think that they enrich a lot of people's lives and the reverberations are felt through the ether. And it's something that everybody can do. If you're interested in convening, just invite people to your space. It doesn't matter what it's like. Like Gloria, she's not into pompous circumstance. She doesn't have to put food out. Like it's just come and hang and talk. I want to make a difference. You guys know I freaking care about the world and the people in it.

39:15Danielle:That's on my dating app profile that I made, which is another one of my goals I'll talk about. I have a plan for my social media and I'm going to try and get it really popping off. So if you listen to the pod and you don't follow me on social, So please do because you don't want to miss it. I want to travel a little bit more internationally. I feel like India is calling me. I wrote down the amount of money I want to make this year. I want to get my health and my body back on track and make time in the morning for myself. No excuses. I need to carve out that time and be better with it. And not even be better.

39:45Danielle:I'm carving out that time. No ifs, ands, or buts. I'm getting back to that. I prioritize my family this year, but I want to have some more intentionally memorable experiences with them, like novelty. And I'm going to prioritize finding an awesome partner. That's a big admission for me. I think I've said that in the past, not on this podcast, but in life. And I said it because I felt like I was supposed to want it and I didn't want it in my body. Now I'm like, I'm ready. I really enjoyed being single. I loved my time and my space and dating and different people, but I'm ready. So I put that on there.

40:22Danielle:And I was inspired by an author I interviewed named Laura Dave, and she has so many rituals around her writing. And so I'm going to have rituals for how I prep for my interviews, and I'm going to do it differently. I'm actually going to try and play music the way she does when she writes while I study, and I'm going to make it fun. I'm going to light candles. I'm going to have a whole ritual around preparation and carve out the time so that I'm not rushed. I want to conduct interviews that move the cultural needle. And I'm not going to give into the noise. I'm staying true to myself. I'm not going to do salacious stuff because this has never been about that.

40:57Danielle:It's always been about improving our lives and building community together, which is also a goal of mine. I don't know if I'm going to launch a WhatsApp group for us or how I'm going to do it. I'm figuring that out. But I'm going to do something because every time I meet you guys, you're like the smartest, coolest group of women. Like you guys need to know each other if that's of interest to you, because I'm wondering like what businesses could be built, what friendships could be created. Like there's so much I think because we all have common interests because I feel that when I talk to you. Number three is the blueprint.

41:31Danielle:So this is actually, I think the first two are really important to warm up and reflect and get into the zone. Step three is your blueprint for the year. So I start out with a mantra or a reminder because the executive coach that I worked with that gave me this changed my life because last year my mantra was the hard part is over. And I sort of had this belief that I had to run myself into the ground in order to make something happen, to deserve it. I had to earn that by truly sweeping the floor. And I was exhausted. And she said, Danielle, you've been doing the work. What if the hard part is over.

42:13Danielle:And I'd never even considered that. And so I wrote it, the hard part is over, the hard part is over. And I finally felt that this year. Not that things weren't hard, but I didn't feel exhausted by the hard. And so the mantra is something not only that sets the tone for your blueprint and for your year, but it's something that you can come back to because it's easy to remember. You can put it on the background of your phone if you want. I actually do that. I change the background of my phone once a year and I do it based on my blueprint, which I'll explain to you in a second. So my mantra this year is I'm worth the sparkle, step into it.

42:51Danielle:And I know that feels like really sort of, I don't know the word sparkle, but here's what I mean. I want to feel like I am worth the first class seat on the airplane. I'm constantly trying to like save money and make things work. And sometimes even with companies, if they'll fly me in business class, I'm like, no, no, no, we can save the money. It's fine. You know, like I don't want to ever put people out and I don't want to be a burden. And I want to feel worth that. I don't know what that is in me. So I'm going to work on that. And I want to feel worth extra help at an event. You know, I want to feel like I worth buying a nice coat.

43:31Danielle:I've been asking myself questions for years and And I feel like I'm really ready to step into some of the answers more and sharing them and saying the thing, like being the person who shares some of the answers. And overall, I'm allowed to want more and to let it in calmly. And I wrote down that I'm not stepping into something new. I'm claiming what's already mine. And I love this idea. I heard Gabby Bernstein say this, that if you look at somebody and you have any sort of like, ooh, that looks nice or like lust or envy, which I think sometimes gets a bad rap. It's not a negative word. It's like, you want that thing because it's already yours.

44:09Danielle:You know in your soul it's meant for you. And so I'm just telling myself that I'm claiming what's already mine. And then the word of the year. I actually thought long and hard about this and I couldn't come up with a word. So I used ChatGPT to help me. And I love the word that me and Chat came up with, which is sovereign. Here's why I think it fits everything I've written so far. Emotionally, spiritually, and strategically. Last year I learned that nothing is personal and so sovereignty is about emotional self-rule. I still feel like I'm overextending myself a little bit and sovereignty is about choosing where your energy goes.

44:47Danielle:I'm finally ready to ask for bigger, bolder things without shrinking and I think sovereignty is not asking for permission. I want partnership and sovereignty can be deciding that I want wholeness without compromise. And I don't mean not compromise in relationship, but compromise what I want and what I'm looking for. I've been convening people, rooms, stories, communities. It's been one of the greatest gifts of the last year. I love it. And sovereignty says that I don't have to do it all myself anymore. It's not about hustle or optimizing. It's saying I choose, I trust myself, I let support in, I take the seat.

45:26Danielle:I don't explain my worth. And one of the words that I used to describe 2025 a few minutes ago was full. And 2026 is going to be sovereign. It's the kind of power that doesn't rush. It lasts, you know? And that's how I think about my career because I'm kind of slow and steady wins the race. I want my career to last a long time. And I guess that's sovereignty, right? And so I actually took this a step further and this isn't in the action plan or the worksheet, but I wrote sort of like a 2026 personal constitution. And this is what I put on the back of my phone. So when I thought of sovereignty, I thought of a crown, right?

46:07Danielle:And I love the Basquiat crown. So I took that yellow Basquiat crown and in Adobe or Canva, you can do this and you just make a new background. So I put the Basquiat crown and then I wrote my constitution on the bottom. which is I choose from wholeness, not urgency. I do not earn my worth. I exercise it. I allow support, pleasure, and partnership without guilt. I take the seat, the space, and the pace that honors me. So if you want to write your personal constitution, I think an image is actually really powerful because you don't always have time when you look down at your phone to like read everything, but the image reminds you of the feeling that you want.

46:45Danielle:And I think that's really cool. So I want sovereignty over my time, my body. I feel like I've paid the price for some of the hustle over the last few years. I had my panels done and I had some high cholesterol. I'm not moving the same way. Workouts are not as great. And I'm getting my health back this year. I am not going to abandon my body. And I want sovereignty over my voice. And so I think one of the ways I'm going to do this is having that morning ritual and really doing that 10 to 15 minute Joe Dispenza work and visualization and making that promise. Because I think also making promises to yourself and keeping them is a really important part of confidence.

47:26Danielle:I want to do that for this. The next part is what do I want to feel like at the end of the year? And this is something I added because a very wise person said to me, you can write down all your goals. You can have all these intentions and do all the things. Say your goal is to feel peaceful and you write down all these intentions and at the end of the year, you're constantly exhausted, overwhelmed, overworked. I don't know that you fulfilled your intention. So I think it's really important to look ahead to the next year and think, what do I want to feel? I actually am not craving peace. I feel like I have a good amount of that right now.

48:04Danielle:What I'm craving is to feel fulfilled, to feel proud of myself personally and professionally. Like I kept my promises. And to have a little more fun this year. I want to feel like I remember my year and remember my life. And I think some of that is like novelty, new memories. And I've moved so many trips that I've planned personally because work comes up and like, I don't want to do that. I want to take the trip. The next part is pick a song to remind you of this. I actually think this is so underratedly important because I'll give you an example. I had to go to a funeral this weekend. It was in Nashville and in order to get this podcast episode edited in time, I had to get it to the editor by a certain date.

48:51Danielle:So if I didn't record it tonight, it wasn't going to happen. And I wasn't in the mood and I have to be in the mood to give it my best. And I always want to give you guys my best. I show up as my best self all the time here because I like do things to put myself in that position for recording. And I chose this song for this year and I put it on. I made some tea with mint and lemon and honey. And I got into the mindset. Just the way like a shower or a bath can switch your mood. A song can switch your mood so quickly. And so if you feel like you are not living up to whatever you've written down, or you're not feeling like yourself, or you want to feel more X, Y, and Z, put your song on.

49:33Danielle:Okay. So my word is sovereignty. I felt like I needed a song that signified power and not power in the gross, selfish way, but power in a way that made me feel emboldened and powerful so I could give my best to everybody. I hate that I chose Power by Kanye West because Kanye West is just truly the grossest anti-Semite and just a horrible person. But this song I loved. I think he's a good musician and the song amped me up. I'm not going to lie. So my dad will probably hate that I chose that song, but I don't know if he listens to my podcast anyways. And I wrote down a few quotes like Toni Morrison, power is not given to you.

50:15Danielle:You have to take it. And then there's an African proverb that says, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. And Simon Sinek says, the moment you understand that you can create more leaders, not more followers, you understand power. This is also not in the action plan because I don't think it's absolutely necessary. If you listen to the podcast, you get extra stuff. But I did write a question to ask myself if I felt conflicted. For instance, one of the things is sovereignty over my time. So I wrote down, say I get an incoming invitation or an email or an obligation?

50:47Danielle:Am I choosing this from alignment or from obligation? Does this expand me or contract me? And in order to say yes or no, I'm going to ask myself those questions.

51:15noodles that can stand up to your favorite chunky sauces. All delicious, crave-worthy, and smart. Each serving of Hero Bread has up to 19 grams of protein and 32 grams of fiber, and just 0 to 5 grams net carbs and 0 grams sugar. Hero Bread bakes with heart-healthy olive oil and delivers the soft, fluffy, flavorful experience you love. Breakfast burritos, schmear-loaded bagels, real mac and cheese. Hero Bread bakes loaves, bagels, and tortillas that don't taste or feel like cardboard. Noodles that don't fall apart in hearty sauces. Plus, limited edition small batch bakes like the 2 grams net carb Hero Croissant or 1 gram net carb Hero Cheddar Biscuit.

51:51Handmade in a Sonoma-based French bakery. Shop now on Hero.co. Use code IHEART for 10 % off. That's Hero.co. Per serving, not a low-calorie food. Some products contain allulose. See nutrition info on Hero.co for sodium and sugar content. When it comes to advancing your education, you have more options than you think. At Rasmussen University, we find ways to remove barriers, not build them. like a new laptop if you're eligible, and enroll in select online or on-campus programs. That means flexible and engaging online courses and resources, tuition savings options if you qualify, exceptional student support, and much more.

52:26Online nationally or check out their 20 campuses across six states. Start when you're ready and get the support you need. Visit rasmussen.edu. Find the family fun you're looking for in Missouri. Whether your crew is searching for this, up for something more like this seeking adventure like this or just really really need something more like this your family will find the perfect vacation in Missouri Missouri it's the getaway that gets all of you plan your family fun at visitmo.com now I'd like to introduce you to meaningful beauty the famed skincare brand created by iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford.

53:12It's her secret to absolutely gorgeous skin. Meaningful Beauty makes powerful and effective skincare simple, and it's loved by millions of women. It's formulated for all ages and all skin tones and types, and it's designed to work as a complete skincare system, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth, and nourished. I recommend starting with Cindy's Full Regiment, which contains all five of her best-selling products, including the amazing Youth Activating Melon Serum. This next-generation serum has the power of Melon Leaf Stem Cell Technology. It's melon leaf stem cells encapsulated for freshness and released onto the skin to support a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles.

53:47With thousands of glowing five-star reviews, why not give it a try? Subscribe today and you can get the amazing Meaningful Beauty system for just$49.95. That includes our introductory five-piece system, free gifts, free shipping, and a 60-day money-back guarantee. All of that available at MeaningfulBeauty.com. This year, it's Pop's turn for a laugh. So celebrate Father's Day with a gift that really pops. A customized Funko Pop of him. First, think of all the things that make your dad the man. Then turn those ideas into a personalized Funko Pop. Select hair, clothing, and skin tone options to match his fit.

54:22Don't forget to show off his favorite hobbies and sports with amazing accessories. You can even add his best friend. Start creating now at Funko.com. Be unique, not anyone else. Express it now. Now just pop yourself. That's Funko.com.

54:42Danielle:Okay, then there's a section to say questions I keep coming back to. And I use this as ways to decipher what you want to do and what you don't want to do. So I'll use myself as an example. I want sovereignty this year. I want sovereignty over my time in particular. So one of the questions I wrote for myself is, does this expand me or contract me? Am I choosing this from alignment or from obligation? That way I have sort of guardrails in place. So I'm not trying to make rash decisions or start over every time I'm trying to make a plan or a decision. Do I want to do this? Do I not? It's much easier when you have a question that you can come back to that sort of gives you that answer every time, you know?

55:26Danielle:Okay, an accountability partner. Do you want one? If so, who will it be? Last year I had one. My friend Rachel was my accountability partner and we sort of petered out. I'm not gonna lie. We were really good at the beginning and then we didn't have check-ins monthly or quarterly. I think this year I don't want one. I'm gonna be my own accountability partner and that's part of my work because I want to keep promises to myself in terms of sovereignty over my time and my body and my commitments, et cetera. And so for me, I want to do that part alone. But a lot of times accountability partners are awesome.

56:02Danielle:And so if you are in the mood for one, do it with somebody. And then celebrations. How will I celebrate milestones along the way? Your brain needs micro wins to build momentum. The next thing is set goals with intention. And you're going to pick three main areas of growth. I'm not going to go into the exact ways that I filled this out because I don't want to bore you guys. But I will tell you that in order to fill this out in the best possible way, I've written down a bunch of different areas. Whichever ones stand out to you immediately, that's what you need to write down. Because that's what your body is telling you is important to you this year.

56:38Danielle:It can be love, finance, career, health, personal development, spiritual growth, relationships, community impact, creativity, adventure, travel, time management, environment, leadership, influence. There's so many different categories. you'll see the three that stand out to you. That is what you need to focus on. And I think it's really important to remember as you're filling this out, writing things down makes them 42 % more likely to happen. Okay? Most people try to change 14 things, 15 things at once. And a great plan asks what are three things that would change everything if I focused on them consistently.

57:15Danielle:We want clarity over volume. Three main buckets per year and I swear you will get so much further. We have the main area of growth and then we put our measure metric, right? So we want systems that will actually work for us because I think willpower dies and systems keep you going. So when you are filling out the steps to create movement and filling out the system part, think about things that you can realistically implement that are going to get you closer to your goal. We have a pie in the sky element. That's not what I'm looking for. I want real steps, right? So here's an example. This is not mine.

57:51Danielle:this year, but if your measurement is financial health, okay, and you have a number, here are steps to realistically create movement. Putting bills on auto transfer, doing X, Y, and Z as a side hustle, like things that you can become disciplined about so that you don't rely on like future you magically making this happen. You're building in rails and practices. I'll chose partnership, love. I chose career and I chose health. So how about I go for health to give you an example. I want to feel hot. I haven't felt hot this year. I felt like old. I'm not going to lie. I looked in the mirror and I'm like, maybe I'm just not hot anymore.

58:37Danielle:And I'm going to get hot again. I'm going to do it. And I'm going to feel healthy. And I care about longevity. I heard Peter Gratia talk about how he's not training for triathlons or marathons anymore. He said he's training for his senior decathlon, his last 10 years of life, his 90s. And that's what I'm training for. I want longevity. I want tone. I want my labs to be good. And my measure metric, I actually went to a specific weight, which I've never done because sometimes that in the past has triggered like not good thoughts for me around food. But I think I can do it this year. That didn't feel icky.

59:14Danielle:So I wrote it down. I wrote, I want to feel strong and I want to feel really good in my workouts. Like I'm making progress and sweating. My measure metric is also going to be my labs. I'm going to get my cholesterol down. And steps to create movement. I hired a nutritionist and not consistently. I don't want to pay for that. I'm going to be honest. I hired one for three sessions and I'm going to get the plan in place. I might do a meal delivery service. I'm working on that. I am working with a trainer and I'm going to be consistent and I'm going to take walks three times a week at night, at least, especially on the days that I don't have a trainer.

59:52And the pie in the sky element, that's like something incredible happens.

59:58Danielle:It actually feels good and isn't hard. That's the pie in the sky. Like it just sort of happens naturally with my goals and my plan in place. And my deadline is not December 31st. My deadline is June 1st, 2026. I think you probably get the picture. So I don't have to share with you necessarily like specific career metrics or partnership metrics, but those are my three. I'll give you a good pie in the sky for partnership. I am really going to try to call it in. and the pie in the sky element is I wake up and I meet him tomorrow. It's easy. It's more than I ever thought I asked for or could find.

1:00:37Danielle:He sweeps me off my feet. That's pie in the sky. It might be harder than that. But I think it's important to put all of that down. So whatever those are for you, make sure that you really think about those. If you don't do anything else, do step three. Step three is your blueprint. Okay. Step four is calendar it. What will you do when? And the reason I have this is based on a lot of things I read with Tony Robbins in particular. If you have big lofty things on your mind and there's sort of the idea of health, partnership, and career, those are all really sort of broad, right? And even though we have steps to create the plan and measure metrics, if you don't put them on a calendar and say, I'm going to do this, like write down when you're going to do things, one, it can get overwhelming because you're like, I can't do this all right away.

1:01:28Danielle:And two, I think what happens honestly is people really overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in five years. So part of calendaring is like, let me not underestimate myself or overestimate and make myself nuts. Let me write down what I want to do when, when I'm going to launch certain card games, because each month can be sort of a focus for you. That part has really helped me. Okay, we're at step five, questions. If this year were your masterpiece, what would you create? For the interest of time, I think I'll just share the most interesting ones. But this is where you've done the hard part.

1:02:10Danielle:Step three and four was the hard part. Step five is living in everything you have just set forth for yourself. So what limiting belief are you ready to let go of? and how will releasing it transform your life? Is there anyone in your life you can offer forgiveness to today? I wrote down everybody I've wronged or have been wronged by. I just want to let it go. I'm like an elephant. I remember everything and I decided this year I'm not going into the new year holding any grudges. I'm at neutral. What areas of your life need decluttering and how can you simplify to create more joy, more space for joy?

1:02:45Danielle:I think you can always declutter. For me this year, I'm going to think about text messages mostly. Last year, I had a big throw out in my closet, which really helped. But this year, I want to declutter technology-wise. What's one way you can step into greater courage in your daily life? What's one thing you've been afraid to say out loud about your dreams? Say it now. Say it out loud even if you're by yourself. One thing that you want to learn, quit, try, have, start, and continue to do. I wrote I want to learn nutrition. I want to fully understand what I'm putting in my body. like macros, micros.

1:03:19Danielle:I don't know any of that. I'm going to learn. One thing I want to quit is wasting time on meetings and calls I don't need to be on. I want to try partnership. I want to have a full team. I want to start feeling worth the next level of stuff, all the good stuff in life. I want to feel worthy of it. And I want to continue to make my parents proud, make myself proud. And I wrote, make money and be a boss ass bitch. So I actually wasn't going to read you that part because I was like, that sounds so crazy, but I promised to be honest. So that's what I wrote. What's one thing you've been putting off that you will accomplish this year?

1:03:55Building question everything into a real brand. I'm going to do that this year. I read some books on branding, on product, on retail, and it's going to happen. And what would happen if you really focused on it. I wrote that the things I want would come to fruition.

1:04:12Danielle:There is nothing stopping me except for me. There is no one standing in my way. There is no person giving me the Heisman saying, don't go left, don't go right. I am the only person stopping me. I'm not stopping me. What does your daily ideal routine look like? This is a really big one for me this year because of that morning routine and my health. So I said, I'm going to wake up at 6 AM. I'm going to make coffee, which means I need to buy a coffee maker because I've been going out to walk and get my coffee. And in order to speed this up, I need to buy a coffee maker. I need to go sit outside or on my couch and do my 15 minute Joe Dispenza visualization.

1:04:48I'm going to work out at 7am and then I'm going to start my day and the mornings are mine.

1:04:53Danielle:I wrote the mornings are mine, period. What boundaries do you need to set or strengthen to protect your energy and peace? What's one change you can make this year to take better care of yourself? Can you raise your standards in any area of your life? I said, yes. You know, this is hard for me. I'll give you the background. I came from a family that doesn't believe in things or stuff. And I still believe that. I'm truly not into things. I don't think they make you happy. I'm never going to be like selling you on a bunch of stuff you don't need. I only share things that really have impacted and improved my life.

1:05:26Danielle:On one side of my family, my grandfather was a depression baby. And on the other side, my grandmother was a Holocaust survivor. And both sides are like, you don't need things, right? Like things can be taken away. It's a waste of money. And I realized that luxury isn't things. That's not what I'm trying to step into. I'm trying to raise the standards in my life in terms of what I'm willing to give myself, part of that worth thing, right? Like when I was at Gloria's house for one of the talking circles, I was sitting right next to her and I was leading, I was moderating and hosting the event. And there was a person that was sitting sort of behind me that I could tell like wasn't totally in the circle.

1:06:10Danielle:And I was going to give up my seat so that she could sit there. And that's very me to do, like that's my first instinct. And then I thought, Danielle, take up space, sit in the seat. She's fine. And that's part of my mantra this year. I'm going to raise the standards for myself and what I feel worthy of. What's one thing you can do this year that your future self will thank you for? I wrote to be brave with my heart. I realized this year that part of my being single and like wanting to be alone actually stemmed from a relationship that I was in in my 20s. It ended, I think I've talked about it on the podcast.

1:06:46Danielle:It like definitely spun me into an acute depression and triggered childhood wounds. Honestly, it was the best and worst thing that could have ever happened to me. I think I was hurt so badly and I was in so much pain that I never wanted to feel that way again. And I've probably avoided relationship because of that. And it seems so obvious saying it out loud, but I didn't realize it. I actually realized it because a friend of mine is going through a hard time. And I went over to her apartment. She was telling me about this guy that she's dating. I think women in particular, people in general, but we see ourselves in other people's experiences.

1:07:23Danielle:And so I was honest with her about my experiences with that guy. And she was like, oh my God, it's the same. There's so many patterns and things that were the same. And as I was telling her about them, I realized how some of it was emotionally abusive and so manipulative. And I just like took a second and was like, whoa, that was hard. And I didn't see it for myself. I saw it in her. And once I saw it in her, I went home and I was like, I need to be brave again. I've taken myself out of the game. What's one thing you want to be able to say you can do a year from now that you can't do yet? I want to run a company and understand the financials in the back end.

1:08:03I understand everything now, but I haven't put everything in practice and in place yet. and I'm going to do that this year. I'm going to learn how to manage a P &L. Okay, name someone who makes you feel seen and understood. What do they do to offer you that? I wrote some of my friends' names, Steve Carlston. He really makes me feel like I'm just good enough being me. Can you replicate any of those things to offer to others? I said absolutely and wrote how. Who in your life will you listen to more attentively this year? I wrote you. And I know that sounds funny. Rick Rubin is a creative that if you haven't read his book called The Creative Act, it's great.

1:08:40His mind is like, build it and they will come. Build, create what you are interested in and people will be interested too. And I've always kind of lived by that. I guess a lot of these podcasts were things I was interested in. I figured you would be too. But our community is big enough now that I think I can get real feedback from you and try to serve you better. And so I'm going to listen to you more attentively. Who do you want to show up for more intentionally in the new year? I wrote my brother and myself. What's one adventure you're going to take this year? I'm going to India. I'm doing it.

1:09:15I'm taking the trip. If next year is a blank page, what is the title of the first chapter? I wrote, welcome to the good life. If your life could look exactly the way you wanted it to a year from now, what would be different? And I said, a little bit more time with my parents. I would have a loving partner that I'm so excited about and obsessed with. Question everything will feel like it's in a different place and thriving and feeding people because I deeply believe in the power of connection. I actually have something fun planned for you guys. I've been doing an intense deep dive and I have some research to share with you and I want to feel like money flows.

1:09:54What's one risk you're willing to take in the coming year to move closer to your dreams. I said I'm willing to be sad and lonely and to go on dates and feel like they're bad. To be brave. Okay, where am I talking about change instead of taking action toward it? I wrote that same place in my love life for sure. Where am I settling for fine when I'm capable of phenomenal brand building? In question everything. I've just not had the bandwidth and I'm going to make it a priority this year. What's one area of your life where you feel called to dream bigger? I said, partnership, give it all to me. Who inspires you?

1:10:33Whose life do you want? This is such an awesome question. I got this from Susie Welch, who is actually going to be on the podcast next week. It's an incredible episode. She's an incredible, inspiring person. She is one of the people whose life looks good to me. And I'll tell you why next week. But I think this is a really cool exercise because I want you to write down what about their life looks good and what about their life you don't want. And if you do three, you can even do six, you are going to see similarities and you're going to understand what you want and why much more clearly and who you are, right?

1:11:06Like I was interested to see that a lot of the women that I wrote down, like I wrote down Eve Rodsky, I wrote down Susie Welch, I wrote down Hillary Clinton, I wrote down one of my mom's friends. And a lot of these women, What they have in common is they are change makers within their communities, making the world a better place, even if my world is small, whatever my world is, what lights me up and is a value of mine or a virtue. And so I knew that about myself, but I actually didn't articulate it. And I didn't know that was a through line until I saw that all these women had it. So write that out for you.

1:11:44Do you admire someone because they're unabashedly themselves? Do you admire someone because they have a book or they've built a community? Whatever it is, like just be honest. Okay, now think about yourself at your 85th birthday. What would make you cry of sadness and break your heart if you realized you never did it? I wrote down kids. Honestly, that answer to my question spurred everything else because that's when I realized that I needed to focus on partnership. I do not want to be crying at my 85th birthday. I want to be celebrating. What would you do this next year if you knew you could not fail?

1:12:19I love this question because the idea of failing is what stops us. It's just so true. If we take that off the table, what would we do? What's one thing I'm doing now that absolutely does not serve the person I'm becoming? And am I willing to release it? I think that second part is really important. Are you willing to release it. I wrote playing small and I am ready to release it. And why am I ready this year? That's the next question because I've earned it. And that was hard for me to write and hard for me to say, but the hard part is over. That's what I'm telling myself. And I'm stepping into the sparkle.

1:12:57So I have gone through mine, my action plan. Before I tell you a story to end this, I'm going to tell you that I looked at my 2025 action plan. It's fun to fill these out every year because you have like a record of everything that happened, all the places you traveled, the people you meet, the hard things you went through because we forget, right? So I've been doing this since 2023, I think. Not this exact action plan, but versions of this. Since 2020, actually. And then this exact action plan the last three years. And I looked at my 2025 one and I hadn't revisited it in a while, which I'm actually going to do more of this year.

1:13:34I'm going to look at my goals more. But I set the intentions in 2025. And some of them haven't come to fruition yet. Because I do think sometimes you set an intention and it takes multiple years to come your way. But some of them did. And I didn't even realize I set the intention. I forgot that I set it. I had something so specific. I had film a Netflix pilot and I did it this year. And I forgot about that. By the way, it's not going anywhere. The pilot's dead. But I filmed it. I forgot that I even said that. And so it's so cool to have a record of what your heart, your body, your subconscious is wanting.

1:14:13And to a year from now, see how you've taken steps towards that sometimes unknowingly. Very, very cool. Okay. I'm going to leave you with two things, a story and then a wish for you. And the story's short. So I've thought about luck a lot. And mostly because I hear a lot of successful people talk about luck. How much of your life is self-determination? How much is happenstance or coincidence or luck? Write that word. And if you feel lucky, do you get more lucky? How does that work? And years ago, I watched David Letterman's interview with Obama. They were talking about luck. And when Obama talks about it, it almost feels like a tool for humility, which I think is beautiful.

1:15:04When I heard him talk about it, that's when I really started thinking about luck in a different way. And the best idea I've ever read about it is from Alex Benayan's book called The Third Door. And he interviewed a ton of successful people about how they became successful. He was on the search for success. And he interviewed this guy, Shi Lu, and she grew up in a rural village outside of Shanghai, China, with no running water or electricity. Like the village was so poor that people suffered deformities from malnutrition. And there were hundreds of kids, but only one school teacher. And at age 27, Shi Lu was making the most money he'd ever earned, which was$7 a month.

1:15:47Okay, at 27. So fast forward 20 years. He's the president of online services at Microsoft. And his story is nearly unbelievable. Like, I don't want to ruin it because Alex's book is so good. But towards the end of the interview, Alex is in near disbelief as so much of she's life seems to have been coincidence or luck. And Alex says to him, like, how do you make sense of all of this? And she says that he believes that it's not completely random. Luck is like a bus. If you miss one, there is always the next one. But if you're not prepared, aka not at the bus station, you won't be able to jump on.

1:16:28We have to put ourselves in positions to get lucky, to be at the bus stop. And if you miss a bus, it's okay. Another one will come. But if you are not at the bus stop, you will never catch one. And that is how I think about luck and my life. And I just think if you remind yourself, luck is like a bus, be at the bus station. that's what this whole action plan is about it's about getting yourself to the bus station I've spoken to definitely over a hundred people from the podcast this year on zooms and google meets and you know virtual stuff and almost everybody that I talk to tells me about something that they want whether it's like a family goal or mostly a career goal we talk about career a lot on the pod which is probably part of it but the thing they come to me with is they say, Danielle, I don't know what I want.

1:17:19I don't know what my purpose is or how to get there. And after I ask a few questions, I realized pretty quickly they know exactly what they want and they just are scared to take the leap, to do the out of the box thing because it's scary. And we all have different childhood stuff that's holding us back, right? I just say this all to say that my wish for you this year is if you want something, go get it. Nobody is standing in your way and you are going to be so proud of yourself. And it can be something so small. You want to better a certain relationship. You want to be a better communicator, a better listener.

1:17:55It can be a virtue or it can be something really fucking big. Whatever that is for you, write it down. Like I said, you're 42 % more likely to make it happen if you write it down. Everybody says so. It's a real stat. And go make it happen. You can do it. I really believe in you. I believe in you the way that I believe in me. If you want it, go get it, guys. I love you. I'm so grateful for you. And I'm wishing you a beautiful, healthy, happy, joyful, adventurous 2026 full of light and full of everything you are craving most. I'll see you next year.

1:18:40Danielle:Okay, you know what time it is. today's a good day to have a good day. I'll see you next week.

1:19:00When it comes to advancing your education, you have more options than you think. At Rasmussen University, we find ways to remove barriers, not build them. Like a new laptop if you're eligible and enroll in select online or on-campus programs. That means flexible and engaging online courses and resources, tuition savings options if you qualify, exceptional student support, and much more. Online nationally or check out their 20 campuses across six states. Start when you're ready and get the support you need. Visit rasmussen.edu. Find the family fun you're looking for in Missouri. Whether your crew is searching for this, up for something more like this.

1:19:40Seeking adventure like this. Or just really, really need something more like this. Your family will find the perfect vacation in Missouri. Missouri, it's the getaway that gets... All of you. Plan your family fun at visitmo.com. Paramount Plus is now the home of all your BET favorites. What? Yeah. With all new episodes of Tyler Perry's Divorce Sisters. You've always liked a little drama. Plus a whole new world of movies like Gladiator 2. Now I will control an empire. Original series like The Chi. Just make sure we protect each other. And live sports like UFC. Welcome to the history books! New home, same family.

1:20:25Your BET favorites are now on Paramount+. Subscribe now. This year, it's Pop's turn for a laugh. So celebrate Father's Day with a gift that really pops. A customized Funko Pop of him. First, think of all the things that make your dad the man. Then turn those ideas into a personalized Funko Pop. Select hair, clothing, and skin tone options to match his fit. Don't forget to show off his favorite hobbies and sports with amazing accessories. You can even add his best friend. Start creating now at Funko.com. Be unique, not anyone else. Express it now. Just pop yourself. That's Funko.com. And now, another appliance triumph from your friends at Grand Appliance.

1:21:06Meet Jan. Her fridge died days before a dinner party, but she didn't panic. I just called my guy at Grand Appliance. He recommended a large capacity GE profile option with fingerprint resistant stainless steel and a convertible middle drawer. I can optimize for meat, beverages, snacks or wine. Best of all, it was in stock and they delivered next day. Another crisis averted by Grand Appliance. Shop GrandAppliance.com to learn more. This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.