How are those New Year’s resolutions going?
Did you start your year with a plan? Are you making great progress, or have you hit your goals already?
Or was your list so long you still haven’t managed to start? Or perhaps you made a start but you’ve given up?
We’ve all been there…I cringe when I remember some of the goals I’ve created for myself over the years – big targets to smash and usually during January! Lose half a stone, launch a new business, have a spotlessly clean house – you know the kind of small goals I mean! I’ve learnt a lot along the way so here’s some thoughts that you might find helpful this January.
Reflect and celebrate
Every day can be a new start and each month brings another opportunity to reflect and consider where you are and where you’d like to go. So if your January doesn’t quite go to plan, say hello to February and take some time to reflect and celebrate all that’s good in your life.
Think back over the last year…
What are you most proud of?
What moments made you smile?
What have you achieved?
These can be as big or as small as you like.
Visualise a happy future
Now spend some time thinking about how you’d like your life to look in the future – by this time next year where would you like to be? What will you be doing? How much of your time will be spent on different areas of your life? How does work, family, fun fit in?
Plan the steps to get there
Once you have a picture in your mind, ask yourself what 10 things you could do to get there. Now narrow that down to the top 3 things that will make the biggest difference.
Do you need to break these 3 things down further into smaller steps? Be realistic about what you have time to do and always add in more time than you think you will need at this planning stage.
Work out the details
When you will carry out the steps?
How will you know when you have been successful?
Remember you have a whole year to gradually move towards your happy future so break the steps down and take it steady.
Be prepared for the bumps
What might derail you?
What steps could you put in place now
Who could help you achieve your steps and keep you motivated?
Commit it all to paper
But think creatively! You don’t have to write out a big list of all of your goals if that doesn’t fit with your preferred way of working.
You could draw a picture of your vision – as detailed and colourful as you like.
Or try writing a letter from your future self – imagine you are there, a year from now writing to yourself today to explain where you are, how you feel, what has happened over the last year and so on.
But remember all of this planning and working towards your future should be enjoyable – don’t constrain yourself by your goals so much that you forget to enjoy the present moment.
A card given to me by a wonderful coach and mentor reminds me daily to “do what I love and do it often”.
Good luck and enjoy the start of 2018!
Emma