It’s the start of 2017, which means that you’re probably trying to set new goals for your personal and professional life, But before you do that, take a minute and think: did you achieve your goals from last year?
If the answer is no, why not?
(note: it's okay if you didn't!)
So often we set goals for ourselves with good intentions, but we don’t come up with a realistic plan on how we’re going to get there. In 2012, Time Magazine published a list of the Top 10 Commonly Broken New Year’s Resolutions:
Lost weight and get fit
Quit smoking
Learn something new
Eat healthier and diet
Get out of debt and save money
Spend more time with family
Travel to new places
Be less stressed
Volunteer
Drink less
What do you notice about these resolutions? For me, each item on this list stems from a wish. “I wish I weighed less, so my goal is to lose weight”; “I wish I were healthier, so my goal is to diet”; “I wish I were smarter, so my goal is to learn something new”. Each resolution is formed with the intention of bettering one’s self, but there’s no plan laid out.
I’m going to sidebar for a moment and talk about wishes. Wishes are both wonderful and incredibly dangerous. It’s great to have optimism and want the best in every aspect of your life; but without planning and taking action, wishes remain just that: wishes. And an unfulfilled wish often leads to disappointment and resentment – which then leads to more wishing for more things that you can’t seem to achieve.
So the key word of this post is planning. In order to effectively set achievable goals, you have to plan. Take, for example, number 4: Eat healthier and diet. Sure, most of us wish that we ate healthier - but that’s a pretty broad goal. Does eating healthier for you mean reducing your intake of carbs? Then maybe your goal should be to cut out Friday Night Pizza, or reduce it to a once-a-month treat. Maybe you want to look into meal-prep (see: The Little Honey Bee), or start shopping local and in-season. Whatever your intention, there has to be a realistic and thought-out plan behind it. Too often set these wish-like goals and go all-in for a few weeks, only to give up when quick results aren't achieved. Allow yourself to be eased in; it might take more time, but you won't be left feeling unfulfilled.
The goal on this list that most concerns me is number 8: Be less stressed. How can you just will yourself to be less stressed? We are busy, professional, working women. For many of us, stress has become our reality, so we know: you can’t just wish for stress to be gone and poof! It’s gone! You have to reflect, plan, and take action. What makes you feel stressed? What makes you feel calm? What steps can take to reduce stress in your work/home life?
Make sure that your plan is realistic. Lots of people turn to yoga and meditation as stress relievers – but if you’re not someone who finds peace in exploring your thoughts or holding unusual poses, then don’t include yoga as part of your plan! You can’t force yourself to enjoy something that you simply are not interested in – and that’s okay. Maybe you need to set aside time at the end of each day to read just one chapter in a book; maybe you allow yourself to watch an episode of your favorite TV show; start journaling; reading the newspaper; taking a walk during lunch; making lists; etc. Do what works for you!
Then, take action. If you have to set a calendar reminder, do it! And remember: it’s okay if your goals change and evolve over the year. It’s okay if you don’t achieve them as fast as expected. It’s okay to struggle and get upset – the most important part is picking yourself back up and carrying on. You can do it!
So: what are your goals for 2017? How are you going to achieve them?
If you need any help planning, staying on track, getting organized, etc., here are some great tools to get you started:
VeryErin: How to Set Goals You Can Achieve
Daily, weekly, and monthly planning: Bullet Journal
To-do lists and setting priorities: Trello
Keeping and achieving goals: stickK
Money management: Mint
Diet and fitness tracking: MyFitnessPal
Volunteering opportunities: VolunteerMatch
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