Hello and happy 2020! In case you hadn’t guessed, I fall into the camp of people that love to see a new year as a great opportunity for self-growth, and setting realistic intentions for the year ahead is a huge part of that. Towards the tail end of the last year, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to accomplish over the next 12 months. Personally and professionally – it’s really important to push ourselves and move our growth towards things we want to be achieving in the years to follow.
Something I used to do, that I try to scale back from now, is setting unachievable goals. Things that are too grandiose, or put too much pressure on myself to either begin or bail on my plans. Now, I focus on what little actions can move the lever and today I wanted to talk about what I’m focusing on this year.
Take the Pressure Out of Goal-Setting
It can be so easy to allow yourself to be swept up and decide that you need to set these extreme goals for the next year. Whether for your health, your lifestyle or your budget. Goal setting is something that can become unhealthy very quickly, so I advise to really focus on not surmounting yourself with pressure from unrealistic goals.
Look at what you’re already achieving, and try to take it up a notch or two. Focus on accomplishing tasks that can be done, but may set your life onto the path that you’ve intended for a while.
Focus on Realistic Intentions
Through focusing on realistic intentions, rather than those that can be quite unnerving or extreme, it helps motivate you to move the needle each and every day. Whether you can commit 5 minutes a day to your task, or 5 minutes a week, laying out what can and can’t be done over the next 12 months is the key to a happier new year (and not one where you’re stressing about what needs to be done, before its even begun!).
Visualise the Next 12 Months Like the Last
Not sure what is and is not realistic? I recommend thinking about the last 12 months. Perhaps your goals that you set last January, too. What did you accomplish? How much time did you have to set aside for your goals, and how easy was it to take steps towards your personal growth and discovery?
Use the last 12 months as a marker for what you can realistically accomplish this year, and let that inform your decisions when setting intentions for the next 12.
Consider a Pivot You Want to Accomplish This Year
Pivoting is a great thing in life. To have your fingers in pies, your eggs in separate baskets. Is there anything new you want to incorporate into your life? Perhaps creating a new stream of income, or finding a new hobby that will generate joy. Is there anything that you’ve been wanting to do for ages, but the immensity of it may be intimidating, like learning a language?
Focus on the little steps between now and then where you can create a path to pivot down to give space and chance for new experiences, excitement and enlightenment into your life.
Keep Your Mental Health in Mind
Regardless of your plans, always keep your mental health in mind. Whether you’re taking large or small steps, make sure that you don’t overload yourself and you give space for your mental health. At the end of the day, that’s the most important goal of all for us in the next 12 months.
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