Big Practical Goals Inspire Me More Than Resolutions

You did it! You survived 2020! Now what are you going to do next? What goals do you have for 2021?

It’s that time of the year when we’re all thinking about the new year. We made it through most of the holiday season. Hooray!  And it’s time to start thinking about our own lives again. Many of you make resolutions to start off the new year with a direction. Some of you just don’t bother with this activity. And, some of you skip resolutions and set goals instead.  Whichever camp you fall into, the new year will be here in a few days.  What will you choose to do this year?

Goals or resolutions?

For most of my life, I’ve tended toward not making resolutions. However, in the past few years, I’ve been setting goals instead of resolutions. While a goal and a resolution are similar, my mind likes the idea of a goal better. To me a goal is more specific. I have something that I want to work toward and achieve. With a goal I tend to make a plan and it’s more realistic. I might take my time getting to the goal but the goal is still what I’m moving towards.

When I make a resolution, it tends to be more vague and its something that I might or might not do. Once I don’t follow through with a resolution, then I have little desire to try again. It’s broken and I’m ready to move on. I don’t really feel bad about it but I’m not really motivated to try again. I break the resolution and just move on to something else.

In contrast, since I’m someone who is fairly self-motivated, goals work well for me. I have something to work towards. I might make really good progress for a while and then not so well for a while. Good progress or not, it really doesn’t matter because I have the goal that I’m working towards.  When I fall out of a habit, then I can simply start my progress towards it again.  I’m always moving forward.  However, when I don’t follow through with a resolution, I just give up.

Hello 2021!! We’ve been waiting for you!

So, now that we are heading into 2021, I’m again in the process of setting some goals for myself.  As the years have gone by my goals have certainly shifted.  Now that I’m an empty nester, I find that I’m setting goals for myself more than I set for my family as a whole.  It’s refreshing to be focusing on myself again.  I love being a mom, but I have to take care of myself as well.  I didn’t always do that when my kids were younger.  So, now I have the chance to do the things that lift me up and help me to grow in ways that will serve both myself and others.

I’m excited about the new direction that I’m taking.

I’m eager to see where I’ll be this time next year.  The goals that I set over the next few days will help to guide me forward.

Even if I find that I don’t achieve all of my goals, that will still be okay.  Just the act of setting my goals motivates me to try and do or be something that I wasn’t doing or being in the past.

I might even find that my goals shift some during the year.  They sure did in 2020! That’s okay too.  I’m still using my goals to direct my actions.  Every time I stray from a path that is leading me towards a goal, then I have the chance to either come back to that path or change my goal.  Those goals guide me in one way or another.

So, as you move into this new year, consider setting some goals for yourself.  Let them shift and change as they need to change.  Whatever you do, keep moving forward towards your goals one step at a time.

Setting goals doesn’t come naturally to every one. If you need help setting some goals, then it might be time for some Life Mentoring.  Click here to schedule a Life Mentoring session with me. We’ll work together to help you create some big goals for you as well.

Wishing you all a Happy & Healthy 2021!

Love & hugs,

Becky