Did you know July 2nd was the mid-point of the year?
Many people like to do mid-year assessments in July – – you know… see what progress you’ve made toward goals you set for yourself last January – – and make adjustments to correct course for the rest of the year. And if you’re feeling stuck in life yet time is flying by, now is a good time to make a fresh start. Because it’s never too late to start again, and who wants to feel like they’ve done nothing and gotten nowhere when January 1st comes around again? The fact is, if you do nothing different now, nothing will be different next January!
Setting Goals
So… did you set any goals last January? Don’t feel bad if you didn’t… or if you did but they’ve fallen by the wayside. That happens to many, many people. In fact, this is the FIRST year I’ve been able to set some goals for things I really want to do and am actually making progress toward achieving them! Although to be honest, I kinda forgot about one of my goals – to clear some clutter – and I need to recommit!
But it’s not too late to take a mid-year pause and set some goals to work towards for the rest of the year. Even small changes you make now will add up to big changes if you keep at it!
How do you set meaningful, achievable goals? And How do you do it if you don’t know what you want?
I was never able to set and achieve meaningful goals in the past because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I would pick some goals I thought I should go after… but inevitably my efforts petered out… and I would give up… and then feel bad about myself. And another year would roll on by with no progress made. Does that sound familiar to you?
Why is this year turning out differently?? Because I finally learned the secret to setting goals and understand a process for achieving them. And I want to share this info with you in the hopes it will help you get unstuck and moving in a positive direction. And when you’re setting goals for NEXT year, this December, you’ll be able to look back on this year and feel great about what you’ve achieved!
So…this week, I’ll talk about the secret. Next time – – it’ll be the process.
The Secret
If you’re feeling lost and your year is racing by, and you’re feeling stuck and like you’re getting nowhere…what can you do to make sure next year will be different?
The secret is short to say but takes time to really understand and do.
Here it is:
To make positive change in your life you have to figure out what you REALLY want, DEEP DOWN IN YOUR HEART. Get clear on WHAT you want and WHY you want it! Once you know that you can make a plan to get there.
Yeah, I know…that sounds simplistic… and I’m sure you’ve heard it before. I know I heard it a million times… but I never really understood it.
It means you have to look deeply into your heart, your soul, your inner secret self and FEEL what you really want. Yes…it sounds a little “Woo Woo,” but hear me out. Stop listening to what other people are doing, or what they say you should be doing, or what you think you should be doing. They may mean well…but they are not you. You have to follow your own heart, listen to that “still, small voice” inside yourself. You have to listen to the “song within the silence” to feel what you want, and why. (Thanks to Idina Menzel for creating that beautiful imagery in her song, December Prayer.)
Your Pain Is A Beacon
To hear what your inner voice is telling you takes time and quiet, self-reflection. Life is so busy – – and many people just don’t stop and sit quietly with themselves. It does take some courage…but you are stronger and braver than you think. Just give it a try. Meditation is one way to do it. Prayer can be another. Music can lead you there, too. (That Idina Menzel song I mentioned reeeallly helped me!) Whichever approach you use, and you may use more than one, pay attention to where your pain is. What brings up tears? Or fear? Or anger? Or any strong emotion? Your pain is a beacon that will tell you what needs attending.
Your Assignment
The next article where I’ll teach you a process for setting and achieving your goals will come out in 2 weeks. In the meantime, I want you to take some time every day to sit quietly by yourself and look within to see what areas of your life you would like to focus on. Spend as much time as you can on this exercise, but at least 10 minutes a day. Use this worksheet I’ve created for you – – it’s free – – Click the button below to get it. Fill it out by feeling what your heart wants as you consider each area. Write your notes on the note pages. We will refer to this “Aspects of Life” exercise in the next article.
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