How many times has this happened? You start the year pumped about all the things you’re going to accomplish and by mid-February, you feel deflated and overwhelmed? You just noticed that January 18th was Blue Monday, apparently the most depressing day of the year, and you are ready to abandon your intentions, goals, or resolutions.
Better yet? You are one of the many that decided to forgo setting goals this year, probably thinking what’s the point! Understandably, with how 2020 turned out, I don’t blame you.
But I want to challenge you to set some goals anyway, but maybe in a different way.
Setting Goals in 2021
Goals or intentions don’t have to be these grandiose ideas to have a powerful effect on our lives. You don’t have to write your first novel, learn a new language and reorganize your whole house in the same (pandemic) year to have success.
Actually, the accumulation of small actions over time is often guaranteed to make you feel like you’re making progress. I’m a big believer in the wonders of consistent baby steps. Truly, it’s the only way I get anything accomplished.
So, maybe you didn’t set goals yet and you feel uninspired. How about creating a list of fun To-Dos in 2021 instead? Challenge yourself to find 21 new things to do, learn or experience in 2021. God knows we all need positive projects to look forward to.
No Goal Is Too Small
You might be more after a feeling than a precise goal this year. Let’s say you want your life to feel more simple. That’s a great start! Your resolutions for the year could be small changes you could implement to feel that way more often, like:
- Taking 2 minutes to sort mail each day so it doesn’t pile up;
- Saying no to any invitations or obligations for one evening per week, to be enjoyed however you like;
- Or any other small change that would have a significant impact.
One of my personal goals this year is to find ways to celebrate turning 50 in March. Not an obvious task with social distancing and travel restrictions, but I keep thinking not everyone has the privilege to get to this age, so I want to celebrate that, even if only in small doses.
Your goals could be as small as enjoying this slower season of life (take time to rest when you need to); getting your Work from Home setup cute and comfortable (because who knows how long it’s going to be); experimenting with a capsule wardrobe (and up-leveling your stay at home style), or getting your junk drawers finally sorted.
If any of this appeals to you and you want someone in your corner to guide you, cheer you on, and keep you accountable, you landed in the right place and we could work together to get those things done.
Reminders
However you decide to go about it, however small your goals are, make them front and centre. I always find visual reminders the best way to be reminded of the mini promises I make to myself (AKA goals).
Your reminders can be as simple as a post-it note on your bathroom mirror with your goal written on it, or a selfie of you holding the post-it as your wallpaper on your phone. All reminders are good, as long as you notice them.
I like to create a vision board for my intentions. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, it could be a Pinterest Board, magazine clips glued to a piece of cardboard or a collage like this one I created on Canva. As long as it’s something fun you enjoy doing.
Feel Ready to Go Further?
You’ve read this far? Maybe you’re more into goals than you give yourself credit for 😉 .
Wouldn’t it be great if you had ready made tools to get you started?
TADAAA! Here are three free cheat sheets to get you thinking about your goals.
Whether you read this in January, in the middle of July, or on a blah rainy Thursday morning, I want you to know I truly believe there is no “perfect“ time to set a goal or start with a clean slate. No need to wait for January 1st, or for Monday, or for when you have your shit together. Every day can be a new start for you, even during a pandemic.
So go ahead, set some goals, get started!
If you liked this post, I think you may also enjoy this one on How to Make Your Resolutions Stick.
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