The start of the year has yet again proved that we can’t control all of our circumstances, but we get to "choose how we feel" about everything.That is powerful. So this year, let "how you feel" be the driving force to make goals for 2022 and not circumstances. Lets make goals with soul!
Step 1: I want you to choose just 3 aspects of your life that you wish to set as goals for improvement from the "identity list" below. This will be your soul identities for this year. So instead of a goal like I wish to lose x kgs in 6 months, lets focus on "who you will become" by the end of 6 months. For me its becoming an Inner Athlete to improve my health and fitness levels this year.
So go ahead and choose your 3 goals/identities for 2022:
Health & Fitness - The Inner Athlete
Emotional Wellbeing- The Wise One
Relationships- The Lover
Career/Mission- The Queen
Finances/ Freedom- The Adventurer
Spirituality- The Seeker
I asked we narrow down our goals/identity to only 3 aspects of our life because there are more chances of us achieving 3 rather than a long list of 10 which seems overwhelming to achieve by mid-year. Eg. this year I wish to be an Inner Athlete, The Lover and The Queen.
Step 2: "Ignite a deep feeling" - Mindset matters
This is a game-changer. So let me give you an example. One of my 2022 goals is to be an "inner athlete" as mentioned above.That means I need to focus on my health and fitness. Now do I want to start that from a place of feeling inadequate or insecure of not being able to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes or do I want to start that goal from a feeling of aspiration. An aspiration to gain an abundance of energy which I can then bring to my work, my family or to myself. I choose the latter. Whether I am on stage teaching or playing with my baby in the garden, I wish my body to provide me abundance of energy. This is my "deep feeling" or "my why" to create the identity of being an inner athlete this year. This already makes me feel so empowered to begin planning, to start executing from the right mindset. This is the difference. So choose the deep feeling, the empowering "why" behind choosing that identity/goal. Is the feeling like a breath of fresh air? Thats the litmus test that you have the right mindset.
Step 3: What "I will do" to feel "what i want to feel"?
If these two years of the pandemic have taught us anything then its that success cannot be defined by the parameter of productivity alone. Now more than ever success truly means, the path you chose to achieve that productivity. Was the path full of self criticism when you stumbled on roadblocks or did you choose to be " kinder" to yourself as you pursued your goals. We all know how to plan our steps once we have defined our goal/identity for the year. There are hundreds of articles out there on goal breakdown to smaller goals of 3 months, then a month, down to a week to a day. We are smart. We all do it. But what most don't share is that this planning is the easy part, it's how we execute that will make the difference. More importantly, what we do when we fail to execute on a particular day or even a week is what differentiates those who achieve their goals and who don't.
Under the identity I chose this year, under being an inner athlete my goal is to get in movement of some sort for an hour everyday be it weight training, Zumba® or a simple walk in the park. If I miss a day/week (life happens- child falls sick, family member's wedding), Iv decided to be a supportive boss to myself and allow myself that break with grace rather than pulling me down with guilt for missing it. Do you know what happens next when you treat yourself with grace? Simply compare the same situation to your workplace. When you have to take a sudden off from work for a legit reason and your boss is supportive and understanding, you actually get back at it with 2X more energy because you are driven with gratitude rather than guilt. Now compare it to a "not so good boss" who riddled you with guilt on taking an off. When you get back to work you are not only stressed but you may lose the very enthusiasm for it. So are we good bosses or bad ones to ourselves when it comes to executing our goals.
When we choose to react with grace when we face roadblocks in executing our goals, I know we will get back to it with more energy and power because it was fuelled with gratitude and self love.
Hope these insights help you this year to make goals with soul my women! #SuchetaShares