Resolution Renegade

I'm getting crazy in 2016. I refuse to set resolutions. Not gonna do it! Something about that word just sounds too stiff for me. Too inflexible. What if I fail? Is my whole year ruined? It's just to much pressure!!!!

OK, to be fair I'm not getting THAT crazy. I have set goals. Now that's something I can get behind. Why? Because setting goals gives us touchpoints in life, something to shoot for. Goal setting is so easy when we are young, right?! School always seems to give a framework for one goal after another, and constant recognition for the goal-oriented student (and I was/am).

After graduation, I had professional goals, but my personal goals started dying out as life got busier and busier. Once I had children, I didn't set goals at all - it honestly didn't even occur to me. For several years I poured all of my energy into babies, keeping said babies alive, the process of pregnancy and NOT falling asleep on my feet 10 times a day.

Last year when I began this journey of getting back to my best life, I realized that I hadn't set any goals in YEARS. Year after year, I would just resign myself to getting through the days and not really having any kind of ambition for myself because as a mom that's just not possible, right?! Wrong. Goal setting doesn't have to be a big deal, nor does it need to take a ton of time. In fact, I'd say it can even be done for the sleep deprived among us, albeit on a more modest scale.

Below are my top five ways to set goals and make it your best year yet:

1. Focus:  Sit down, find some quiet and focus on thinking about what you want for the next year. If you are like me and used to multitasking and flitting from one thing to another, this task will be surprisingly difficult. It's worth it though, I promise. Give yourself a timeframe - 10, 15 minutes, and shut down social media, and all other distractions. Get out a nice notebook, light a candle, make a calming environment for yourself and write everything that comes to your mind - think BIG and don't limit yourself!!!
2. Ask questions: There are a few key ways to discover your goals. Use these questions to discover your passions and what you might want to do with yourself this year. Here are a few questions I ask myself: - What are the 5 most important values in my life right now? - What would I do if I only had 3 months to live? - What do I enjoy doing more than anything else? - What did I love as a child? - If I won the lottery today and had all the money I needed, what would I do?
3. Set goals for the life you want, not the life you have: This is all part of the visualization process. Setting goals should be all about trying to get to the place we WANT to be, not where we are now. Can that feel uncomfortable? Yes, it actually should feel a bit strange, but also give you a twinge of excitement - that's how you know it's a keeper!
4. Set priorities and deadlines: Now that you have a list of amazing, inspiring goals it's necessary to set some priorities. In order to be successful, it's necessary to do the hard work of deciding exactly which accomplishment should come first, and when. Once you do this you will be well on your way to establishing a plan!
5. Create an action plan: Take your goals and priorities and really map out the steps for getting the it done. This means really looking at each goal on a micro level and determining the steps you will need to take to make it happen. Do you need to get up earlier each day? Work harder at night? Get more organized? Whatever it is, an action plan will really help you get specific.
6. Bonus: Don't be afraid to change your goals!!! This one is so important. Goals should NEVER be set in stone. There is a saying that I love called "fail forward". Don't be afraid to fail in the pursuit of your goals and adjust them as you go along. If we never fail, and if we never try then we will never know the beauty and magic of getting what we want in life. The beauty lies in the pursuit of goals, not in the achieving.

The way to make things happen in life is to pursue goals. I love dreams, but it's rare they will come true without deliberate effort toward making it so. Values help determine our decisions and guide our lives. The closer we can get to reaching our goals, the more we can get into a cycle of positivity, success, and energy. Cheers to an amazing 2016, and living your best life.

Comment below with your goals, I want to hear!