Ahhh, it’s still January … and, you may be working on fulfilling those promises you made to yourself. Now that you look back on them, were you asking too much of yourself? Could you, should you, would you lessen the outcomes you so confidently stated way back then?
Typically, I avoid the New Year resolution phase altogether – I don’t want to be mad at myself before I can barely get out the gate. What? No more sugar, commonly called Tiramisu, Crème Brulee and other delicious names?
But, guess what? I actually did make a resolution for 2018. I tweaked it all by resolving to resolve only on a daily basis …Voila! I decided to make short-term commitments to myself by taking whatever it is I want to be/do or not be/do one-bite-sized-step at a time! Wow, what a relief. I don’t have to imagine being without or making some challenging promise for 3 to 6 or even 12 months at a time. Promises for a 24-hour period sound so much more doable.
Yep! I CAN do that, and so can you. The key is to declare some kind of intentions and goals in at least 3 areas of life that help improve quality of life. You can still choose to have an accountability partner (“Dear BFF, this past week I kept all but two of my daily promises to myself – I’m so proud and feel wonderful, I want more of these kind of results!”)
Seriously though, just think about it. Most of us feel more in control of a 24-hr period of time than we do projecting forward for 3 months. And, as you begin to see improvements, it fuels you to keep moving forward.
As I prepare this blog at the beginning of January 2018, I’ve been in Utrecht, The Netherlands since December 23, 2017. I’ve been in the gym (don’t like gyms) or walked (my can do choice) every day since I arrived – and yes, I do see a difference. Each day I’ve simply stated a goal to be more ____ by
doing ____.
Go on; try it. Fill in the blanks and see how it makes you feel. One of mine is “I will be a better communicator within our community by writing a little each day”. Brilliant.
You can define as many of these steps forward as you choose. It’s like mapping your way on a journey.
Why not take more control over how you get there?
Journeys are easier to navigate if you’re clearer about where you’re actually going.
Back in 2015, when I walked 192 miles across England with
my earth-son William and friend, Jodi, we knew each and every day where we needed to be. It took 13 tough days of trekking. Although we mostly kept our eyes on each day’s goals, we knew what our ultimate result was intended to be. We knew where we were headed and believed we could get there one
determined and intentional day at a time.
See my recent, related blog post Looking Out to the Steps Right in Front of You.
I hope my resolution helps you gain more clarity on how to achieve the goals you’ve set. Drop me a line and do let me know if this simple shift in approach makes your desire of moving from where you are to where you want to be just a little bit easier and far less intimidating.
Keep walking,
