CONSISTENCY WITH GOALS

Here we are, mid-January already!  Are you like me, with a journal (or random pages) with scribbled goals, dreams, and ideas for 2020 running off the edges of the pages?

I LOVE setting goals, but I REALLY love reaching them.  And we ALL will struggle at times with goals that are already dying or dead by February.  Maybe the goal was too lofty, rushed, or just something we want really bad. Or, it’s often a lack of actually having a plan and a direction, and our goals stop dead in their tracks. 

But we don’t want that to happen to us, right?  Let’s also be aware that this isn’t about perfection and every single goal beautifully working out….sometimes the timing just isn’t right, and that’s ok too!

But if you are ready, and you want to stick with more of your goals this year, let’s break it down with some easy tips to help keep us on track.

5 Ways to Stick with Your Goals in 2020:

1.  Keep it SIMPLE.  Make sure your goals are realistic and something that you know that you can do if you dedicate yourself to it.  For example, if you’ve never ran a mile a day in your adult life, it’s probably not gonna be helpful for you to set a goal to run 5 miles every day.  You would psych yourself out and never step out the door. So make your goal to just run everyday.  Just run. You’ll benefit so much more by sticking with this simple goal than setting one that you are destined to fail at out of the gate.

2.  WRITE it down.  Write it everywhere.  In your day planner, on your mirror, on your refrigerator, etc.  Look at it with excitement. Know that you can do it. Do a check in every day to purposefully SEE your goal so you are reminded that at one time there was a reason you chose this goal!

3.  Speak POSITIVELY about your goal.  Friends, it saddens me when I hear the heart of a person and something that is so important to them.  But I hear them speak negativity and death over that goal every day. It may seem silly to you that our words hold so much power and strength…but they do.  Our minds believe that our mouths say. Our mind listens to the things we repeat and our brains are programmed to make that happen. So you can speak LIFE or DEATH.  Instead of complaining and speaking frustration over how hard this goal is or how miserably you are failing, instead say: “This goal is FOR me. Tomorrow I will wake up and _________ and feel so thankful for the opportunity to start again and change this part of my life for the better.  I will succeed and grow.”

4.   Be careful with your COMPANY.  Nothing has negatively affected my spirit and drive more than people who discouraged me, spoke negatively of my ideas and goals, and drained the good energy I was excited about.  You get to choose who you let speak into your life, friend. If someone’s words and energy isn’t serving you well, put up safe boundaries for yourself. There is nothing wrong with that, even if it’s people you can’t avoid spending time with.  You don’t have to share your ideas and dreams with people who will try to squash them. These goals are yours and were brought to you for a reason. Surround yourself with like-minded people who will encourage you, uplift you, pray for you, and laugh with you when needed.  And then you be the friend that does the same!

5.   REWARD yourself.  We are all wired different, so make sure this is something that motivates you personally.  Maybe a reward for you is that you’ll go for a long walk alone if you get ____ done today. Think about this and let it be fun for you!  As busy women, we often forget to figure in some playtime for us, and that’s so important whether we realize we need it or not. Eventually you will….don’t wait!  Celebrate all along the way, not just when you’ve reached the end.

I hope this encourages you today!  You’ve got this, I am cheering you on!  

Don’t forget to breathe, enjoy life, take breaks, and give yourself so much grace everyday!  Life is truly a vapor. The sun comes up and the sun sets every single day, and everything is ok.  Remember you are worthy of love and peace over your life. Wake up and receive it, walk confidently into your day and restfully into your night.