The New Trend in Goal Setting, and My Words for 2014
This is a hot time of year to talk about New Year’s Resolutions. {Duh, I know.} I, for one, will not be making any New Year’s Resolutions.
You might even hear people telling you how to “manifest” what you want in 2014. {Puke. Gross. More on that in an upcoming blog post.}
Don’t get me wrong. I believe that we are capable of making meaningful changes in our lives when we have clear intentions and put the effort in. I just don’t find that setting goals from the outside in will lead to any real changes, let alone true happiness.
There is a trend in goal setting that I have found quite helpful in my life. Spearheaded by Danielle LaPorte among many others, this way of setting goals start with and is intended to support deep inner work.
The suggestion is to avoid goals and resolutions like, “I will lose 15 pounds” “I will workout 6 days a week” “I will pay off my credit card debt” “I will leave work at 6pm everyday” etc etc.
Instead it is recommended to do some inner listening and get a sense for how you would like to feel. It is from this deeper awareness of what we are desiring on a visceral level that we can create “solutions” that are more aligned with what will actually make us happy.
After spending some time in meditation on this {and reviewing my wildly overbooked fall calendar} I have come up with two words that I would like to guide the winter and spring of 2014.
My words for 2014 are:: SPACIOUS and CONSISTENT.
This will require changes in my schedule, my work/life balance, and my home. I know that at least one of the changes that will be necessary to live by these two words is I must start saying no to things. It will require I say no to clients, work opportunities, and social obligations. It will mostly require that I get more clear on my actual priorities. It is a blessed problem to have, but this is something I struggle with quite a lot. There are so many friends, projects, clients, and activities in my life I feel excited about, and I want every single thing to be a First Priority.
If I had sat down to write out some major goals for 2014 I never would have written down Say No To Way More Stuff, but when I really listened to myself, it is undeniable. I need more space and more consistency in my schedule and my life.
What are YOUR words for 2014??