Goal Setting Journey

Goal setting is the process of deciding what you want to accomplish and devising a plan to achieve the desired results.

I remember thinking that this was the year I would finally figure out this whole goal setting process and by the end of the year goal setting would have become easier and a regular part of my life. Well, I haven't quite had the results I had anticipated and yet I have learned some very important lessons along the way.

A big part of my resistance to setting goals was my perception of the structure, hard work and a lack of excitement required to stay on track and succeed. I also know that I never really realized the benefits that can come from not always succeeding.  Not reaching our goals can provide greater gifts and ultimate success in unexpected ways than actually completing the goal itself. And yet without setting goals and attempting to complete those goals, nothing is gained.

One of my biggest take aways this year when if comes to goal setting is I need to have some balance when determining what my goals are going to be. I'm not someone that can continually check off the same boxes year after year. In order to be successful at consistently checking those boxes, I also need goals that are fun and feed my creative side while still providing meaning and purpose.

When I think about setting goals I still find the process to be a little bit scary. Although I now feel better equipped to plan and execute the goals I set for myself as well as a bit of excitement for where the journey will take me.

Failure is an amazing bonus, but only if you take the time to reflect and learn from the experience.   


Namaste,

Michele Ward




















Goal setting is the process of deciding what you want to accomplish and devising a plan to achieve the result you desire.

Regret

Regret is not a place I visit very often, but every once in awhile I find myself teetering on the edge of regret. I had a couple of days this past week where I really struggled with regret. I had to remind myself that the decisions I've made over the past year have been made consciously. I consciously chose to scale back on activities that cause extra anxiety in order to protect my mental health. My goal had been to maintain a healthy balance of working outside my comfort zone and also recognizing when to scale back.

My regret comes from all I have missed this past year and where I could be right now if I hadn't allowed anxiety and fear to take over. It can be very easy to get caught up in the what ifs, forgetting to appreciate all that has been accomplished. We don't have any control over the past and regret only slows us down, keeping us from moving forward. Recognizing where the regret is coming from and how we can learn from the experience is a step in the right direction. And sometimes we just have to be ok with the choices we have made because they were right for us at the time.

What if, where you are at is exactly where you should be even if it doesn't look the way you thought it would?



Namaste, Michele Ward

Expectations

This past week I have found myself evaluating my expectations of people around me and of certain situations. When something doesn't go the way you expect or think it should negative thoughts can grab a hold. Those negative thoughts then have a tendency to linger and redirect your focus and energy from where it needs to be.

Thankfully I have been aware of a few of these moments which had different outcomes or timelines than expected throughout the week. When those negative thoughts pop in I put the brakes on and ask myself instead what lessons/gifts can I learn and take away from this experience. Oftentimes those lessons can require some redirection and extra effort and that is where the gifts come in. It can be a bit of a battle overcoming those negative thoughts, but if I keep looking for the opportunities being presented and do the work required, the benefits could be amazing!

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Recognizing the Signs

I've learned to recognize the signs indicating an accumulation of stress, anxiety and work overload. Firstly my inner squirrel threatens to run around in circles and then my imagination becomes overactive and not in a good way. I find myself thinking and worrying about crazy scenarios that don't exist.

So what do I do? Firstly I calm the squirrel by focusing on one thing at a time. I don't let him loose and when he does get away, I bring him back in. I am learning to prioritize and make lists so that nothing gets forgotten, except when I forget to add something to the list. Oops! It's a work in progress. I am also starting to do more meal planning and prep to help during those crazy days as well. Doing this also helps reduce some worry and stress. Sometimes in the moment I just have to say to myself:  "It's okay, you can do this!"

When it comes to my overactive imagination, I recognize the negative places my mind is taking me and I just say to myself "thinking!" There are times when I need to use the word more than once when my imagination is especially persistent. I learned the power of this simple word from a book I had read many years ago and it does help. When a persons mind takes them in a negative direction, using the word "thinking" acts as a positive stop and a redirection.

We don't have control over everything, but we do have control over more than we realize. Recognizing when to step back, when to say no and when it makes sense to add extras in. It is all about learning what makes sense for you and those around you. It's about progressing wisely and making smart choices! 

Namaste,

Michele Ward