It is time for many to think about resolutions and new goals and changing lifestyles. It is a popular time to set goals as the calendar changes, and the new year is quickly approaching. Before you look to a #newyearnewyou take time to reflect on 2015. Even if you didn’t set goals for 2015, it is important to see where you went right and where you can improve. Most people cannot make overhauling changes all at once, so your goals need to be realistic. A fresh calendar is not enough for most people to make changes, and reflecting on the past can help us create a better future. At the end of 2014, I sat down and journaled, the good and the bad of the year. From there, I set out 15 major goals to achieve in 2015. Those goals hang by the light switch in my office. Everyday I can see them and evaluate if may actions are bringing me closer to my goals or if my actions are just keeping me busy.
In September, my mentor encouraged us to re-evaluate our goals and change them as needed. One goal was to spend with a friend in Chicago. She didn’t get to come up this way, and another friend did, so I changed the name. My family had a great visit with the Kinsey family, and we got to see a lot of Chicago together. Another goal was to visit a friend in Kentucky for a weekend. By September, I knew it wasn’t in the cards so I totally changed it to running the Hot Chocolate 15K. I trained and completed the race, which was a huge accomplishment for me. Now it is time to make my Sweet Sixteen. I have chosen my 2016 mantra to be Intentional. I am not sure I will create 16 Intentional goals. Maybe I will do just a handful, with the rest of my 16 being more bucket list items.
Bad habits are easier to abandon today than tomorrow. Yiddish Proverb
How true is that? If you do what you can today, with what you have, it will make taking those same actions tomorrow that much easier. Whether you choose to act on good habits or bad is up entirely to you. So once you have reflected on what your life’s story has included the last 365 days, create a framework for the next 365. And remember, most people are not successful with their resolutions and goals because they neglect to take action steps along the way.