the good the bad and my new approach
January 1st comes and instead of people asking “How About That Weather”, everyone is asking “what’s your new year’s resolution?”
It’s funny because everyone knows that, typically, resolutions last 2 months at best and then we fall back into our regular habits. So what’s the point of setting them anyway?
Taking the time to set a resolution gives you a chance to truly evaluate where you are now and where you want to be. This can be a really empowering experience, however, it can also get you down. If your resolution into loose 20 lbs, then it forces you to realize that you’re 20 lbs overweight and no longer fit into your skinny jeans… depressing. If your resolution is to get a promotion or move to a better paying job, then it makes you realize that your employer is not giving you what you think you’re worth… depressing.
On the other hand, if your new years resolution is to build on something that you’ve started, it can help you realize how far you’ve come. It may be to sign up for your first 10k race, making you realize how good you’ve been getting to the gym each week. But lets be honest, usually you make resolution to combat something about yourself that you don’t like… And when December hits and you start planning your resolution for the next year, you feel pretty crappy about your failed accomplishment the previous year.
This is why I don’t like resolutions and have NOT set one in years.
All that being said, setting goals is the key to progress. When you are able to continually re-evaluate your goals and see how they are interacting with your current situation, you get progress in the right direction. The longer and more rigid your goals, the less open you become to spontaneity and opportunities that arise at the last moment. I like change. But I LOVE change when it leads me in the prefect direction that I never would have imagined on my own! This business is a perfect example of that. It’s for this reason that setting a yearly goal doesn’t resonate with me. So this year I’m doing something different.
I’m going to set a resolution!
I’m going to set a resolution to make a monthly goal that is all centered around a yearly theme!
This year I will work on soul development. What does that mean? It means that each month I will choose to incorporate a practice that helps me get in touch with my soul and spirituality. I haven’t planned too far ahead so that I have the flexibility to adjust my goals. But for January I am resolving to lay in stillness for 5 min before I fall asleep and lay in stillness for 5 min before I get out of bed (unless the baby is screaming).
Personally, I think this is much more effective than a blanket resolution of working out more at the gym. Setting SMART goals (specific, meaningful, action oriented, realistic and timely) is great as well. My caution to all of this is to make sure that your goals are adaptable. Planning an entire year in advance does not open you up to serendipitous events that will lead you on your life mission!
Love and Light,
Jay
