New Year, new you?
Happy new year everyone. With the new year now upon us, many of us set resolutions or goals to accomplish. I have been contemplating on what I want to accomplish this year – what do I want for myself? In previous years I have had goals to get back in the gym, quit coffee, paint walls, travel, learn to knit and the list goes on and on, to either improve myself or to do something for myself. Please understand, I think these are all good goals. But I tend to set similar resolutions each year, with the hope I will make myself a priority. I start the year all gung-ho and I am pretty good for a few months. Yet, as more time goes by, my well-intended aspirations appear to have dwindled and are forgotten by mid-year. Why have I allowed myself to lose focus for these goals? Bottom line I didn’t make them a priority, which in turn is a reflection of the reality that I do not make myself a priority.
I say this because, I have had success in other resolutions that have come to fruition, for example: starting my day with a mantra to “be kind”, volunteer, do random acts of kindness - like buying the person behind me in the Starbucks drive through their coffee, give a sincere compliment when I can to each person I speak with. These objectives that result with me giving to others, I have accomplished and have successfully incorporated long term into my life and now are second nature. Acts of service for others does make me happy, but my lack of attention to my own needs is not good for my wellbeing.
For 2023, I am taking a different approach than I have in the past. I have a list of goals, dreams, and wishes to manifest – but I will wait for 2024 to tackle that list. This year I am going back to basics and looking at myself as whole. Looking at my spiritual foundation or my “mana” (spiritual essence of the self), I have written down a list of “mini” goals to improve and invest in myself in order to reach my overall goal of having a solid and healthy mana. Each mini goal listed is directly related to every aspect of my mana: community/family/nature; emotional health; mental health; life purpose; and the external aspects of life that affects me. The goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and within a set time-frame. By writing down and setting specific and realistic goals, I have a better chance at achieving success. For example, one of my mini goals is to spend a minimum of 23 minutes each day in 2023 outside – this goal is tied to nature and it hits all the criteria:
· Specific: spending time outside
· Measurable: 23 minutes (at least)
· Achievable: Yes, this is very doable
· Realistic: yes
· Within a set time-frame: yes, to be done everyday
Accomplishing these mini goals will have a positive impact for reaching my overall main goal of a healthy mana. I am excited for 2023 to repair and set a solid and healthy foundation for myself and for my future goals. What are your goals for 2023 and what’s your plan to achieve them?
