New year, New me?... : A how-to guide on setting realistic goals and smashing it!
Photo credit: David M. Alvarez
It’s that time of year again where everyone makes new year’s resolutions. Some of those include improving your diet, fitness routine, and practicing self-care activities. Realistically, we often start out so well at the beginning of the year and then we lose our motivation and completely stop altogether as the months pass. It may be due to time management, life events, or even self-doubt.
We often limit ourselves when thinking about what we want to attain. We may be discouraged and fearful and say to ourselves : “I cant accomplish that, this will never happen for me.”. It is time to stop putting limits on our aspirations and be fearless! God has given each of us talents and passions that may be untapped. All we need to do is find the courage and the space to unveil them and nourish it to grow.
This guide will show you how to create realistic & attainable goals and stick to them!
retreat to a quiet place
Find a place where you feel the most at peace where you are one with your thoughts. This may be a spot where you do your bible study, meditation, or journaling. Take a couple of cleansing breaths, close your eyes and visualize yourself reaching that goal. Now take out your journal write it all down and meditate on some positive affirmations and scriptures. Once you’ve done that, commit it to the Lord. During this process, my favorite scripture to meditate on is Jeremiah 29:11.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.- Jeremiah 29:11
This powerful scripture gives me the courage and foundation I need to clear my head to think of what I want to achieve. It already sets me up with positive thinking to know that God has got my back. If I commit my plans to him, he will guide me and give me the strength to reach completion.
Find your tribe
Do you have a sister or group of sisters that you can rely on to help feed each other’s spirits? There is an African proverb that states: “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Fellowship is so important. God created us to be social creatures and find connections and touch other’s lives. Every woman that intends to live her life driven and full of purpose should have some friends to share her goals and aspirations with.
Last year to start 2019 on a good foot, I hosted an intimate vision board party with a few of my girlfriends where we created our own vision boards. We discussed our hopes and aspirations with each other. This was a truly cleansing event. I truly believe that this gathering of my sisters helped to give me the courage and the accountability I needed to attain my goals and stick to them.
setting smart goals
Do you have a goal in mind but have no idea how to start it/achieve it? One of the best goal setting tools I’ve used is utilizing the SMART acronym. It is measurable and allows you to set realistic goals in a timely fashion.
specific
Make sure your goal is clear and straight to the point. What are you trying to accomplish? Why do you want to accomplish this goal? What resources do you need to attain it?
Measurable
This will help keep you on track and keep yourself accountable by meeting deadlines. Questions you should be asking yourself are: How much? and How long?
attainable
You should have an idea of how you can achieve this goal. Do you need to take extra continuing education courses, need additional training, need a loan? These are things to think about.
relevant
This part of the goal setting is all about making sure it benefits you and where you are at in your life. Is this the right time? Will be it worthwhile?
time
How long will I give myself to achieve this goal? What can I do to work on it today? Where do I see myself in 3 months? 6 months?
accountability
When setting your goal, it is important to have an accountability partner. This can be a mentor or a friend. This person should check in at times to make sure you are on track in reaching your goals. It should be someone that you feel comfortable around and someone that you can be transparent with.
Celebrate
Don’t forget to celebrate those mini-milestones on your way to achieving your goal. It is a great motivator and you deserve it! When you have attained your goal don’t forget to thank God and also recognize and praise your tribe that helped you along the way. God puts certain people in our lives to help us to achieve our goals as well.
I hope this guide helped you and I hope you have healthy and fruitful New Year!