Lately I’ve been experiencing sneaky moments of panic whenever I see a goal setting article.
Panic that I’m not keeping up, that time is getting away and I’m missing the boat on setting my goals for the year.
This unnecessary panic subsides, when I tune into my own personal process and declaration to sit with my feelings. To reflect on my learnings and feel my way into the year at a pace that feels good to me. Even if this appears to be slower than the rest of the world.
My process takes time, not too long, just enough, maybe the whole month of January if I need it.
I’ve learnt to allow for the natural shifting of energies throughout this month…. the ebbs and flows that move us steadily into the new year.
January begins with a period of restoration and hibernation as I unwind from the festivities of Christmas and the New Year. I stock up on food (like a wild Mama bear), crack open a new journal and plan ‘lazy home days’ as I reflect on the year that was.
I’ll read last years goals and journal notes, celebrating achievements and absorbing the learning’s from my many challenges. Consuming books and articles to expand my thinking and suggest new pathways for my personal and professional growth.
I’ll even flick through the weeks of my old planner and calendar, noticing how I feel about what I did and didn’t do last year. What I enjoyed and want to do more of? What filled me with dread and I want to keep off the calendar this year?
I begin collecting images, words and quotes from magazines, Instagram and Pinterest boards… the foundations for my theme word, vision and goals for this year.
Then I integrate, taking my quiet musings out into the world, rolling them around in long conversations with trusted souls.
I like to share my future thinking and play with wild ideas out aloud… because enormous clarity comes when we speak about our futures and voice our ideas out loud.
I may devote days, weeks, even the entire month to pondering, percolating and designing my year.
Some days I’ll be overflowing with insight and clarity and other days I feel stagnant and sluggish.
Nevertheless, there’s no set pace, no deadlines or pressure for a result. Effective intention setting isn’t a box to tick, neither is goal setting, vision boarding or any other future designing ritual you choose.
But don’t fall into the trap of spending oodles of time trying to get it right either. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to your truth.
Intuitive, wisdom soaked goals have a way of naturally revealing themselves, often as whispered insights and gentle nudgings…. grab them, use what’s useful and move forward.
Trust the words and images that come to you, floating into your consciousness, make no judgement.
Your truth and instinct will shape your most effective, feel good year ever.
For the past 5 years I’ve begun my Year’s Design with one word that sets the tone and acts as my compass all year long.
In 2013 whenever I thought about how I wanted life to be the same word came to me, FABULOUS and that year I embraced a life of my design and choosing.
Then Nimble guided me through 2014, the year I decluttered, opened up space and allowed room for difference.
After a year of NIMBLE I had less stuff and busyness and approached 2015 ready to know and feel EASE.
The lingering haze of ‘busy to be valued‘ cleared that year and I knew what I wanted like never before, my word for 2016 was FOCUS, and focus I did.
Last year I was ready to ground down and FLOURISH, which evolved from my desire to plant seeds of opportunity in a new city while nourishing and nurturing my life to flourish.
This year I’m feeling a REBELLIOUS HARMONY (conflicting huh!) A desire to break free of how things have been done and to give my rebel a voice while living in harmony with nature and instinct.
It’s giving me an intention and a direction for my goals… they’ll come next.
Will you have a word or words for this year? Would you like to?
You could begin by asking yourself these five questions.
Or maybe a word is already nudging you, lighting you up when you read, hear or see it?
Often a word has already chosen you and is simply waiting to be noted and embraced.
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