I learned a long time ago not to make New Year's resolutions. I was constantly breaking them. In some cases, before the month was even out! Year after year I created an ugly cycle for myself due to my lack of follow-through. So no more of that! Instead of resolutions, I now set goals. Now don't go trying to apply logic here -- I have no idea why changing what it's called makes a difference for me. It just does. It's obviously just the way my weirdly-wired brain works.
To me, a goal seems more fluid. With goals, I check in on myself periodically to assess how well I'm doing and make necessary adjustments. With resolutions, for whatever reason, I'd drop off and never return. Enter: The Shame Spiral. Fail at resolution. Feel shame for failing. Promise to do better next year. Add to growing list of resolutions. Fail again. Shampoo, rinse, repeat.
I guess changing the name for it helped me to change the way I looked at it. This little slight-of-hand word action did the trick and so, for the most part, I meet my goals (except for those eat healthier and exercise more goals, I still slack at those).
At the beginning of 2014, after just coming off a year filled with mucho badness, I made an important goal for myself. And I made just one, rather that a list full, which is my usual OCD ritual for just about anything. I *big puffy heart* list-making! My goal for 2014 was to step outside of my comfort zone and push my boundaries.
When I find myself super depressed, and believe me I was super depressed, I turn inward. In every way possible, I hole up. I stop talking to people. I don't leave the house unless it's imperative that I do so. Definitely not a healthy way to live. But it's the way I cope, so be it. But by the end of 2013, I was so depleted in every way -- tired of crying, tired of moping about, tired of missing out on life -- that I knew something had to give, but didn't know what. I was waiting for the Universe to come along and fix all my broken pieces and that just wasn't happening. The Universe was obviously busy elsewhere and I could stand myself no longer. So I took the matter into my own hands and decided I needed to get out and live a bit.
Hence my goal to really shake things up! I was required to leave the house. I was required to be social (somewhat). Basically I returned to the Land of the Living a little bit at a time. I set the standard low initially, knowing how difficult this was going to be at this point in my emotional state. But I surprised myself. Not only did I meet my initial goal post, I exceeded it! Greatly!! And I did it the whole year through. WOW! Wow. Where's my Twinky?!
As a new year approaches, I find I already have a new goal in mind for myself. Consistency. Consistency is something that I struggle with in a multitude of areas. Too often I run hot and cold with projects I start. I'll take on a new initiative, only to walk away from it when it becomes too taxing for me (for whatever reason) or when I become disheartened by the task at hand. Consistency is my struggle. And yet consistency is going to be a much needed lubricant for achieving success in this new journey of mine. I can't exact change without a long-term commitment to the diligent work required. What a great time for making consistency my new focus and goal.
I cordially invite you, Reader Friends, to join me in making a 2015 Goal for yourself. Share with me in the comments section what your goal will be, and seasonally when I post a "check in," I'll look to you for an update as well. Together, we'll support and encourage each other!
P.S. I'm ever so grateful for the wonderful feelback I've received about my new blog endeavor, both here in comments and directly to me in private. As I continue along, I want to ensure that you don't miss any posts since there may be a post-less day here and there, so please stop back regularly to check in. Better yet, subscribe to this blog and you'll get notices anytime something new goes up. That way you're guaranteed not to miss the juicy parts. :-)
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