Re-Committing to my Goals

It’s a month into the new year! Some goals are working out well for me, and some not so much. I love checking in right now because then I can face what is working and what isn’t instead of pushing it under the rug to deal with later. 

The sooner I address things that are not working, the sooner they are not taking up space as the elephant in the room. 

The point here is to get curious. To question and understand ourselves better. Berating ourselves for not accomplishing all we set out to do a month ago when the new year vibe was running high and easy does no one any favors. 

When I look at my goals and the Wheel of Life exercise I use as a check in, I can get clear and make adjustments to what I’m making time for in my life. I try not to judge the process of checking in—there is no right or wrong; there just is. 

I repeat: There is no right or wrong; there just is. 

So, what is working? What isn’t working? Is it unique, or is it a pattern that will continue? Are there changes I want to make, or should I pivot on this goal?

I need a strong foundation in most areas of my life in order to be willing to take risks in other areas. If I am taking risks in too many areas, I shut down and sometimes stop working on an area all together. This review of my goals allows me to see if I added too much to my plate. If needed, I will also consider if there is a lesser version of a goal that will work for now until I have more time to commit to it.   

Here is what this looks like in action with one of my real goals for the year:

eliminating dairy products.

My tastebuds and the rest of my body disagree on dairy. Tastebuds love it, body does not love it. Life has gotten busy and I haven’t planned ahead to make sure we always have dairy-free products at home. In my haste, I’ve consumed dairy and have paid the consequence. However, because the consequence is temporary, I notice I’m making exceptions here and there.

I can see that eliminating dairy is going to take a little more effort on my end.  As a result, I am modifying my goal to allow for consuming dairy products once per week. This will allow me to get by in a crunch and get better at learning how to shop and stock the pantry in alignment with my goal. Perhaps in a month or so, I can reduce dairy consumption to 2x a month, or even less. I forgive myself for being so optimistic about my goals with the new year and give myself permission to modify while still moving forward. 

This concept also works with my training. For example, there are days when I am supposed to do a three-hour hike. When life happens, a child gets sick, a work call goes late, or something prevents me from completing what I need to for training, I do the best I can. I adjust and know that even 30 minutes is better than zero minutes.

Take the time, assess, modify, and recommit to your goals. Goals are a guide, and forward progress of any kind is forward progress. Do the best you can with what you have when you have it!