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posted on May 28, 2020

Like many of you I have found myself at a stopping point and asking the hard question, what am I working towards now? As complex beings we are built on the bases of looking for the next thing, it could be a vacation, a performance goal whether professional or personal or finally getting to that home project we’ve been pinning on Pinterest for about a year. Whatever it is to you, getting started is the most agonizing part of the journey.

In todays blog I am going to talk steps related specifically on redefining your goals:

#1: Start Where You Are

Analyze where you are in your life in the present moment. What are you wiling to do during this time and what aren’t you willing to do, there is no right or wrong answer. Understand that where you are in the present moment isn’t a place you will be forever and have empathy for yourself, knowing there isn’t a time limit on when you have to remove yourself from this space.

Let’s start with a 5-minute journal every morning, here are some questions you can ask yourself:

- - How am I feeling? Why might I be feeling this way, good or bad.
  - Can I be accepting of this feeling? If the answer is no, what is limiting me from accepting this feeling?
  - What is one thing I am grateful for today?

One thing I’ve noticed over the past few months is when I take time for myself in the morning it sets the tone for my entire day. I used to coach CrossFit at 5:30AM Monday to Friday, for 2 years straight then go to my day job and it was draining. At the end of the day when it was time for me to workout and give to myself, I found that I had nothing left to give. It was only when I started slowing down, even just to enjoy my coffee in the morning that I felt fuller day by day.

#2: Action Creates Momentum

Any small action will ultimately create momentum towards the final goal. With this in mind, what is one action you can take today to move you closer to tomorrow? It could be as simple as folding that laundry basket you’ve been avoiding or going for a 10 minute walk. Folding that laundry basket could turn into getting to those dishes from last night or that walk could turn into doing a Union At Home workout. All you need to do is start, even if it’s just getting out of bed in the morning, that in itself could be everything.

#3: Find Your Routine Again

So we’re journaling, we’re taking small actions within our lives and maybe we’re just feeling better overall. Like I said in #1, taking time for yourself will help keep your cup full because if we are continually emptying our cup over and over again something is going to break. We’ve all been clearly thrown out of our routine and probably getting eager to get back to it, so what does that look like?

Grab your phone or a piece of paper and draw out your ideal week:

- Label it for Monday through Friday
- What time do you wake up at? How do you start your morning?
- What does taking time for yourself look like? Is it working out or just enjoying a few extra minutes in bed with your favorite book?
- Do you have kids? Have you wanted to find things as a family to do together?
- Are you single? Have you wanted to make more time for your family/friends?
- Are you in a relationship? What does a date night look like to you?

When was the last time you really sat down and looked at your entire week, start to finish. I’m sure most of you go through the paces much like myself and let the days blend together but sometimes a little structure goes a long way, even if its just writing it down.

#4: Pick One

Without essentially picking a goal we’ve starting analyzing our own lives and doing things to move us closer to tomorrow. We’ve done this by, understanding where we are presently and taking time for ourselves that turns into small daily actions that make us feel better. This allows us to dream up what could be and results in attainable goals to choose from. Your current goals could essentially be finding fun things to do with your partner, kids, family or friends. It doesn’t need to be something that so far out of reach or a goal that takes months to achieve.

All we need is to understand that the world we live in now is so different than the one we had a few months ago and our goals should reflect that. It is also of the upmost importance to realize that where you are personally is different from someone you see on social media, put yourself first and take the steps you need to keep your cup full.

Disclaimer:

Obviously I’m no expert in any one thing but I’ve found as an athlete and coach that there are tools I’ve obtained over the years that have helped me grow, I’ve learned these from coaches, mentors, close friends and even podcasts I’ve listened to. If anything I hope one of these four things help you look inward and find your growth even if its just looking at tomorrow.

Much love,