Making every moment ...

At this time of year, you may be ready to commit to your new years' resolutions. See the new year as a new start. Set new goals and get rid of old habits.

For some New Years Resolutions can be a great way of breaking that habit, starting out a new hobby or activity which leads you in some way to improving life.

For many, however, a new years resolution is just another thing to not quite get right, focused on "getting to" goals that so often have slipped by the wayside by mid January.

Now of course I am a great advocate for personal goal setting. This forms an integral part of the work I do with clients. You are, indeed, much more likely to get to where you are going if you have figured a rough path or direction to get there. Statements like " I want to lose weight" or " I want to quit smoking" appear even emptier objectives if you haven't even started to consider the how or why of it... you probably wouldn't say " I am off to the Algarve" if you hadn't considered how you will get there, the cost to you, who you go with or what it will be like when you get there would you?. ... I am also keen to make life about much more than reaching goal after goal after goal, particularly if in doing so we forget to appreciate the moments that pass us by. For some "not setting a goal" can be a goal in itself!

I used to write myself all sorts of lists and set loads and loads of objectives in the past.....forgetting to live in the here and now of who I was. The more time I have spent getting to know "me" the less I have had to write down objectives and the more I have just been able to live out what I want to achieve, what makes me truly happy, knowing now that I am confident in the direction I am taking.... this is something you can have too!

I have established and achieved some really great experiences this year. One of my most enjoyed goals was a challenge to walk 1000 miles in 2018, which I achieved early December. This was a highlight not just for the achievement of the mileage; because it reaped with it so many great rewards and benefits. All in the right direction for happiness.

1) It got me active - walking is a great way to be active without having to don the lycra if that's not your thing.

2) I was part of a wonderful collective - the #1000miles collective was an amazing and supportive group of people with mixed abilities, across the UK and afar and was so motivating to see other peoples stories.

3) It took me places - quite literally I went all over, I explored and spent plenty of time in trees, fields by water and all the parts of nature that make me feel great.

4) Time to think - I mean really think - I think this was where some of my most creative thinking and processing happened this year. I wrote workshops for JKChangeWork in my head on walks, I processed daily challenges and semi-structured my working week. I redesigned my website and selected Christmas presents for others, all while I was walking.

5) I stayed in the now - this was my favourite part. When I wasn't busy floating round my head and letting thoughts slip away on the breeze I was at my most present and now. I saw all sorts of wildlife I felt my feet sturdy on the roots and muddy ground - feeling grateful that my knee injury wasn't hindering my path forward. I breathed in the wild winds of the Scottish Loch-side air. Just in the moment of being!

For the goals I had and didn't achieve, I have learned to understand that (for now) these are either not a priority for me, or I have space to grow, learn or shape something in my life to make it real and achievable. Owning this knowledge gives me a great sense of freedom and possibility, where it may have been a burden in the past.

One thing that Personal Change work sessions can give you is a handy resourceful tool-box of choices to make the goals that you want to in life. Gain the knowledge of who you are and the direction you take to get there. To start you off here is an essential tip to establishing your direction..... always ask for what you want and not what you don't want. Shift " I don't want to be fat" to " I want to be a size 12" or " I want to be healthy"...." I don't want to smoke" could become " I will be vaping by February"..... To learn more about how you can set effective and achievable goals get in touch to book a session and reach lasting change.

#GoalSetting #NewYear #Change #Resolution #InTheNow #HereandNow #NewYearNewYou #Worry #Problems #Targets #Objectives #Mindfulness #Walking #JKChangeWork #Blog #CoachingBlog #BloggerCoach #Wellbeing #PersonalChange #LifeGoals