[Originally written in 2016 - these points remain relevant TODAY]
As 2018 draws to an end, it is a great time to reflect on what this year has meant to you. At Bloom Talent, we like to start by asking ourselves, what made us proud, what did not go as planned and what we would like to improve on. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!
It is healthy to look inward and reflect on these types of things to help set healthy and meaningful goals for the New Year. Often, people shy away from goal setting because it can feel daunting or emotionally draining, but the reality is it can be fun and easy. Bloom Talent has some ideas on how to get started, read on.
The first is distinguishing the difference between an intention and a goal and how both have a powerful relationship in helping you achieve a more fulfilling life.
Intention: purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions; authentic desire. A feeling that you most desire to obtain like happiness, peace, joy, clarity, and success is an intention. This is your higher level self talking to you. When you look at goals like a new job, more money, new relationship or a healthier body, people don’t seek these out for the sake of the goal but for the feelings they believe they will experience by having these new things in their life. A goal is motivated by an intention. It is the moral compass behind a goal.
Goal: the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result. Once you have set your intention, it is time to turn them into tangible outcomes. Remember, a goal without a plan, is just a wish.
Here are a few tips we suggest taking to set attainable goals:
Be incredibly specific. Try to steer clear of vague language like “successful” and instead think about what success means to you and be specific.
Make them measurable. Track your progress throughout the year and check-in with yourself regularly.
Physically write them down. The more you write them down the more real they become. Write them down daily, weekly and monthly. Remember, be specific.
Find images that support your visions. Find images that represent your visions and put them in places where you will see them them daily.
Hold yourself accountable. Create action steps that will enable you to reach your goals and do them.
Find a partner. A partner can be helpful during this process because they can check in with you and support you along the way.
Be kind to yourself. Make time to reflect, be still and acknowledge setbacks will happen. Celebrate the wins and push past the fear and doubt that you will not achieve your goals. Trust yourself. Have fun with it.
In closing, it is so rewarding to manifest what you want in life and actually achieve it. There is no better time to begin living the life you want than now! Cheers to celebrating a New Year and a new you by identifying your intentions and setting healthy goals for 2017!
“When you have clarity of intention, the universe conspires with you to make it happen” - Fabienne Fredrickson