It’s that time of year. That time where we reach the halfway point and take stock of the New Year’s resolutions we set. It can honestly feel as if an eternity has passed since we set those New Year’s resolutions because, as often is the case, we neglect our resolutions somewhere within the first few months. Usually when I reach mid-year, I begin to berate myself for not staying on top of my goals.
This year was different.
This year I set my goals for the year without rigid expectations on the journey to achieving them. So far, my resolutions didn’t exactly fit the image I conjured up in January, however, that doesn’t mean I failed and didn’t make any progress whatsoever.
The Journey to Your Goals Doesn’t Have to Be Pretty
When most of us set resolutions at the beginning of the year, we anticipate it to be smooth sailing — no ups, downs, twists, or turns. We’re excited for what the New Year will bring and determined to achieve all our goals. This is a great feeling and the act of providing yourself with a framework for what direction you want to head in for the year is a good practice. However, we set ourselves up for disappointment when we neglect to mentally prepare ourselves for the unknown.
Life happens. It happens despite our preconceived notions on how things should be. There will be times when things are happening around us beyond our control that take us off course and there will be times when we simply feel unmotivated and slack off. Both scenarios are normal and a part of the pursuit.
Self-compassion and understanding are what freed me from the guilt that comes with unfulfilled resolutions
This is why it’s essential to approach our goals with not only determination and excitement, but also with compassion and the understanding that it won’t be a perfect journey. Self-compassion and understanding are what freed me from the guilt that comes with unfulfilled resolutions and they were the exact ingredients that helped me make more progress with my goals more than ever before.
You Don’t Have to Show Up Perfectly, Just Show Up
I used to be an all or nothing girl, especially when it came to goals. At the beginning of the year, I would write a long list of all the things I wanted to change and accomplish — everything from waking up earlier to drinking more water to completing a complex project — and anticipate an instantaneous transformation once that one midnight of the year that straddles December 31 and January 1 arrived. But, we all know that’s not what happens, yet we still subject ourselves to the same routine year after year.
I promised myself to show up every day even if that meant imperfectly.
Leading with self-compassion and understanding this year forced me to approach things differently though. Instead of vowing to magically change over night, I promised myself to show up every day even if that meant imperfectly.
Every day I didn’t give 100% to my resolutions, sometimes I could only give 20%, but at least I showed up. Some days I didn’t even show up, but at least I showed up the next day. This approach, opposed to the all-or-nothing attitude I once had, helped me make significant progress toward my goals.
Intentions and Resolutions for the Next Six Months
The payoff for adopting the mindset rooted in self-compassion and understanding along with showing up as best you can to your resolutions is that you can pick up where you left off any time. This means that even though we’re halfway through the year and we’re not exactly where we thought we’d be with our resolutions, we can reset and recommit to our goals right here, right now.
If you enjoyed this blog post, let me know in the comments! What are some of your resolutions that you want to recommit to now that we’re halfway through the year?
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