It’s January and that means it’s time to clarify your goals and make your new year’s resolutions! …Right?
What if there is a simpler way to start off 2019 and REALLY enjoy the year ahead?
2018 was the first year in several decades that I had no concrete goals. Instead I vowed that I would first and foremost live by feeling (follow my heart and gut instincts), have fun, and not “work” on my business. What transpired was phenomenal: a year full of personal growth, extraordinary experiences, exploration, business growth, world travel, new friendships and deep connections. In my wildest dreams I could not have predicted what happened.
If you knew you could create really cool stuff this year and truly enjoy life while not having to set goals… would you be up for giving it a shot?
We’ve been taught that to be successful we must set and achieve goals. Society also tells us we need to be successful to be happy. Subsequently, it seems that happiness comes from our propensity to reach our goals. For example: If I make this much money then I’ll be happy; If I lose 25 pounds I’ll be happy (or the guy/girl will like me more and then I’ll be happy); If I get this job, then I’ll be happy. Sound familiar?
One of the snags with goal setting is it often becomes a perpetual game of leap frog. We sacrifice to chase the goal. When/if we achieve the goal we set more goals and sacrifice again. We leap frog our way towards burnout and a life spent being “busy.” I see so many people (and close friends) who claim to be busy all the time. It sure looks like they are busy being busy… busy in the pursuit of one day finally getting to the place where they can relax and be happy. In reality they are chasing a carrot that doesn’t exist.
Here’s a kicker: Whether or not we make or reach goals has no bearing on our happiness and wellbeing. If you have something really cool you’d like to create and purposefully head in that direction- awesome! On the contrary, if you are setting a goal because you think you should, there is much more to see.
Imagine how enjoyable life might be if you did what you really lit you up.
Just a few months ago I was reviewing my calendar from 2017 and actually cried. I worked so very hard. It’s mind-blowing how busy I was. Most of the time being busy was not fun. I forced myself to do things because I thought that was how to grow a business. The reason I cried when I reviewed my 2017 calendar is because I realize now that I missed out on many of the lovely things in life… I was doing the best I could in the midst of big misunderstanding about how life works.
Some of the misunderstandings I was living in were:
- I thought I had to set goals that weren’t fun and achieve them to be successful and happy.
- I thought my feelings and experiences were coming from my circumstances.
- I didn’t see that my goals and my thinking were limiting me.
When we can clear ourselves of all that thinking, we begin to experience life in the now. Here (in the present) we are free of the burden and influence of our own personal thinking… free of our shoulds, confusions, and worry. This is where we naturally feel better and know what to do without even having to think about it. When we follow our innate wisdom (AKA: our heart, gut feeling, or instinct) the unimaginable happens and life simply lives us. Creativity abounds and really cool stuff shows up at our metaphorical doorstep.
When we begin to realize that we were born happy and wellbeing is our natural state, it becomes more and more obvious that creating goals that we think we have to achieve to be happy is a waste of time and energy. We become unshackled: We can do what we are naturally inclined to do and come alive!
“Ask not what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman
When we grasp that goals can limit us, an entire world of possibilities opens up: Imagine yourself standing in the center of a compass rose. You look around and in every direction lies possibility. This is where we stand in every moment of life: right in the midst of possibility. When we try to predict our future by thinking we know how things are going to turn out, we are limiting ourselves. Future predicting takes our 360 degrees of possibility and narrows it down to a tiny slice of the pie. When we set a specific goal of what we want to be, do, or achieve we do the same: narrow our focus to only this outcome. We then tend to become blind to so many opportunities that come along. What might be possible if in every instance you were open to anything?
Here’s what happened when I began living more in the present and stopped “working hard,” doing what I thought I should do, and living inside so much limited thinking:
I had the most enjoyable year of my life by far. My clients saw so much more for themselves (and clients kept showing up in 2018 even though I wasn’t “trying” to get clients!) and my business income increased by over 20 percent. Remember, all this happened in a year I vowed not to work! More importantly: the entire world opened up for exploration, more friends were made this year than in the previous decade, I began experiencing life in an entirely new light, and others also opened up their own field of possibilities. All the while, I purely lived by instinct and heart.
2018 felt like an almost perpetual holiday… My resolution now is to continue to intentionally see more and to continue having the most enjoyable year… year after year… why not?
See what you see…
What feels really fun? If you could do anything, and create an entirely fresh and enjoyable new year’s resolution, what would it be?
…until the next revolution.
Now Enrolling for One-on-One Coaching
It’s no surprise that I’m a huge fan of coaching. My journey in 2018 would not have been possible without several coaches in my corner continuously pointing me towards Truth and a deeper understanding. Coaching has immensely transformed my life and this is the reason I have dedicated my life to coaching others in the same way. Here is a little bit about what coaching is and why it changes everything
If you are wondering how coaching can help you experience an even more amazing life and be wildly successful without the stress and pressure most people equate with success: now is a great time.
I have a few slots for complimentary coaching sessions in January. If you are interested in working with me on a one on one basis in 2019, let’s chat. Fill in your info here and I’ll get back to you shortly to arrange a time for us to talk. During the chat I’ll be glad to answer any questions and then we can set a time for your 90 minute complimentary coaching session.
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