Let’s Knock Those Goals Out in 2023! Intentional

Man, 2022 seemed like such a long year! It seems like forever since I was in sunny Grenada about to renew my vows, but it was literally only 1 year ago. Last year, I set some goals. Some I achieved, the biggest one being starting Intentional, but others I failed miserably…hello fitness.

This upcoming year, I’m aiming to be more intentional (pun intended) on achieving some goals. I owe it to myself. But I need to take the psychology of goal-setting & achieving them more seriously. Let’s get into the gist of this thing…

Step 1: Know Your Self-Care Domains

There are 6 domains of self-care: personal, physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, & professional. I also like to add financial to that list because many people have goals centered around financial well-being. Because it’s something personal, that category could fit into the personal or professional realms as well.

Personal self-care speaks for itself. It’s all about YOU & how to get to know yourself better. That’s the part of self-care I enjoy the most. I pour into myself every other week when I visit my favorite hair stylist Kristie & hit then nail salon. Every once in awhile, mostly when I’m on vacation, I’ll throw in a massage too…oooh I can’t wait til my spa day Saturday morning!

Setting goals for this category of self-care can be easy because you know what you like & how to refill your cup. The challenge can be timing though. If I don’t schedule those appointments, they fall to the wayside. Kristie makes sure she schedules me every other Friday so I can’t slack off. I finally realized last year that I don’t reward myself for working so hard, so her helping me stay accountable is a blessing. Those appointments are always a good time!

Lord, the struggle fest I have with physical self-care! Taking care of your body is essential to live. We all need to take better care of ourselves. I’ve always been small, so a lot of people assume I don’t have any physical struggles. The lie detector determined that’s a lie! My A1C is knocking on diabetes’ door, & my discipline to eat better isn’t there. Not to mention, I’ve been known for saying I’m allergic to exercise. Every year, my doctor says I need to eat better & workout 4-5 days per week to manage my blood sugar. It’s definitely something I need to be more aggressive about, especially since I don’t like to take medicine.

It doesn’t help that I like finally having some weight! I didn’t gain weight until I was in my 30s, so I’m enjoying having a lil meat here & there. I don’t like the belly though, so I need to get myself back into that torture chamber in the backyard. No shade, but I can’t go the surgery route. I’ve had more than enough of those & will only go back under the knife if medically necessary. Needless to say, physical self-care will be on my list of goals for 2023.

Emotional & psychological self-care go hand in hand. These are one of the most important parts of self-care, & I invest in these two the most. Your coping skills & positive mindset are what get you through life. Working in the behavioral health field, I’ve seen every reason in the book for someone to get admitted into a psychiatric hospital. Mental health is real, & we as a whole need to be more serious & supportive of one another. North Carolina needs so much more to help battle this issue. There’s not anywhere near as much help as people think.

My journal goes with me when I travel. If I skip a night of writing, it’s usually because I’m exhausted & forgot. Whether I write several paragraphs or 2 sentences, I get something off my chest every day. I’ll finish each entry with one thing I’m grateful for, anything I’ve learned that day, & my goal for the next day so I end the entry on a positive note. No matter how bad the day may have been, I feel like I can be thankful for something & have something to look forward to the next morning. Slide on over the to Products page & check out our Intentional Journals (https://intentionallyevolve.com/product-category/journals/).

Another self-care category I prioritize weekly is spiritual. Connecting with a higher power is so soothing! As I’ve matured, I’ve enjoyed getting to know God a lot more. I can appreciate & understand the Bible & all it has to offer. Between prayer, Bible study, & watching virtual services, I feel so much closer to God. That relationship has kept me grounded & taught me to worry less, especially over the last couple of years.

Not everyone believes in God, & that’s ok. My spirituality has nothing to do with the next person’s. Whether you believe in a higher power or not, having a connection with someone/something greater than yourself can help ease your mind. Just sitting in nature & taking in all that has been created does the trick for me. The connection is real!

Professional self-care helps you make sure you have a healthy work-life balance. The goal is to have a fulfilling professional life, so set goals to move towards feeling like work isn’t work. I tend to get comfortable in my places of business, & next year I intend to find more fulfillment. I have to be challenged to remain engaged, so I’m setting some goals to do just that. I want to leave a positive mark on the world through the work I do, so why not focus a little more on that?

The final piece of self-care, our dual category financial, is another I want to focus more on next year. Every year I set financial goals to save more, but I find myself with the same amount (or less) in my savings due to things coming up throughout the year. I can definitely make some cuts on luxuries to save a little more & stop giving away to others so freely, so I’m going to focus on sacrificing & saying “no” more often. Discipline needs to be written across my forehead in 2023!

Step 2: Set Your Goals

I’ve learned you can’t just set goals & achieve them without putting some meat & cheese between the 2 slices of bread. I used to set goals but there was no planning, then I’d wonder why they didn’t go anywhere. Now I know there are some essential requirements when setting them.

Most importantly, you have to make sure your desire to change is bigger than the alternatives. Change can be uncomfortable, so you have to want the end result enough to cope with the discomfort until you reach your desired outcome. Visualize the future you & stay motivated to becoming that new person.

You also have to align your goals with your values. There’s no shame in sitting down with a pen & paper & brainstorming about what you really value. Once your goals are aligned with your values, it’ll be easier to take small steps towards achieving them. With each step, you’ll feel more accomplished.

Now when it comes to actually setting you goals, you have to format them with the S.M.A.R.T. Method. A SMART goal is:

S – Specific

M – Meaningful/Measurable

A – Achievable

R – Realistic/relevant

T – Trackable/Time-bound

Each of these elements is needed to give motivation & keep track of your progress towards your goals. If it’s not in your heart, you probably won’t do much to achieve it.

I know I’ve made mistakes in the past by not using this method. My goals would be way too broad so I couldn’t see when I was making progress towards them. Now I know to be very specific on them, make sure that they’re doable, & put myself on a deadline. My Intentional Planner (available at https://intentionallyevolve.com/product-category/planners/ ) has helped me set annual & monthly goals, while also having a way to track my progress. I can break my annual goals down into smaller monthly ones to make sure I stay on track. It was the tool I needed to see my progress in real time.

Step 3: Make Sure You Have What You Need to be Successful

Now that we’ve set our goals, we’ll need to make sure we have what we need to achieve them. A lot of times, we don’t think about the things & people we need to achieve our goals. We can’t do it all alone, so a brainstorming session has to occur so you have everything & everyone you need. Put these on your checklist before you begin working on your goals:

Tools: Think about all resources you may need to be successful. Do you need certain supplies like workout clothes, a journal, or a budget? Make a list of everything you may need to complete your task.
Support: I definitely forget about what people I may need to help me achieve my goals. Whether it’s a mentor, financial planner, or an accountability partner, don’t forget about the human resources you may need. The information others have is invaluable!
A “stop” button: You have to slow down & reflect on how you spend your time throughout the process. Being in constant go mode will only burn you out. Take a pause sometime!

Now that we have everything we need to be successful in catering to all aspects of our self-care in 2023, we just need to put our feet to the pavement. I know I’ll need to let a few people know what my goals are so they can keep me motivated & on track. I’m competing with my current self, & I’m determined to win!

If you need a little assistance on getting started or figuring out some things to work on, check these out. Happy New Year, Evolvers!

https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting/

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/advice/g985/achievable-new-year-resolutions/