We've have goal setting backwards. And it's stopping us from experiencing a life that FEELS the way we want to feel.
Most of the time we are chasing experiences or milestones that we believe will allow us to feel a certain way. Let me give you some examples:
If we buy the house, we will finally feel settled in the city.
If I lose 10lbs, I will feel sexy and energized.
If my boss promotes me, I will feel recognized.
What often happens - and this has certainly been my experience - is that when we reach those goals or markers, we don't actually feel what we thought we would feel. And if we do, it can be fleeting.
So what if we started from exploring how we want to feel, then create the goals from there? Maybe the journey to meeting our goals becomes more fun, more fulfilling, more compassionate, more rewarding. And maybe - just maybe - when the plans we have put into place come to fruition, the experience is more JOYFUL than we could have ever imagined. Less pressure, more fun.
In December I wrote a blog post about what I want to focus on in 2017, and the process I used to set those intentions. In the last few months, a few things have shifted and some of the specific goals I set out are being put on the back burner. That's not to say that I don't eventually want to meet those goals, it's just that I want to shift my energy to the areas that I'm most excited about and that are working well.
I am no longer interested in pushing against something just to make it happen. I'm more interested than ever in trusting, in letting go, in letting in and in the experience of creation.
We are nearly at the half way point in the year. What are you pushing against? What are you refusing to let go of? What is no longer working the way you thought it would?
AND...What is coming easy? What feels fun and exciting? What gets you jazzed? Because at this point in 2017, maybe those are the things to which our attention should turn.
I'm excited about the summer and the changes that I feel are coming. I've been tending the soil, and planting seeds and now it's time for the sun (literally!). Can't wait...
