Setting meaningful goals

Below is a picture of my 2019 New Year's resolutions board that sits on my work desk. For the last 365 (or so) days it's been a daily reminder of the things that I want to focus on.  

At the end of last year, I picked four areas - four things that would bring me joy and help me develop as a person; four things that would take me deeper into myself and my passions of yoga and writing.

Writing this monthly newsletter is listed as one of my 'yoga' goals but it also fits under the 'writing' category. It was so daunting and I deliberated for hours and hours over each blog in the beginning. In those earlier months, I didn't think I wouldn't be able to keep it up and was ready with excuses - 'Oh well, I tried'...

But here I am, 12 months (and blogs) later! Sharing my journey and thoughts with the world and receiving lovely feedback and even the not so nice ones, has helped develop my self acceptance and confidence. I'm so happy, proud and impressed that I kept going.

Of course, the other big achievement was passing assessment and becoming a certified Iyengar yoga teacher. But I've written enough about that for now, and I believe that everything else that's on my list also contributed towards reaching that goal - so actually they're all pretty important and worthy of individual recognition... 

Do you make New Year resolutions or set annual goals? Are they focussed on external or internal achievements and interests? What if you worked towards creating more joy and peace in your life?

Friends, who saw my list earlier in the year, commented that there was nothing about money (yet, I made enough) or my career and paid professional work (there was plenty of that too). I decided some years back, that I wanted more than fame and fortune in my life, I want to create a sense of inner-happiness and peace. 

Coming to the end of the year, it's only natural that we reflect on our experiences, the wonderful and scary moments, the sad or disappointing parts and all those things we didn’t quite get to (beware: my inner optimist thinks there's still time to squeeze some in and there's nothing worse that putting more pressure and taking on more at this busy time of year right?!)

It's easy to get stuck in the past and get down on ourselves, when thinking about our failures. For example, I didn't get to creating my yoga website, didn't do as much personal writing as I wanted, and even though I downloaded a bunch of audio books and podcasts - I am yet to listen to most of them...

Thanks to this list though, I can clearly see what I did succeed in, reading a more (or two) every month, completing uni for another year with mostly HD's and D's - plus, I know there are a few other pretty cool and unexpected things I did that weren't even on the list too.

As we head into our last week of yoga classes or work - join me on the mat for a quiet practice to help you come home to yourself, and set goals that are truly aligned with your inner needs and values! 

Now more than ever, is the time to be present on the mat and to soothe the mind, heart and nervous system. Presence not presents right?!

Tell me, what is it

you plan to do with

your one wild and

precious life.

- Mary Oliver,

The Summer Day