It’s hard to believe we’ve been quarantining for well over a year. Five months into 2021 — and the end of the pandemic in sight — May is a great time to reassess your goals for 2021 and to prepare for life after covid.
How to Reassess Your Goals (Oh, and what are goals again?)
If New Year’s Resolutions just aren’t your thing, or if the languishing of the pandemic bumped you out of your goal setting and goal assessment routine, you are not alone! Even seasoned solo professionals (like writers) have found the pandemic put a damper on their creativity and their ability to accomplish work. If they are struggling, it’s no wonder the rest of us are having a hard time.
That’s why I’ve put together these three tips for celebrating and evaluating 2021 thus far so you can live your best life when everything returns to “normal.”
Write Down Your Wins to Reassess Your Goals
Early in 2021, I took an online workshop with the Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) at UCLA. The first exercise we did in goal setting was to honor all of our successes in the past year. And you know what? There was much more on my wins list than I ever would have imagined.
You, too, can create a wins list. Take five uninterrupted minutes to write out everything that went right in a year where everything went wrong. Look at everything you did do. Celebrate your accomplishments. Yay for you!
For those who set specific goals, your wins list today can show you where your energy has gone during the first quarter. You can then use that list to compare with your goals from January. How well do they match up? Which goals have you already accomplished? Are you making progress on others? Are there areas that need more attention? A new wins list can help you see what you need to focus on next to meet your annual goals.
Even if you didn’t set specific goals at the beginning of the year, writing down your wins is still a concrete way to see just how much you have accomplished. Your wins list will show your what you do value (and what you spend time on), and you can use your wins to set goals for the rest of the year.
Decide What’s Next
Life is still crazy uncertain at the moment, but soon enough it will go back to the way it (mostly) was. All your hopes and dreams for the future will re-emerge, and when they do, you’ll be glad you made a plan.
Just like with your wins list, take five uninterrupted moments to write out what you want to accomplish during the rest of the year. For example, if taking a big vacation is top of the list, part of accomplishing that goal is saving money, planning time off of work, and researching your destination. You’ll be less tempted to, say, attend every brunch invitation, if you’re aware of your goals. After all, time and money are finite resources. Knowing where you’re headed makes choosing how your spend them much easier.
Still struggling with what you might want in the first place? That’s okay, too. One great place to start is by asking questions. Will Meek, PhD, suggests:
In the big picture, what do you hope to experience and accomplish? In what ways do you want to improve your mental and physical health? What bad habits do you want to change? What relationship patterns do you want to improve? What skills do you want to learn? What other things have you been thinking about changing?
Will Meek, PhD (Psychology Today)
Find an Accountabili-Buddy
If open ended questions like these get you feeling panicked, I’ve got another hack for you: Grab a friend. Reassessing your goals is even better with an accountability buddy. You can complete the above exercises with a friend or loved one. It can feel so cathartic to share these desires and wins with someone you care about.
Sometimes, their insight into your goals is also invaluable. Friends and family can give us perspective on our own lives, and we in turn can provide that for them. Sharing your goal reassessment session can foster even more intimacy in your relationships.
Want additional guidance in your journey? I’d love to chat with you. Please reach out for your free 15-minute session. I can help your reassess your goals and create the life you want to live.
