Time to check-in
At the start of the New Year, I posted about my goals for the year. With 6 months down, I figured it would be a good time to check-in with myself, assess where I am in accomplishing my goals and adjust as needed to course correct.
My goals were simple:
“First and most importantly, I want to be a better human. I don’t mean that I’m a bad human today; this world really needs us all to be better humans. Better to the people around us, better to the Earth and environment, better to animals and better to ourselves. So, I am going to be thoughtful about how I can be better. Perhaps it will also help others to do the same.
Secondly, I want to enjoy life more. It’s been several years since I lost my husband and grief has really impacted everything in my life. I’m not suggesting this one will be easy…grief has a mind of its own, but I want to be conscious about everything I do and find gratitude each and every day.
Lastly, and probably not surprisingly if you know me well, I want to get my run back. Running is my happy place and for too long, my run has been a struggle. It’s where I’ve been most negative about my performance. It’s time to find the joy in running again.”
So…how am I doing?
Goal 1 – Better Human: Not sure I can say “yes, I’m a better human” without it sounding like I’m bragging and then am I really a better human? 😉 I will say I have certainly been more thoughtful about my decisions and actions, particularly as it relates to the Earth and environment. I learned a ton through my role as a judge on an eco challenge, and I have really questioned my use of products, water, chemicals, etc. and am researching ways to lessen my carbon footprint as a whole. This is definitely going to be a continual growth goal and not one accomplished overnight.
Goal 2 – Enjoy Life More: Challenges hit nearly every day and sometimes multiple times a day, but I’ve been able to shift from “oh no, why is this happening to me? Am I being punished for something I did or said?” to “great, I don’t really have time for this but it’s just another challenge I must tackle today/tomorrow/this week.” Acknowledging the unwanted challenge has allowed me to recognize there is something I must overcome while at the same time reminds me, it is simply a challenge for me to tackle. It is not the end of the world. I like that, for the most part, I have been able to shift from the negative mindset that often comes with a new obstacle or challenge to a more positive, open and growth mindset. Where the positive isn’t my first thought, I am quickly recognizing when negativity creeps in, which allows me to adjust my point of view.
Goal 3 – Get my Run Back: This is easy. Yes, I am getting my run back. Maybe not as quickly as I would have liked (refer back to Goal 2 for potential reasons why), but I am finding joy in my run again. I’ve even found myself smiling mid-run…YES, some of us actually enjoy running that much, and NO…I wasn’t listening to a funny book or podcast in that moment. There is something freeing about stepping out my front door and just going for a run. It feels powerful, exhilarating and refreshing (at least sometimes). On the days that don’t feel so amazing, I remind myself “I get to do this” and it makes me grateful I get to experience the run as I did.
Of course, as with any goal, there is always room for improvement, and I will keep working to grow. That’s what makes goal setting so exciting. Relentless Forward Motion!
How about you? What were your 2024 goals? How are you managing against them? What will you adjust?