It doesn’t matter how much we plan or if we build the perfect plan to hit our goals, sometimes life throws you some surprises that will knock you on your butt. Oh you know, kind of like this big pandemic one we’re all living through?! Whatever it may be though, even the most dedicated are going to have times where we slip up or take a break from pursuing our goals. It happens to all of us. Yes, even the girl who is obsessed with goal planning!
When Scoots started to take a turn for the worse, I hit the pause button on a lot of my personal projects and goals. Obviously, he was top priority and when we later lost him… I’ve just been broken. So you can bet my goals have been about the last thing on my mind. Waking up early to work out or reading my latest self-development book? Yeah, definitely not on my radar. Life happens and it’s important that you do what you need to do. Your goals will still be there when you’re ready.
I’m definitely still working through a lot of things, but this week, I decided I was ready to try and get started again. My goals really give me purpose, and I’ve realized that I really need that right now. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from past breaks though, it’s that it’s not always a smooth transition. So over the years, I’ve put together a system of 3 steps that I do after a break. It’s taken a while to find something that works for me, but these are the things I do to get myself in the right headspace and set myself up for success.
Acknowledge Why you Slipped Up or Took a Break
Like I mentioned, life happens and sometimes we have to deal with tough things we weren’t expecting. Then other times, we’ll get busy and we intentionally (or unintentionally) shift our priorities. Maybe you got promoted at work and you’re working longer hours, maybe you started dating someone new and you’re so excited you’re spending more of your free time with them, or maybe you’re just kind of burnt out and watching Netflix has sounded more appealing than working on things. No judgment on why you took a break, but it’s important to acknowledge it. It’s not an excuse, but rather taking time to understand if it was something out of your control or if you’re finding yourself in a pattern. Because if it’s a pattern you may need to adjust your strategy. If you find that you’re unmotivated or giving up every few months, then maybe you need to make sure your goals are still aligned with your priorities. Or maybe, you just have too much on your plate and you need to scale things back a bit. Whatever the answer, take some time to acknowledge it.
Ask Yourself, are these Goals still Important to me?
After you’ve identified the cause for your break, another important question to ask yourself is are these goals still important to you? Sometimes we shift our priorities because something simply isn’t as important to you now as it was when you set your goal. Remember, goals can evolve and it’s also ok to drop some if they aren’t a priority for you anymore. Maybe something new has moved into its place or maybe you just realized your passion isn’t there for that thing anymore. When you’re doing this, it’s really important to explore your “why”. Here are a few examples of the practice I do.
Ask yourself:
Is this goal still a priority for me right now? Why or why not?
Example 1: Working out and continuing my workout plan is still important to me because taking care of my body is important to me and it helps keep my energy levels up for the other priorities in my life.
Example 2: Paying off my car early this year is no longer a priority for me. With the uncertainty stemming from the pandemic, I would rather focus on having extra padding in my savings.
These are two legit examples I went through myself this week. Between COVID-19 and losing Scoots, my goals have taken a shift and a break so I’ve been reevaluating all of the yearly goals. I think we can all agree this year has been interesting, so don’t feel bad if you feel like you need to scrap your whole list and start over… I know I’ve definitely adjusted several of mine and added some new ones that I wouldn’t have seen coming a few months ago. The key is getting to the root of what is, and isn’t, important to you right now and adjusting accordingly. Your goals aren’t set in stone so if you need to make changes, do!
Make a Plan To Ease Back into Things
As I mentioned, one of the toughest things to do is actually decide to start again. It’s one of the biggest reasons people give up! So when you’re getting back into things, consider making a plan to ease back into things! I know everyone has a ton of different kinds of goals but working out is a good example most can relate to… If you were working out 5 days a week and quit for 3 months then instead of going back in full steam, maybe start with 2 one week, then 3 the next, working up to 5. By easing back into things, it allows you to set small goals that are easier to achieve, which will give you small wins, and keep you moving forward! Or if there are 3 big goals you’re working on right now, maybe you start by focusing on getting back into your routines for the 1st one and then ease into adding tasks for the other two in the weeks to follow. I’m all about creating sustainable habits and strategies! I truly think that is the best way to accomplish things and yeah, maybe you’ll get to your benchmark or big achievement a little slower but it beats the alternative of getting burnt out and giving up.
When you’re coming up with your plan it may also be important to adjust your benchmarks if needed. If you have your goals on a yearly basis but you missed 2 months, then you may want to adjust things. I’m all for goals that are a little bit of a stretch but you’re doing yourself a disservice if they are more than likely unattainable. Same goes if they’re too attainable. It takes some practice, but try and find somewhere in between. This is another reason why I recommend having regular check-ins too. Goals can evolve and it’s important that they are serving you.
Give Yourself Grace to Keep Going
Another thing I think is important (that I’ve been working on too) is giving yourself grace when you hit bumps. Like I said, everyoneeee slips up, we’re human! You’ve made the decision to start again though and that’s the most important part! Working on goals is all about growth and working on yourself so give yourself some grace throughout the process. Remember, the process is often even more important than actually hitting those benchmarks so pay attention to that! Also pay attention to any patterns. Do things always fall out of place for you every March around your birthday, or do you find yourself getting burnt out every few months? Pay attention to any patterns you find during these check-ins so you can build more sustainable strategies.
I hope you’ve found this helpful and props for deciding to get back to it! You’ve got this!
