Goal Setting as Intentional Living
To be honest, I was not much of a “goal-setter” until pretty recently. I always felt intrinsically driven to move forward in life but the “whatever happens will happen mentality” ruled. It came to a point where I began to feel stagnant and like I was just floating through life without any clear purpose.
Goal-setting was not a topic that truly resonated with me until I began to actually do it (in multiple areas of life- finances, career, relationships, health and wellness) and feel how this practice orients me on a path full of meaning and purpose for intentional, mindful living. Now, I view setting goals as creating my desired manifestations and desired future.
Setting goals is a form of communication- we are asking for what we really want and claiming this as our future reality. When searching for a new revenue stream that aligned with my gifts and interests, I created a goal to make space for this inspiration and direction to flow into my life. Without creating an intentional way to stretch out of my comfort zone, I probably would not have started a business and a blog and feel as excited to wake up each day as I do now!
Since setting goals for myself last year and again for 2018, I have approached every day with a sense of direction and guidance. If I feel unmotivated or uninspired, I simply refer to the bigger picture I've created and can more easily turn into my next step forward, no matter how tiny. Looking back, I remember what I set out to do (and it seemed scary) and can now see that I'm DOING IT. It blows my mind. I see the fruits of my desired manifestations and feel a sense of accomplishment and amazement of the simple yet potent power of intention and taking meaningful and inspired action.
Having goals that excite us and challenge us contribute to our feelings of meaning and purpose. Feelings of meaning and purpose are not only important for living a happy, fulfilling life, but actually have positive effects on our physical health as well. Research has show people with a sense of meaning are healthier, more resilient and are able to both cope better with stress and see stress as a positive force for growth. A meaningful life has even been shown to help us live longer and contribute positively to society.
Just a plants grow towards the sunlight so do humans grow towards what gives them energy. Because humans are more complex and all gain energy in our own unique way, knowledge of what this is for you is a great place to start- both for creating more meaning and purpose in life, but also in setting intentional goals.
If you struggle with deciding on a goal, a great place to start is brainstorming around what excites you- what gives you energy, and what would give you MORE of this? For example, I found that thinking about coaching as a new income stream energizes me, and the idea of creating MORE of this excites me. I am also excited about having more disposable income to save, to invest in myself and in my business, to give away to charitable organizations I support, and to travel more. So, this year my goals will stretch me to do more of both of these things- coaching more clients and manifesting my desired income- than I would probably feel motivated to do without an idea or vision of what that would look like and entail.
So if the idea of goal-setting sounds too rigid or intense for your needs at the moment, start light. What is one thing, no matter how small, that if you got it would propel you to the next level in your life? We as a species were put on the Earth to continually grow and evolve- this process is our birthright! Setting bigger goals doesn't mean we aren't content with what we have, rather, it is recognizing and appreciating our need as a living being to grow and thrive in alignment with our most authentic sense of self. Feelings of stagnation or being "stuck" are actually a sign that there is something more for us, just waiting for us to accept the challenge.
What aspects of your life could use some more attention? Where do you feel called to grow and expand? What excites you most and is just waiting for your energy? Journal the answers to these questions to see what comes up for you. As we move into this magical year let us all use the power of intention to create a reality in the expression of our unique and important purpose.
In need of guidance in setting or reaching intentionally-designed goals this year? Let's connect.