Daily Movement Prompts, Saturday, July 1, 2017 edition: Taking Stock
Are any of you in the habit of setting goals for a year and doing a thoughtful review every three months or so? I went to a workshop in January where we made some big goals and dreams in brainstorming lists, and then we wrote letters to ourselves to open on April 1, July 1, and October 1. The assignment was to encourage our future selves.
I opened my July 1 letter today, and it reminded me how my brain was working January. I’ve made some adjustments over the past almost six months, and I’d forgotten a few things since January.
Last month at the beginning of June, I suggested you make a goal for the month. If you did, how are things going? Did you spend your June the way you’d hoped? Have you made some progress along your goals? Does goal setting and dreaming big work for you? Have you given it a try lately?
One suggestion I would like to make today: Balance love and forgiveness for yourself with any challenges and motivations you are embracing. Sometimes we can swing far in one direction or another. You might “buckle down” and try to “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” and then rarely remember to forgive yourself or show yourself appreciation and love for the work you *have* done, even if you didn’t hit a goal you were aiming for. Or you might be comfortable in your habits and forget to challenge yourself. (Although sometimes that’s *exactly* the goal you were aiming for: Letting go of the heavy pressures and learning to embrace a slower pace, especially in a time of recovery.)
If this works for you today, give it a try. Take stock in how January through June went, or even just the past four weeks, and congratulate yourself for the movement, activities, and habits you’ve accomplished. And if making goals and plans works for you, write something down about the next four weeks, next six months, or whatever time frame interests you. Write yourself a physical letter, seal it up, and write the date when you should open it. Write yourself something encouraging, to warm your heart later when you open the letter. Make a note on the calendar to remind you when the letter should be opened (and where you hid it “in a safe place”).
And let’s encourage each other. How did you move today? How will you move tomorrow? What kind of encouragement can you share with us?