quieting my inner goal-setter

If I learned anything this year it’s to be flexible. Be flexible with your plans, your expectations, and your goals. All of my travel plans were canceled this year. New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Spain all cancelled. Seeing family from England? Cancelled. Expectations to have a financially abundant year... um, not even close. Goals? Literally every single goal I had for my book didn’t happen regardless of how hard I worked for it. The goal we’d set to joyfully and confidently step into starting a family this year? Hilarious. But that’s okay. Because we’re human and we evolve and we adapt. We are flexible.

Usually during this time of year I sit down and reflect and make my neat little plans and set up expectations of how I want the next year to go. I set my goals and realistic but serious no-bullshit timelines and elevate my manifesting frequency to a higher level. But not this year. Not because I don’t believe in any of it, but because I don’t think we should be putting that much pressure on ourselves and the “new year” quite yet, or ever. A lot of healing still needs to be done. We need to give ourselves grace and gentleness and be patient with our healing. We don’t have to rush it just because the calendar year changes. It’s an artificial and arbitrary date. Let go of the “new year, new you” narrative and let the new year come for you when your heart is less heavy and your mind is more clear.

And if you must set goals, I encourage you to be flexible. Hold onto them lightly. Allow yourself to stretch and sway and let go of structure. Try not to set your goals so rigidly that you put yourself in a box with no room to grow. Build margin into your days to give you the space for joy and even a little of the fantastical. Allow your heart and mind to be open to the healing you deserve after this incredibly trying year. These are all the things I keep telling myself when my inner goal-setter is trying to rush me into a place I’m not ready.

Don’t let the new year rush you. Go at your own pace. Trust yourself. You got this.