Stop to Move Forward.

Each year I set goals or intentions for what I would like the year ahead to look like. I break down each goal into steps and determine how I will achieve each desired goal.

Most years I achieve one or two things on my list but this year, is very different. 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. 2020 has seen bushfires, floods and then of course the pandemic, which lead to drastic life changes for everyone. 2020 has been a planner’s nightmare!

In the first half of the year, my professional life was manic. Adapting the new normal whilst growing a business has been challenging. It consumed me. Thinking, planning being proactive and reactive every day. I didn’t stop. Late nights, early mornings, endless phone calls and then, as if it were divine intervention, life literally smacked me in the face (quite literally, I broke my jaw in a accident for those that haven’t read my previous blogs) and I was forced to stop and slow down.

I was forced to stop my work and personal life to a degree for a period of 6 weeks. This time allowed the revision of what my intentions and goals were for the year. I realised that in all the mayhem, I was swept up in the business of life, and that I was beginning to make busy my new normal. The crazy thing was prior to the accident I was about to make myself busier.

Many of us have been forced to slow down due to the pandemic. Whilst this pandemic has taken away many things, it has given us back time. Time to reevaluate and adjust to a slower pace of life. My accident combined with COVID has brought a new sense of balance. My plan is to stay in this new found appreciation for work life balance, but it’s also about acknowledging that some days or weeks are inevitably going to require more energy than other - especially whilst running a business.

But I have made it here. To a greater sense of peace. I have had some revelations, that could only of happened by being still. By being mindful.

Only after that taking the time out to be sill, I gained clarity.

I saw my intentions, I was able to visualise the goals, what is achievable and what is realistic.

I also saw what I had to let go of. I had to stop living and functioning at an unsustainable capacity, stop trying to multitask all the time and to live a life at a slower pace for better health, productivity and longevity.

So today, I am thankful for the clarity, the time and space to be mindful. To be able to set these realistic goals and stop over doing it. To make that commitment to myself and others around me to be better for me.

I’m making myself a priority and setting clear boundaries for myself to heal, for my health. That is what’s most important and it has been my greatest life lesson in 2020; setting boundaries and putting my health and well being first.

So now I ask you, what have your life lessons been for this year? How have you gone about achieving them and keeping yourself accountable through it all?

For me, my goals are written down in my journals and I have vision board that I add to consistently. My current vision board has yearly dreams and goals, 3 and 5 year dreams, pieces of inspiration and photos of things bring me joy.

I also share my goals with my close friends and family, and ask them to keep me accountable. This also creates a sense of trust and closeness with those I love most.

I have always and will now so even more put aside the time for family and friends. We work to live, not live to work… and it’s something that is all too easy to forget as we forge our way through careers and busy lives. So designate family time, book weekends away or have a that brunch date with friends! When we were locked down and couldn’t freely visit the people we love, I’m sure it wasn’t work that we were missing… it was connection.

Additionally for good mental health and to help you achieve your goals, it’s important to keep moving! The more your body moves the happier and healthy your mind and body will feel.

So use this post as a reminder, that we all have goals and dreams, but that life also happens… Go into 2021 with goals that will bring you and those you love the most happiness. So stay true to yourself, push through the hard days, build the support system around to keep you accountable, look after yourself, have healthy boundaries and always know what’s most important!