A brief conversation about my 2023 goals and a few things I find helpful when goal setting and creating a realistic plan to achieve those goals.
Can you believe it's the end of December already? As we prepare to close out one year and step into another, I thought I would take some time to discuss some of my 2023 goals and just some tips I've found helpful in setting realistic goals for the new year.
Setting realistic goals.
What is a realistic goal? Well, I think the answer will vary depending on who you ask.
re·al·is·tic: having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected.
As you can see from the definition, you need to have a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved in order to set a realistic goal for yourself. Some people give me a hard time when I say that I am a "realist" and that I like to keep things realistic, but I think that has a lot to do with the obstacles I have faced in my past. But at the end of the day, I also firmly believe in challenging myself and setting goals that are realistic based on what I believe I can achieve, but are yet slightly out of my reach. Example: say someone makes $80K a year as their only source of income and they have monthly expenses of $3000. It would be unrealistic for them to set a goal to save $1M in 2023 unless they have some major investments somewhere that we don't know about. Another example would be saying I want to lose 45 pounds this week...that is not realistic. I would be lucky to lose 45 pounds over the course of an entire year as most of us know that losing weight is HARD!! 45-50 pounds in a year sounds realistic to me, but if you already work out 6-7 days a week and have your diet down to a science, maybe you can lose way more weight than that in a shorter period of time...it all depends on what is realistic for each of us, individually.
So where do we begin??
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
I assume that we all know the path we would like to take as we go into 2023 and if you don't...the time is now to start making those plans. Most recommend making S.M.A.R.T. goals instead of some lofty New Year resolution. So what are S.M.A.R.T goals?
S- Specific: the goal should be specific, "I want to lose 40 pounds by December 31, 2023." You know exactly what you want to do, that is a very specific goal. It doesn't leave anything to the imagination. If you told your goal to a stranger, they would immediately know what you are working towards.
M- Measurable: the goal should be measurable. You should be able to check-in with yourself to see if you are on the right path to reaching that goal by a specified date. With the 40 pound weight loss goal, it is very easy to measure that goal by simply stepping on the scale. You can measure your progress and check to see if you are on track to reach the goal by the end date.
A- Attainable: the goal needs to be something that you can actually attain. Something that is not impossible. If I said I want to lose 400 pounds in 2023, but you only weigh 150- that would be unattainable and impossible. You get the point, the goal needs to be something that you can actually make happen for yourself.
R- Realistic: (my favorite!!!) the goal needs to be realistic. We already talked about this one so there isn't much else to say except that ➡️ YOU are the only one that can determine if the goal is realistic or not. Don't let anyone else make that determination for you! You know yourself and you know your situation. If you set a goal that you believe in your heart is specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic (for YOU)... then go for it!!!
T- Time Bound: your goal needs to have some time limitation. If I said I want to lose 40 pounds eventually...that is not a S.M.A.R.T. goal. "Eventually" could be today, it could be next week, it could be 7 years from now. How could I possibly measure and assess my progress if I have no idea when I want to reach that specific goal? The goal may still be realistic but it is hard to hold your feet to the fire if you don't give yourself some type of deadline.
My 2023 goals (some of them anyway)
I have been thinking about my 2023 goals for quite some time now and I realized that a lot of my goals are tied up in fall grades being released and the results of my final exams. I have had several tough conversations with myself as to how I plan on moving forward should I not have made the cut this past semester. I have harped on this a lot because I know others have walked out of an exam and felt 100% defeated. We can all be a negative Nancy at times, but when you honestly walk out of that test room and know in your heart that you did not do well...that is a different type of feeling that can honestly be crushing. All the emotions can be a challenge to deal with. I was happy to have come to the end of the semester, but I have been all-consumed with wondering and worrying about grades. With the holiday, I really wanted to just enjoy the break but instead I have been worrying about what I am going to do if I did fail a class. All that worrying and wondering has actually made me feel...nothing! Emotionless. Today, as I write this post I don't care what grades I receive --I just want to receive them, to have some closure. If I scored high enough to move on, that is exactly what I am going to do. If I didn't, life is going to move on regardless and things will be ok--either way!
My concrete goals or focus points for 2023 are:
Lose weight and get serious about my health & fitness journey.
To be more intentional with my time and to create more memories with the boys.
To save money (which is easier said than done in California), but I will either be saving to pay for law school or saving for the next part of this incredible journey called life.
Continue to advance my career in my current position and expend by getting more into social media management and digital marketing
More on all of this next week after grades post.
I noted in last weeks post that this post would be short...so bye! LOL, kidding. My #1 suggestion or recommendation when planning your 2023 goals or in keeping those goals at the forefront is to remember your why! Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to save money? Why do you want to change careers? Why do you want to go back to school? When planning your goals really think about why that particular goal is important and when times get tough...and they will get touch, focus on your why and not your progress (for that moment). I also like the idea of having "focus words" or a word/set of words that you can write on your mirror or keep on a post-it note at your desk that you can quickly glance at throughout the day to keep your goals and your why displayed front and center! My 2023 goal/focus words are Consistency and Discipline....I think! LOL🤣I don't take choosing these words lightly, so I am still meditating and praying over these words, so they may change between now and next week when I post a more concrete update on basically EVERYTHING!
With all that being said- HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! My hope for anyone who follows me or reads this post is that you find peace in 2023 and achieve all your goals whatever those goals may be. I hope that my journey and transparency brings you some motivation and puts a smile to your face 😃. You are not alone and 2023 can be the best year yet!! Be safe and I can't wait to see what 2023 has in store for each of us!!
