S.M.A.R.T. goals for the New Year- Self Care is natural.
Our Mission
The mission of Living Earth Naturals is to help individuals to connect personal and planetary care. Why? Because there is not one without the other, and…
Self Care is Natural
It’s neccesary.
Simply put, self care is the only place to begin. Care for anyone or anything else has to be rooted in a practice of self care to be sustainable. We really cannot give and give and give without sustenance as well. This is a law of nature. How can we truly care for our relationships, or our communities, or our environment without recognizing ourselves as part of them? We have to value our own contributions in order to fully give them. And in order to value our contributions, we must care for and value ourselves. Care is a feedback loop, just like any other eco system.
New Year, New Goals
2020 is finally over! I have my fingers crossed that 2021 will be brighter. So much of that is up to us. So much is determined by our individual choices, and every choice matters!
The new year is both a common time and a great time to set new goals for ourselves, and I’m no exception. I’ve set a few specific self improvement goals for 2021.
- Establish a meditation practice.
- Spend dedicated, quality time with my daughter and husband.
- Spend more time on creative projects.
- Spend more time outdoors.
I have a whole other set of goals for Living Earth Naturals. I will share those as they develop throughout the year. For now I want to focus on personal goals because they are the foundation for accomplishing my goals for LEN.
A common theme with New Year’s resolutions is that we start strong and then within a month or two, our enthusiasm and determination begin to falter. We settle back into old habits and patterns. We loose track of our intentions and maybe even forget what we set out to accomplish. I’ve been a victim to this many times. It’s easy to do, or should I say “not do”.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Have you heard of this?
I first encountered S.M.A.R.T. goals while working in wilderness therapy with challenged youth.
Yeah, it’s a little bit cheesy, but it’s an easy, helpful way to determine and accomplish your new year’s resolutions. Let me expand.
S=Specific. Don’t make your goals too broad or generic. If your goals aren’t specific, it’s hard to know where to begin, let alone how to accomplish them. If you do have an overarching, larger goal, break it down into smaller, more specific pieces. This is the who, what, where of your goal. Other “S” words for determining your goals are simple, sensible and significant.
M=Measurable. How are you going to measure your progress? How much? How many? How will you know when it is accomplished? Other “M” criteria are meaningful and motivating.
A=Attainable. Is this goal something that you can actually accomplish? Do you realistically have the resources? Other “A” words are achievable and ability.
R=Relevant. Does your goal align with other aspects of your life? Is it the right time for this effort? This is the why of your goal. Other “R” words to consider are reasonable, and realistic.
T=Time Bound. Every goal benefits with time constraints of some sort. This is the when and how long of your goals. Being time bound helps us to keep our goals in focus, and to prevent overwhelm when establishing a new practice.
Example
Now let’s break it down with an example. I will use my goal of establishing a meditation practice.
Specific? Yes, I’m not looping any other self care into it. An example of too broad would be “Be Healthier.” That could include a number of efforts, including meditation. But I’m just going to focus on mediation, so it’s a specific goal.
Measurable? Yes, I am actually tracking the number of minutes and the days that I meditate. This helps to “motivate” my continued effort.
Attainable? Yes, I’ve done some mediation practice and training in the past. I purchased an app for the holidays, and I have my homemade meditation cushion ready to go.
Relevant? YES! My life feels busier all the time. I have a number of people and projects to show up to on any given day, so I want to have a clear mind and be present to these obligations and opportunities.
Time Bound? Yes, I am practicing for 10 minutes everyday, right after I finish my daily workout. Ten minutes easily fits into my morning routine. Also, by doing it at a set time each day and partnering it with an established practice, it’s easy to remember.
Additional tips
I have a few additional tips I want to share to help with your success.
- Be kind to yourself! No one is perfect. No practice is perfect. Don’t engage negative self talk, it helps nothing. Give yourself a pat on the back and a smile for each step along the path.
- It’s a journey. Most goals, even those with a specific result in mind, are just the beginning of new habits, or new lifestyle patterns. Each step is useful. As we start new endeavours, we learn a lot about ourselves. Be patient, and keep going!
- Take it beyond yourself. Connect your goals to a larger purpose, and/or a larger community. It’s easier to stay committed to our goals when we are supported by others working for similar achievements.
Connecting Personal and Planetary Care
All of this leads me right back to the beginning, the mission of Living Earth Naturals. I can attest to you that every step I have taken to do better and do more through LEN has required an equal amount of effort to care for myself. I have had to become more disciplined and refined with my time, my self care, my education, my relationships, my recreation, and my creative pursuits. I have had to grow my self confidence and my abilities in order to be the person I need to be to manifest my dreams for my business, which in turn allows me to do more for the planet. It’s all beautifully intertwined.
So, I send you a heart felt smile and a pat on the back as you work at your resolutions and goals. You are worth caring for. Plus, we need you to be and feel your best self to help take care of our planet.
Peace and Love, Brandi