End of January Check-in: Slow and Steady for 2022

I cannot believe it’s almost the end of January. I started the new year emerging from the cocoon of isolation after my husband tested positive for Covid-19. And now, as we approach the end of the month, I work to strategically harness momentum and motivation to hit the milestones along the way to my bigger personal and professional goals in 2022. The beginning of the year is typically the time when we all set goals for ourselves (as is evident by the January gym crowds.) And I do, too. Every year, I set a goal to move forward in every one of the three major area in my life:

1. Career/business
2. Health/fitness
3. Interpersonal relationships

Once my goals are set, I make sure I put in place the following:

1. a check-in method to maintain self-accountability
2. a daily motivation practice to keep me moving forward

My Monthly Review Check-in

I started doing a monthly reflection about 10 years ago, and it has helped me stay focused and achieve my goals every year. I find that by doing a monthly reflection at the end of each month, I can observe my progress and make the necessary adjustments as well as outline the necessary next steps. In a way, the monthly reflection is my project management tool to ensure I don’t run out of steam. It gives me a chance, on a monthly basis, to re-evaluate and hit restart.

How-to: I write the following in my goal journal:

1. Reaffirm my #1 priority for each of the goals in the 3 areas.
2. Reflect on what’s going well (continue to do.)
3. Reflect on what’s not going well, or getting in the way (make a plan to adjust.)
4. Recognize one positive lesson.
5. RECAP the positive lesson.

To RECAP the positive lesson:

• Recall relevant information
• Evaluate critical success factors
• Clarify and prioritize options going forward
• Align and integrate knowledge to form new accountabilities
• Prepare next month’s action plan

My daily self-motivation practice: Word of the Year

It is my experience that achieving goals is not just about the “how,” the process, but in large part it’s about understanding the “why,” the inner drive. It is the difference between going through the motion checking things off a to-do list versus energizing and rallying around meaning and purpose. Thus, every year I choose one single word to guide my focus and my efforts for each area of my life throughout the year on a daily basis. By tying my goals back to my intention-setting word, I find it easier to keep them top of mind. In the past, I used to go for strong action verbs to spice up and energize my vision and goals. But this year, I set my goals with a different intention: slowing down. It was a valuable lesson I learned spending 10 days in isolation. Covid afforded me the opportunity to try on a new lifestyle - to embrace slow living and utilize rest and relaxation as a goal-accomplishment strategy. I’ve since adopted Paul Simon’s The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy) as my personal mantra:

“Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last.”

In 2022 I want to keep applying the Pandemic lesson learned that busy and fast isn’t necessarily the best way to go about goal-achievement or living fully. Slowing down has many advantages. So, this year, my intention is still to set and achieve goals in order to develop and grow, but with a twist, to do so at a slower, more peaceful, more patient, more self-accepting pace.

My Word for 2022 is: Slow-down.

My Mantra is: “I give myself the space to slow down and find calm within myself to enjoy the moment.”

I am finding infinite wisdom in slowing down. When my mind is unhurried, I am more focused and better able to respond to what really matters. There’s now a quiet sense of joy that permeates my life. I encourage you to slow down and smell the flowers as you diligently pursue meaningful goals.

Do you have any power words that inspire and motivate you? Have you ever chosen a word for the year? What would be your word for this year to help you stay on track and keep your goals top of mind all year long?