Are you discouraged because you didn’t accomplish much or you didn’t reach your goals or resolutions in 2019?
Focus on your improvements rather than your accomplishments.
I bet you improved more than you think.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to mindlessly move into a new year without taking time to acknowledge our progress, celebrate our milestones and learn from our challenges.
A Mindful Assessment is a simple tool I use personally and with my clients to stay motivated and to refocus. It involves setting aside time to review the year and reflect on series of thought provoking questions that provide insight and clarity to prepare and plan the next best step and to decide where to focus your energy.
It’s easy to get into a habit of focusing on what we didn’t accomplish rather than recognizing how we’re improving over time. Shifting our focus from how far we have to go to how far we’ve come is a powerful way to reinforce positive habits, keep us motivated and moving towards where we want to be.
“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop.” ~Confucius
Whether you want to improve your health, relationships, business, parenting, or strength and flexibility, it takes much longer than you think to develop sustainable habits and learn new skills. It takes practice, patience and perseverance.
How to Stay Motivated to Keep Going
Develop a habit of focusing on your progress – no matter how small, how slowly you’re improving or how many challenges you’ve faced. You might not have accomplished everything you expected or hoped to, but YOU ARE improving. Identify your challenges so you can learn from them. Evaluate what didn’t work and why so you don’t repeat it. Celebrate and appreciate exactly where you are today.
Set yourself up for success by making time to do a Mindful Assessment. Here are questions for reflection. Write down the answers in a journal or notebook. If writing isn’t your thing, simply take time to reflect on the questions.
- In what ways did you make progress in 2019? How have you improved? Include mini-milestones, positive changes, breakthroughs, and every time you stepped outside your comfort zone.
- What worked well? What will you continue doing?
- What didn’t work well? What will you stop doing or let go of? Include limiting stories, beliefs, ideals and habits.
- What was your biggest mistake or challenge? What is it here to teach you? What will you do differently?
- What improvements are you most grateful for and proud of?
- What will you focus on this year? What’s your next best step?
By mindfully examining the year, I bet you’ll realize you made more progress than you think. When you feel discouraged or tempted to give up, recall the countless ways you’re improving. Focus on what you DID do and what you learned instead of what you DIDN’T do and what DIDN’T work.
May you walk into the new year with clarity, motivation, and focus.
Need support and accountability in establishing goals and creating a plan? I would love to assist you. For more information, contact me for private and group coaching opportunities.
Wishing you well,
Lynette Mattina
Integrative Coach | Yoga Teacher |Movement Educator
www.lynettemattina.com
251-554-4121