... And help you achieve them while supporting your wellbeing (it might not be what you think).
If you’re anything like me, you’re a diehard goal-setter; taking every chance you get to get clear on what you want in life and do your best to make it happen. Yet, upon reviewing my 2021 #goals and monthly #Moon intentions, I had a defeating revelation.
Most of my goals and intentions didn’t come to fruition. To be honest, 2021 was one of the most challenging years of my life and I know I’m not the only one. #welp
According to Ashira Prossack from Forbes, only 8% of folks who set resolutions actually follow through on them. Yikes. That’s a slim margin that results in the majority of people feeling defeated and frustrated.
After moving through much disappointment and feeling like a failure, I took it upon myself to shift my perspective and learn from this experience.
As a Counselling Astrologer and Life Coach who teaches people how to create in alignment with the Moon, I’ve had a lot of practice goal-setting including the things you might want to consider avoiding.
This is how I came up with these 6 game-changing tips that will uplevel your goal-setting routine:
Let’s set goals for the right reasons and make sure we’re well set up to follow them through while supporting our wellbeing.
1) Keep it simple It’s great to dream big and identify all the things you desire, but setting goals is different than writing a bucket list. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made with goal setting is having too many (yes, that can be a thing). This makes it hard to prioritize what’s most important and put them into practice. This takes us to tip #2.
2) Make sure your goals are aligned with your core values Ideally, our core values direct our actions and decisions. This helps us prioritize what’s most important and focus on what really matters. In other words, we want to have integrity and set goals for the right reasons. When setting a goal, ask yourself: Does this align with my core values?
To identify your core values, check out this exercise.
3) Be realistic and hold yourself accountable Most of my clients are high achievers. I’m exceptionally good at calling them out on unrealistic expectations and helping them get crystal clear on what’s essential (yet, still working on it personally).
When setting a goal, consider the steps required to make this happen including the time, energy, and resources required. You also have to consider any obstacles (like a global pandemic, systemic oppression, trauma, etc.) and the things you have to change or let go of to make space for this new goal.
Now, ask yourself: Are you willing to hold yourself accountable for ALL of this? This is when you get real. If the answer is no, then you may want to break down your goal into something more palpable, reconsider your goal altogether, or work with a coach to help you with this. If the answer is yes, then LET’S GO!
4) Pay attention to your body Your body holds so much wisdom. Check-in with the sensations, feelings, actions, and/or images that come up for each goal you set. You may, for instance, feel changes in your temperature or breathing pattern.
Ideally, your goal feels right for YOU; not what social media or your family wants of you. If you feel the expansiveness of excitement, waves of nourishment, and even {healthy} pangs of fear, chances are you’re on the right track.
5) Review your goals and track your progress (or lack thereof) This implies that you’re already writing your goals, which is important so you can refer back to them. We want to keep them fresh in our minds so we can hold ourselves accountable. We also want to give ourselves credit and acknowledge when our goals have been achieved so they can land in our bodies and psyches. Finally, we want to learn from our experiences, show ourselves compassion, and pivot as needed.
6) Rest and just be This is arguably the most important tip, which is often really difficult for high achievers to sink into. The thing is, you don’t need to be setting goals and working on them all the time. It goes against our natural rhythms to be constantly striving. Your body and mind will tell you when rest is needed. Allow time for things to come and go. Be patient. Give yourself space to receive. Enjoy the journey. Know that you are inherently enough just as you are.
~ This is the balance.
I work with my menstrual cycle, my nervous system, and astrology to help with this process. Contact me to learn more and subscribe to my mailing list for more tips like these.
Alex Albert, Wild Astrology
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. Alex is a Counselling Astrologer, Life Coach, Holistic Cycle Educator & Yoga Teacher. She is passionate about combining cosmic insight with practical, body-based, trauma-aware modalities for lifestyle integration, transformative healing, and radical wellbeing.