Checking In Mid Year With Your Goals
We are currently halfway through the year, and it’s a good time to check in with yourself for goals. While we are having this conversation about halfway through the solar, Gregorian calendar year, the content of this topic is timeless. The idea is to check in with yourself every few days, on a bigger scale, every few months or halfway through the year, and everyone’s year, timeline, can be different.
We chat with Olivia Dillingham, a coach, and branding consultant, that helps individuals as well as their businesses get feeling fulfilled on every level - physically, emotionally, and spiritually, about checking in with yourself, your goals, and what happens when life happens!
Olivia has also recently founded The First House that has a mission of inner exploration and outer impact, and through their retreats and online community, they hope to help people connect with their inner beauty and purpose, connect with others, and connect with the earth so that we can all collectively begin to heal our planet.
““It is a lofty goal, to be sure, but I think that people who know themselves have a better chance at happiness and at a desire to contribute their unique gifts make the world better, more conscious, and more whole.” ”
Checking In With Your Goals
Micro + macro scale check-ins
It’s always good to check in with what you want to achieve, the direction you are heading in and what needs to change. We encourage setting intentions and reflecting on your day every night, and every morning [talked about in our morning routine post]. Even every couple of weeks is a good check in with your short term and long term goal process. On a larger scale, every month, or half year is a good time too.
Olivia mentions, “I like to use the moon cycles as my central self-check-in timetable. I feel connected to the moon and like to use new moons to take time for myself, light a candle, and set intentions. Then with the full moon I release old goals that no longer feel quite right to me.” It’s important to note that Olivia highlights that sometimes goals do not fit us anymore and its a great thing to tweak them, let or release those that are no longer working.
“The solstice [longest / shortest day of the year, happens twice a year]...is also a wonderful time to do this work in a more zoomed-out way”.”
Make It Nice
“It doesn't have to be too complicated or in any way self-punishing; make it a self-care ritual. Light a candle, play some music, and look at all of the beautiful accomplishments and journeys you have had since the start of the year; then set an intention (or a few) for the next six months with an attitude of gratitude.
Taking A Step Back To Reflect
These milestone check-ins are great because they allow us to check in with our goals, which we can’t forget includes, reflecting!
It should not only be a review of what we have accomplished, or what we need to do but also “a time to recharge, to step back a bit from the business of life and evaluate the direction [we’re] headed in.” reminds Olivia.
It’s not always easy, Olivia highlights, “sometimes this is a painful process; for me the last few weeks have been emotionally charged. But I am spending the summer in the country and trying to take things slow and move with intention. I think asking ourselves important questions, big questions about how we live and where we live and why, is important.” highlights Olivia.
We talked about the idea of essentialism, and taking an off-site, a concept coined and promoted by author Greg McKeown, also a leadership and business consultant.
Photo: Stegan Spassov
Life Happens
ARISTOS strongly believes that everything happens for a reason. Do you? It might not be as uncommon as a belief as one might think. It’s not one of those, I believe in it so I can deal with life theories, more so a part of existentialism and knowing that things happen as a part of fate or for a bigger reason. The Universe, God, always has a slightly bigger plan for all of us, and sometimes this steers us in somewhat a different track than we initially intended.
Granted, certain actions happen as a consequence of our own voluntary actions or behavior, but in the end, if it’s something’s happening… it’s happening. Our reactions to life events play a huge, if not primary, role in our overall happiness, mindfulness, and health. Both mentally and physically.
When unforeseen circumstances happen in life, sometimes much against the grain and plan we had envisioned for our year, such as a medical emergency, work related issue, a loss of something, or someone, pregnancy, and so many more life curve balls, its even more of a moment to focus on your mental state and attitude.
““I believe in the universe. I believe that we are never thrown a challenge we can’t handle; and also beyond that that each challenge is designed to bring us closer to our path.””
Olivia shares that this sometimes “mean[s], of course, that we need to check in with our goals if something big seems to get in the way. But in my mind, perhaps it's not getting in the way at all - it's just a necessary step toward the goal that is so big you haven't had a chance to envision it yet.”
What If You Didn’t Have Goals
don’t feel guilty
“Goals don't have to mean tangible results. They can be as simple as letting life flow and being as grateful and happy as possible,” Olivia reminds. First off, just the thought of you recognizing whether you have a list of goals or not, the very thought is already a sign of you thinking and reflecting on your life. The idea of reflection and direction is what it’s about. This sometimes means just maintaining what you currently have, and this itself - is a direction.
Olivia shares a thought: “I think this is a big journey for me - learning that my self-worth does not have to come from or depend on my career, the business I am working hard to build. The whole point is that I am doing what I love and need to be grateful for that every day. So maybe for some people, the goal is to be making x amount of money by July; or maybe it's being able to buy an engagement ring for their partner; or maybe it's losing weight by a certain date. But a goal can also be to spend as much time [in the] present and happy as possible; and perhaps that is more worthy of attention.”
a spiritual note
There is nothing wrong with maintaining what you currently have. However, from a personal growth and purpose perspective - a sort of accountability angle, check in with what you are doing. are you living your purpose? Or providing the value to your family/community/society? Perhaps even indirectly. To ensure that you are living your life’s worth, this is always a good thought for us to have while thinking about what goals we are working with, or what direction we are continuing in.
Photo: Dan Grinwis
