“Just because you can set multiple goals, doesn’t mean you should.” – Kalyn Brooke
In years past, I would spend the last 4 months of the year planning to choose a word and/or setting lofty goals for the new year. I love the idea (and bought!) of a brand new planner with crisp pages, colored pens, and highlighters, stickers, supplies…ok you get the idea. I wanted to get all of my plans down on paper and hustle to achieve them.
January 1st was going to be the day I finally got it all together. A new start.
Can you guess how that went?
After the first missed day of my newly purchased cleaning schedule or the first time I skipped a new routine because I was just too out of spoons, I gave up. I crumbled under the weight of my own expectations.
It took me a while to figure out why. First, I started by asking myself the obvious – why can’t I be like everyone else? The rather disappointing response to my query was, “Because you’re not.”
Ouch.
Through a lot of therapy work, and self-discovery I finally figured out that I’m just not that girl. And for once, I accept it. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still want to achieve things (um, hi, I’m an Enneagram 4). So what’s a girl to do?
How I’m Approaching Goal Setting in 2022
Last year, I purchased Kalyn Brooke’s book Practical Dreamer, and admittedly it sat in my Kindle TBR “pile” for a couple of months before I bit the bullet.
You guys. I should not have waited.
In it, she encourages you not to set some long litany of goals. Rather, set one. Yes, I realize that sounds insane if you’re Type A and achievement-driven. Listen. The second I read that, it was all the permission that I needed.
My therapist has been telling me for years not to multitask, but I never considered applying that advice to setting goals.
Kalyn’s process is simple. Set one goal and only work on that goal for 6 weeks. Then set a new one. At the end of the year, you’ll have achieved 7 or 8 goals. You won’t feel the crush of trying to do it all at one time. WHAT?! Yes, please. You can read more about her system and process here.
So what’s my first goal?
My First Six Week Sprint Goal
When I got divorced, I went from a 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom house to, wait for it, a 2 bedroom, one bathroom condo. Yeah. You can imagine how well that’s worked for my neurodivergent brain. (I’ll spare you pics.)
The first thing to suffer was holiday decor. I have one tiny closet for all of it. Christmas tree included.
My first six-week sprint goal is to create an organized and functional decor closet. For the next six weeks, I’ll be going through all of my holiday decor, paring down (a little), and ditching the GIANT tubs filled with who knows what. And I’ll be updating you as I go.
But I’m Cheating on my One Goal
OK so, you know I have to put my own twist on this. I’m still sticking to one goal at a time, buuuuut I’m also adding something “fun” alongside it – adding Something I Want to Learn.
In addition to creating a functional decor closet for the next six weeks, I’ll also be learning a new-to-me skill.
Learning to use a safety razor.
Once meant for men only, they’re coming back into fashion and are far more sustainable than disposable razors with a thousand blades and 47 aloe strips. Cheaper too.
Learning to use one takes a bit of practice as there’s a learning curve (let’s not lose a leg ladies!). I can’t wait to get started.
It may seem silly to some, but after the last three years, I’m having to “re-learn” how to take care of myself well, and this felt like a fun way to do it for me.
I hope you’ll follow me along on my Six Week Sprints this year. I’m feeling so positive about setting goals for the first time in years. No really, literally years.
Have you set a goal for this year? Chosen a word? I’d love to know.
