HAPPY NEW YEAR
NEW YEAR NEW CHANCES NEW GOALS
I love New Year's Eve. I love ringing in the new year with family and friends, and celebrating the chance at something new. How I ring that new year in has certainly changed but I digress.
The new year is a chance at growth.
A chance for change. A chance for better. A chance to smash some goals!
GOALS
Goals are everything for me. I've spoken many times about goals in my past posts, and the need to have a goal.
Basically, without a goal, you're likely to quit when things get hard, to skip the days when it rains per say. Goals make you do it in the rain; goals remind you there's something bigger at stake than just today.
Goals are what we need to push past on days we lack the motivation to want to do it.
DONT HATE OTHERS FOR TRYING
My least favorite thing about the new year is seeing people make fun of new year's resolutions that others make, or make fun of a lot of people being at the gym, or any comments putting others down for making a yearly goal.
You don't have to make goals for yourself, but it's so uncool to judge others for trying.
Everyone had a first day. Whether it be the gym, the art class, or the writer's course– everyone has and had a start.
Don't be the reason someone feels bad about their goals.
In fact, just be stagnant in silence and let the goal getters go off in peace.
BIG PICTURE
I have taken a lot of time to reflect, and think about what I want for myself in the coming year. Before making a real, measurable goal, I wanted to reflect on the big picture.
There's three main areas I'm looking to work on and improve.
Physical/Mental Health
I want to work on self love, and loving yourself means working on your health in all areas.
I want to work on my general fitness, and being able to move my body in ways that make me happy. I want to work on my nutrition by putting good things in my body. I want to work on my mental health by doing things that give me time to reflect and release, as well as work towards solutions and coping skills.
PUTTING IN THE TIME FOR SELF LOVE
My top three activities that bring me towards self love, and overall physical and mental wellness are reading, writing, and running.
These are the things I need to make time for. These things bring me closer to me, closer to calm, and always a level of happiness, and maybe productivity– which I live on.
Career/Teaching Practice
I have fallen into a routine that makes me feel productive and happy at work. I've found people at work I enjoy, who I'm learning from and work well with. I found community in my classes and continue to enjoy working with my students this year.
I think the next level up for me is to work on keeping up with the routines and procedures I've put in place, especially the fun parts of class– the welcome work, get to know you activities, the this or that Tuesday games, etc. These are the things that can eventually go to the wayside when planning gets hard, when time is pressed.
I need to make time for planning these things and ensure these activities don't plummet from the priority list. I want to focus on kids first, paper work later. Of course paperwork and deadlines are priorities, but kids' successes and goals come first always.
And that also means doing what I need to for the students, and going home at a reasonable hour– and maybe putting the paperwork off until the next day. I need to keep these boundaries to ensure I can work on the big picture. Happy, balance teachers make happy, balanced students.
Social/ Relationships
Changing jobs and changing location has changed a lot about how I interact with my friends and family. I've adjusted to a more virtual form of daily communication, or lack thereof sometimes. It's easy to fall off the face of the earth or social scene when you're no longer close or convenient.
I am so appreciative of the friends who have kept me on the invite list and allowed me to make plans in advance to ensure I'm able to go and getting my friend time in.
I think in the new year, the focus for me is not putting that on everyone else. I am working on this already, but I am going to continue on working on being the one to reach out. I'm also working on not being jealous when I see the things I can't go to anymore, FOMO (fear of missing out) can be so real.
Being happy for the people in our lives, even when we can't physically be apart of it, is so important, yet so difficult. Longing is real.
THE DATA, THE PLAN
What kind of growth do I want?
What changes do I need to get there?
When it has come to my teaching practice, goals are always the start. You need to know where you want to go, so you can aim effectively.
THE GOALS, THE PLAN
Physical/Mental Health Goal
- 5 days a week, I will read, write, or run for at least twenty minutes.
- Sub-goal: Running will average at least 5 miles a week
Plan: I have just completed a December challenge with my co-teacher to run a mile a day. My plan is to build off this practice, and continue to work towards an average of a mile every weekday. On my "off" days, I will give myself the space to rest my body and read/ write to nourish my mind.
Career/Teaching Practice
⅘ class days, I will create a warm up activity, additional to continued daily mood meter.
Plan: I start every class with some form of a mood meter so we can all have an emotional check in. I want to build on this practice, and have my warm up activity come after this already built in habit/procedure.
Social/ Relationships
At least once a month, I'll reach out to a friend and set up quality time to connect.
Plan: I have been working hard on being more flexible, and a little less rigid in my planning of social events. I will continue to work on this flexibility and allow plans to form later, as well as saying yes to last minute concerts like this picture thanks to a dear rugby pal! Now, I will ensure I am also the one reaching out sometimes.
CHEERS TO A YEAR OF GROWTH
So much can happen in a year if you make the time. You can truly accomplish so much, and it all starts with some goals.
Want to map some of this out?
Goal Template
Big Picture
What are you looking for generally this year when it comes to improving your physical and mental health?
What are you looking for generally this year when it comes to improving your performance at work or your special interest?
What are you looking for generally this year when it comes to improving your relationships?
Goals
Include goals for each category that can be easily monitored through something like a checklist, sticker chart, or app.
Physical/Mental Health Goal
Career Goal
Social/ Relationships Goal
Plan: Include for each goal a step or action that you plan to take to make the goal happen.
*You want your actual goals to measure growth in the short term. This means it has to be a measurable activity. Data is not subjective.*
Happy New Year and Happy Goal Writing.
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