Goals + Resolutions

Goal setting is something I do every year and I am always looking back at my goals to adjust as needed. While I am not a firm believer in resolutions, I can work with goals. There is always room to improve and be better!

Every January I always start off with running goals, as I am usually starting my training for the BMO half or full marathon. Now while racing in 2021 is completely up in the air, I am still setting goals that I can achieve in running, even if there are no races.

Of course, I have business goals and this year that is more exciting than ever because it’s MY business. I get to control the direction of my business, and not work my goals around my employer’s organization. Scary and exciting, all at the same time.

Goal Setting > Resolutions

The term resolution to me has a negative connotation. Typically, people resolve to do things at the beginning of the year, and then inevitably stop. Is there too much pressure when the term resolution is used? Could the negative connotation be detracting us?

I used to do the whole resolutions thing, but it doesn’t work for me. When I lay out goals in front of me, then I feel better and less anxious about achieving them.

It is a mindset so if you’ve set resolutions, and they’re not working for you, adjust. Take your original resolutions and modify them into actionable goals. I take my goals that I am laying out here, and I have micro-goals to help me get to those top goals.

I personally, love to reward myself. If I hit one of those top goals, the reward is bigger than the micro-goals. I also love a good checklist, so when I can tick things off, I feel very accomplished and happy. Plus, if I don’t set goals, I get lazy. Set, slay, repeat.

Running Goals

Run a 10k without any walk breaks. It’s been a few years since I have been able to do this.
Run a 55-minute 10k. My current PR is 59:32
Run a sub-26-minute 5k. My current PR is 27:22
Run a 2:10 half marathon. I was so close in October but ultimately failed. My current PR is 2:15:34
Above all else, run injury-free this year. Learning to listen to my body and take time off when needed is something I need to get much, much better at.

Health/Fitness Goals

Practice yoga 3x a week. I’d like to eventually get up to 5x a week if not 7. Three goals in one 😉
Walk 5k daily. You’d think this would be easy since I have a dog, but sometimes she is sassy AF and won’t walk very far.
Get 7 hours of sleep daily. This seems to be my current sweet spot for recovery.
Meal plan a month in advance for all weekday meals.
Meditate 5x a week
Roll and stretch every day, whether I have run or not.
Strength train 2-3x per week. This should inevitably tie in with my goal to run injury-free.
Eat more. I was undernourishing my body, and I am on a mission to fuel it properly, which again, should help me be less injury-prone.

Business Goals

Grow my @chasingdreamsaf IG following to 2,500. At the end of December, I was sitting at 803 followers; in mid-January and I am currently sitting at 1,000. This IG account is strictly related to my blogging lifestyle content.
Focus on filling my marketing consulting/freelancing pipeline to generate revenue.
Create a business-related Instagram that is focused fully on digital marketing and personal branding.
Work with 10 businesses this year in an ongoing marketing consulting role.

Miscellaneous Goals

Journal every night before bed. I’m hoping by recapping the day, I am more easily able to fall asleep. Thoughts out –> brain empty –> peaceful sleep. One can hope!
No phone 45 minutes before bed. That light from the screen is messing with my ability to sleep, and using my blue light-blocking glasses should not be used as an excuse to stay on my phone. More intention, less aimless scrolling.
Read every night before bed. At least 15 minutes, but preferably 30 minutes. Reading helps calm my brain …so long as I don’t get so involved in a book that I can’t put it down.
Better organization throughout the condo; more purging. And we don’t have a lot of stuff, but it feels like it when you live in 700 square feet!

Not your typical new year, new me resolutions

What’s the most typical resolution? To be healthier / to lose weight. So while getting stronger and getting leaner is something I am focusing on, it’s to make me a better runner, not to lose weight. Will I be happy if that happens? Absolutely. When I focus on the right things, I am more apt to succeed. Did you set a resolution to become more active perhaps?

Now my goals are sitting on the internet for the entire world to see. Does this make me nervous? Abso-frickin-lutely. Will I let it affect me? Nope! In fact, maybe this will help me crush goals quicker, meaning I can update those goals later in the year.

Reassessing my goals is something I do every quarter. But I do constantly review them, to make sure I am doing the right things to help move me forward.

Do you set goals for yourself? Have you set resolutions in the past? Did your resolutions work or not work? What works for you to help you succeed in improving yourself? Hit the comments below, and let’s discuss.