Tag Archives: SMART goals

Stretch not Struggle

stretch not struggleSo much has changed since I started this Ten Weeks of Intentions journey. Most of the time it has been a stretch not struggle to get a weekly post up in what started out as an “occasional blog”.

So how do you feel after a stretch?  There are times when we need to stretch, not just physically like a cat, but emotionally. When faced with making a change, there is a conscious and an unconscious response to the impending change.  Conflicting thoughts and emotions result in a struggle as we overthink, filter the information and maybe even jump to negative conclusions about the outcome. An emotional stretch may involve changing habitual actions or thoughts and our inner self talk can often sabotage even the best intentions. A little bit like what we are going through at the moment. This is where you need someone to walk alongside you and cheer you on as you stretch to move out of hibernation and towards setting some goals for our “new normal”.

One way to make reaching your goals a pleasant stretch not struggle, is to use the SMART method of goal setting.   Setting a goal or intention using this formula works. Make the goal or intention Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timed.

Specific: Write down as much detail as you can about your goal. It helps if you have a genuine belief that the goal can be achieved. ? It helps to create a vision board to focus your attention on the end result and in Reiki classes we have a saying “Where attention goes, energy flows”.

Measurable: How are you going to measure that you have obtained your goal? Trackers are great as you can see your progress.  Start with the end in mind and work backwards to now or when you commit to starting.

Your bank account?  x amount of $ saved per week/fortnight/month

Your ideal weight?  x amount of kilograms/pounds reduced by each week/fortnight/month

Actionable: What are the actions you must take to reach your goal? They can be baby steps or great big scary steps. For example – how many subscriptions do you still have that are being used? Which ones can be suspended so that you can save precious dollars while we are in uncertain times? If you find that you have been making too many trips to the fridge or pantry – what actions must you take to get to your ideal weight? Being honest about food intake/portion sizes or daily activities will help to get you to goal weight.

Realistic: Is your current spending rate going to allow you to save for something special or do you need to economize on certain expenses? If you love a garment that is 3 sizes smaller than you currently are, will you realistically fit into it once social distancing rules have been lifted?

stretch not struggle

Timed:  Mark the date that you want to achieve your goal on the calendar, regardless of social distancing rules.  If the goal is a big one, then it is a great idea to break it down into smaller time frames. Likewise with reducing weight. Adjusting your timeframe to acknowledge that you may have a couple of occasions where there is the likelihood of not reaching your weekly or monthly target, will mean that you are less likely to have a negative self talk session with yourself. Make it a stretch not struggle.

My intention for this week is to reflect on the journey thus far and to use the energy of The Fool from the Rider Waite Tarot to continue journeying on.

Patience

A couple of roos loose in the top paddock“Be patient, all things move as the timing requires. Quiet your mind, take time to be with yourself with no expectations or push. Do not be anxious for results, but enjoy the gentle journey. In your busy world, do not be rushed or allow the impatience of others to push you into hasty actions.

All things come to those who wait….patiently!”  Treasures from Tikashi

Back in the city, I miss the quiet time of the retreat and find myself getting impatient with not having developed it as quickly so as to have guests to stay in comfort and share the experience. The contrast between country and city couldn’t be greater.

Spending time in reflection, quite a lot has already been achieved and lessons learned. There has been the clearing of the flammable weed that covered much of the property and a maintenance schedule to prevent it from taking over again is being developed.

My first Labyrinthpriority was to build a labyrinth to set the energy for the property and that has been done. Again it needs maintenance on a regular basis as the weather and wildlife tend to blur the outline. The addition of gypsum last September has made digging the clay so much easier! Next project on the list for the labyrinth area is to set up some termite proof seating and shelter.

After the trial of garlic (enjoyed by the wildlife), I spent a few months germinating sage seeds and potting them up to plant.  A couple of sage plants had been put in last Easter and were left untouched for the rest of the year, so I thought that this would be a suitable plant to grow. Sage ready to plantA mixture of pot sizes and some stunted seedlings made the trip up to the retreat for an Easter planting. I decided to put them into the centre arms and entrance to create a fragrant addition. Planting out some 20 pots took a little longer than expected, and being able to use the water from the fire trailer to water them in saved carrying 20 litre buckets across the paddock! Rain was forecast and I was confident that they would happily adapt to their new home. Research was done on other rabbit/hare proof herbs and I looked forward to checking up on them at the next visit.

Orbs on approach to labyrinth On the next visit, most of the plants were pruned to the roots….only the tiniest, most straggly seedlings that I thought wouldn’t survive remained. Coming back to that word….

Patience……

I planted out a rosemary cutting with strong roots that I put in the plant carrying box at the last minute. It will be interesting to see if the kangaroos and hares find rosemary palatable as well….

The Easter holiday was a hive of activity.  Building, mowing, digging, planting trees and sage, not to mention watching the Lunar Eclipse on the Saturday evening. Orbs at the eclipseThe skies were clear, just a little chilly, but bearable if rugged up well. The banana lounges were employed usefully and we were able to recline without getting a crick in the neck that one gets from star-gazing whilst sitting in a chair.  Various photos of the eclipse were taken, but a better quality camera or lenses are required for future photos of the moon, stars and planets, but good enough to record the orbs that appeared!

The aging tractor doesn’t fit into the large shed, so an extension or “tractor port” was planned aOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAnd the wood delivered just before the Easter holidays. Tall enough to accommodate the tractor, long enough to fit the slasher it will have a skillion roof to add more rainwater to the dwindling levels of water in the big concrete water tank.

Friends arrived to help out with the building and were duly fed lunch for their efforts. Another friend stayed on to help with the mowing.  The same friend helped out with digging holes in the hard clay soil to plant out some oak tree saplings that I have grown from seed.  They were settled into the soil with well aged compost from the toilets and securely staked and tree guards put around them. Time was taken out to visit the Easter Parade in Rushworth and there was lots to see, but it was good to get back to the relative quiet of the retreat.

A walk around the boundary was a great opportunity to find some small treasures. A tiny nest that had blown out of a tree. Looking more closely, the enterprising birds (they could have been Pardalotes, Blue Wrens or Robins) had visited the main area and used threads from the Tibetan prayer flags that are placed around the communal fireplace.

Tiny Town labyrinthDuring the last visit, I spent some time re-visiting my labyrinth books and came across an unusual design, based upon a shepherd’s crook. As I gazed out of the shed whilst sheltering from a brief shower, I realized this would fit in an area that I had previously considered for putting in a raised garden bed. I marked it out with a tree stake and yes, it just fitted!red and green energy in new labyrinth Out came the shovel and the outline was dug into the ground and then the leaves raked to clear a pathway. This will be a low maintenance labyrinth, with just a quick rake to be able to walk it. Photos were duly taken and some interesting artifacts appeared on the bottom of the second photo. It was a series of 3 photos taken in quick succession and the second one shows a green circle at the bottom and the third, no artifacts……

Back to the city…. and a friend asks when there will be more accommodation…… back to the start of the post….. patience!

It’s evolving.

Slowly, like the oak trees that have gone in. They may not be of use in what’s left of my lifetime, but I planted them with the future in mind.

 

 

New Look

There must have been something in the air – certainly change……

I’ve changed my personal website as well as this business one and feel like I am starting to get the two more aligned. I’ve even imported all my old posts from a Blogger account that I started posting in …way back in 2008 … to this one and am thinking that towards the end of the year I might even migrate the blog here to my personal website. Not sure what Mr Google will think of that….

July has seen me reviewing old business plans and I was really surprised when I dug an old one up from 2009 and discovered that my plan back then was really ahead of its time. This time, as I review it, I have decided to run it past a person with a more positive outlook and entrepreneurial attitude than last time. In fact I might even listen to my own intuition and not give away my personal power…..

A dream is just a dream…. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline……

Needless to say, there has been some serious planning with 90 day goals set over the last few weeks, both business and personal. I’m happy to say that most of the goals I have set for July have been achieved and there’s still 3 more days to go!

GoalsUsing the SMART model makes it really simple to test whether the goal is realistic or not and of course that is the key. Set achievable goals and  not only the does the conscious mind do a “happy dance”, but the brain creates new pathways, the subconscious mind stores the positive experience to be applied to other future projects…..

Woman at Work

expandCoaching is underway and I have re-visited my values.

This time I approached it a little differently and have set the intent to break through old beliefs that no longer serve. Astounding really, how we can unconsciously hold  on to familiar patterns of thought and not realize how that no longer works if we want to make changes.

Coupled with the coaching, I’m doing a marketing course and apart from looking at the ideal client, re-visiting my niche and looking to get my message much clearer than in the past. I now realize that I have  been a “Jack of all trades” ( or should that be Jill?) and even though I LOVE  doing the Reiki, Polarity Therapy and Homeopathy, it is really the Hypnotherapy that is the passion. Seeing clients literally change in the chair as they access their subconscious and resolve long-term issues is the reward.

There is also the realization that these therapies are just tools to be used and can be applied as needed to empower clients. Less focus on naming the therapies and more on getting resolution for the client. Sometimes it’s difficult to see the wood for the trees… and even though I have done a coaching course and can self coach, a fresh set of eyes will reveal the obvious.

Managing time better is another priority as  I reduce the number of projects on the go. It’s all about planning and being more effective as well as setting goals for the future. This will be important as in a couple of weeks I will take possession of a 40 acre property in Northern Victoria. Scheduling the time to maintain it and develop it into a workable retreat will be a challenge, but one I’m up for!

Another project has come to a closure and this will result in a book which will be released in early December. I am a contributing author to a book about women’s health and wellness by some well known Australian identities. I look forward to sharing more news about that very shortly and of course if you want an idea for a Christmas present………..!!

Renew those New Year Resolutions

“Cheers to a New Year and another chance to get it right” – Oprah Winfrey

Did you make your New Year’s resolutions and keep them? We are a couple of weeks into the new year now and are they just a distant memory? Did you experience remorse on New Year’s Day or shortly after when you realized that your first resolution had been broken? Be kind to yourself and ask where the lesson is in this. Change your thinking and see this as feedback that will enable you to make successful goals in the future.

“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other” – Anon.

There are common new year resolutions on every continent and the top 5  made every year are:

  1. Getting into shape – and that includes weight loss, fitness, giving up smoking or drinking
  2. Getting more organized
  3. Getting a job or changing to a better job
  4. Spending less or clearing debt
  5. Improving the mind and getting an education.

Well, no need to despair or feel as if you have yet to achieve those goals.  If you didn’t stick to those resolutions you made with good intent, then change them so you can,  How so, you may ask? There is still time to review those resolutions you made and set new and achievable goals, just in time for Chinese New Year which falls this year on February 4th.

Take the top intention from the list and let’s apply the SMART goal setting system to your resolutions and you will go from resolution to evolution – creating the change that you really want.

Getting into Shape

S is for Specific – What is it EXACTLY that you want to achieve?

  • Do you want to lose weight – how much & by when;
  • get fit by walking/running/aerobic exercise/gym & what level of fitness will you be happy with;
  • stop smoking/drinking or reduce your intake?

M is for Measurable – How will you know WHEN you have achieved your goal?

  • Set your time frame,
  • clothes size,
  • weight,
  • cigarettes reduced etc.

Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day…..

A is for Achievable are you capable of getting to your goal?

  • Who do you need to support you to get there? You can’t expect to lose 20kg in a couple of weeks, after all it did creep up on you – all those chocolates and treats while writing reports, that extra slice of Christmas pudding, the broken biscuits that don’t count, finishing off those fries for the kids….

R is for Realistic – are you going “cold turkey” on the booze and ciggies?

  • How likely are you to relapse? Again, you need to put in your support systems. If you are serious about your health and the risks involved in excessive consumption (of anything) then have a plan. Fail to plan and plan to fail.
  • Speak to your Primary Health Practitioner, get your patches or see a Hypnotherapist for your smoking cessation plan or alcohol detox.

T is for Timely – this is where you set the date for when you expect to achieve your goals. You need to have done all of the above to make your resolution a success.

The Year of the Rabbit, is an ideal year to achieve your success as it is a much quieter and more relaxed year than that of 2010, the Year of the Tiger. However, the Rabbit influences of comfort, good taste and refinement may lead to over indulgences and putting off unpleasant tasks.

Make your resolutions fun and enjoyable using the SMART goal setting techniques and you will enjoy the new year and a new you!

“An Optimist stays up to midnight to see the New Year and a Pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”  Bill Vaughan