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THE THREE "R's" | Reflecting, Refocusing, and Resetting in this new year. By Renee Gebhart, LCSW, MSW, Therapist & Coach.
By nature, & nurture, I am a Type A planning and control freak. Order and control come first for me, then fun & spontaneity. For a while I didn’t plan; I was burnt out and life took me for a wild ride I couldn’t control so I just free floated until I was forced to actively harness my power. As I approach 2022, I do not plan to control or float, but set intentions. What might work for you?
You might start with a general “check in” and go from there. For example:
- What IS working well in my world?
- Do I continue or add to it?
- What ISN'T working well in my world?
- Do I need information, support, or more time to observe?
- Do I need to reduce or minimize what doesn’t work or substitute with something different?
Checkpoints include your business, finances, physical & mental wellness, relationship with yourself & relationships with others. Sometimes you may not need BIG goals but rather “little tweaks” that look like adding or subtracting incrementally as you fine tune your behaviors or processes.
Alternatively, you might reflect less pragmatically and instead allow yourself to “dream big”. A puzzle metaphor is helpful…. get a detailed, colorful picture in your head of the outcome, find the key puzzle pieces to include or find, and then allow the process to unfold.
I have so many personal & professional goals this year that I am choosing to focus on two key intentions to allow me to meet my “goals” with more ease. I plan to connect with myself more actively and approach my professional and personal goals with more ease and less pressure….” unfolding” is the word that comes to mind.
Goal setting at the start of the New Year can be helpful & I don’t discourage it. However, many people set themselves up for failure if their goals aren’t realistic, broken into doable steps, follow a reasonable timeline and get enough support; instead, their goals fall off as they rely on self-will alone. We only have so much self-will we can muster each day, so that is tricky!
Whether you are setting goals or intentions, you are human…. plan to fall “off course”. It’s ok! Use the start of each day or each month to reflect, refocus, and reset! And if you would like help, support, and/or accountability for your personal and/or professional goals, I would be happy to help you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Renee loves people's stories & would love to know yours. Helping clients feel better about themselves, their relationships, and their work makes her happy. As a LCSW, Renee has provided individual, couple, and family counseling, given presentations, & was an Assistant Professor of Social Work at UAFS. Renee currently provides coaching & therapy.
FOLLOW Renee here on Instagram HERE. You can also visit her on Facebook HERE.
You can also send her an email at renee@reneegebhart.com
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