Toss out your goals this year and replace them with values

The pandemic seems to have put us in a time warp. It’s 2023. And time has a strange construct.

Now that life is slowly going back to normal, we are hosting our first new years party at our new home.

As I was browsing decorations, my eye caught a sign that said “MY GOALS ARE…”

I laughed out loud in the store… Goals?! Are we still talking about that?

I’ve been setting goals on new years for as long as I can remember. It usually has to do with losing weight.

But that just seems so silly at this time.

I am grateful to see another turning of earth around the sun. To celebrate the new year with 8 billion people (yes…we just hit 8 billion in 2022!)

And rather than setting goals, I am choosing to choose the values that I want to live by.

The values that I want to wake up and reflect on in the morning. The values I will turn to when the going gets tough.

Values that will guide me, but still leave me open to experiencing life unfold.

Values that will allow me to let go of control. And trust.

The first value I am holding onto this year is presence. Presence in the moment, to witness life unfolding.

The second value is gratitude. This one has never let me down. When I sink into gratitude, I am where I’m meant to be.

And the third value I am holding onto in 2023 is discipline. Every religious tradition has elements of discipline. I want to remember to do the things that are good for me, even when I don’t want to. Rather than set goals for what I want to do in 2023, I know that discipline will take me to where I need to go.

And so, I am excited to see how things unfold this year.

To journey the year with my values.

Wishing you a year of presence, gratitude and discipline <3