Welcome to the 17th issue of The Aim and Soar Life, a weekly Christian personal growth and lifestyle newsletter that provides actionable, relatable, biblically rooted content to help you live abundantly and GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Hello Friend!
I can’t believe June is almost gone! We are more than mid-way through the year. I pray you had a wonderful week. If not, I pray that God gives you the strength to get through the challenges in your life.
Self-Assess
This is the time of year when I assess and analyze my progress toward my yearly goals (formerly known as New Year's resolutions).
For me, the word resolution made me feel like a failure when I didn’t achieve what I set out to achieve at the beginning of the year. I’d be thinking, “Sherrhonda, you failed at your New Year’s resolution! This year was a wash. You didn’t do what you said you were going to do…” These types of negative thoughts would ultimately put me in a defeatist mindset. I would feel like I failed the entire year because I didn’t accomplish my resolution.
Reframing my resolutions as goals, helped me to have a more enlightened perspective. This is self-care at its finest. It allows you to be true to yourself, but not hard on yourself. Ask yourself what prevented you from reaching your goals, and how you can eliminate those barriers. You may need someone to assist you by lending his or her expertise, or you may need more resources. Figure out those things and continue working toward your goals.
Be Kind to You
Yes, I know all about SMART (Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timebound) goals, but because we are human, and life is ever-changing with the unexpected being thrown at us, we can’t always achieve our goals in the time frame we set for ourselves. Does that make us losers? Absolutely not. That makes us human.
Did you set a goal this year to write a book? Save more money? Complete home improvement projects? Well, it’s not too late! You haven’t failed. What you have are goals that are in progress!
If we are going to truly practice self-care, we must learn to be kind to ourselves.
I would never verbally beat up on one of my therapy or coaching clients if he or she didn’t meet his/her goals in a specific time frame. So, why do I beat up on myself when I don’t hit my goals?
It’s because we are taught to be kind to others, but not a lot of emphasis is placed on being kind to ourselves. Practicing self-care means building a good foundation within so that we can share and be a blessing to others. We must practice being kind to ourselves as the ultimate form of self-care. This allows us to be kind to others. It allows us to support and share with others without judgment or criticism because we know how to treat ourselves.
Stay Focused on the Outcome
An inspiring article about an 84-year-old woman who graduated from the university of Minnesota supports my thought process of viewing goals as ongoing until they are complete.
If you say to yourself, “Well, I didn’t reach the goal, so I might as well forget about it or give up on it,” you will never reach your goal. You have just opted out of the goal. I’m sure the 84-year-old graduate viewed her goal of graduating college as ongoing. She didn’t let it go, no matter how many years went by, she kept her focus on the goal.
Give yourself some grace by being kind to yourself. Look to problem-solve when you don’t meet your goals, deadlines, standards, etc. Seek to eliminate the barriers, get help, and remain committed, no matter how long it takes.
You are a work in progress and so are the things you wish to achieve. God’s grace is sufficient. Our Father extends grace to you every day, so love yourself enough to extend it to yourself.
Meet on the web:
email: sherrhonda@sherrhondadenice.com
Until Next Time,
GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Sherrhonda 😍