You’ve made it through your first weekend of 2020 — how are those resolutions holding up? It’s been less than a week and for some of us the weekend may have taken a toll on our goals. Many of us feel incredibly dedicated throughout the week, but when Saturday and Sunday roll around, we lose our strong will.
It’s even harder to stay committed if you don’t have clear and constructive goals. We all know about SMART goals and breaking goals into incremental steps, but Barb Stegemann, a philosopher and social entrepreneur, has a different approach.
Stegemann recommends looking at your goals in a more holistic manner. Whether you want to lose weight, increase your wealth , or spend more time with family, each goal is just a path to a final destination of where you see yourself. She believes getting to where you want to be takes a new mindset—one of self-love, acceptance, and healthy motivation.
We’ll let the philosopher queen herself do the talking.
Q: What do you think is the best mindset to channel for people who are trying to make big changes in their life and see this new year/decade as a starting point?
Barb: Look at 2020 as a brand new start to take things on instead of giving things up. Giving something up seems like suffering. But taking on something you have always dreamed of is a better mindset towards the positive.
Q: Are there any daily rituals you practice that may help others stay focused on their goals?
Barb: I work out every day. It’s my way of shutting down my mind and letting answers subconsciously come to me. It’s my daily ritual. I look at it as my best way to get answers, rather than as a chore or work. It’s something to relish for a whole new spin on it. When you turn your mind off and do something physical, most of the answers you seek will come to you. I often pause my workout video to write down the answers that come to me.
Q: What are some major mistakes you see people making around New Year’s Goals?
Barb: Giving something up. It rarely works because you miss that “vice.” Just focus on a new positive goal, taking something on and the challenges will fall away. Do something that you never dared. Do something you always dreamed of. Make 2020 a year of vision and ACTION.
Q: Oftentimes, when we want to make a big life change it’s hard to know where to start. Do you have any recommendations for an area of our wellness to focus on or any method for figuring out what is most important to the individual?
Barb: Be kind to yourself. Being kind goes much further than being hard on yourself or even worse, slipping into self-loathing or berating yourself for not hitting your goals. Being kind, self-care and self-love will go farther than any other approach. Give of yourself. Share your gifts and spread the love.
