This is a modified version of a post I wrote earlier this year on setting weekly goals before I moved my writing to Substack. I decided to create a version here because I realized it’s a topic I want to link back to without sending you to my old blog, but if you were with me over there, this will sound familiar.
I love goals, and I am, quite literally all about finding and implementing changes in our lives that support our personal/professional development and well-being.
But, as we transitioned to the new year this past January, I found myself wanting something different from the typical new year’s resolutions.
Why I don’t love new year’s resolutions
It mostly feels like a marketing holiday for my least favorite industries (can’t you just hear Diet Culture saying, “This is our moment!”??)
There’s an expectation that you will commit to resolutions for a whole year - and that’s too long! There’s a reason people don’t stick with new year’s resolutions past January, but instead of getting curious and making tweaks, we usually just drop them all together and then feel guilt or shame and a decrease in self-trust.
They often feel forced and high pressure - like we have this ONE great moment to set a life-changing goal, and we MUST get it right!
We often make too many at once and, with energy and attention divided, don’t actually make meaningful progress on any.
Nothing about what I stated above brings me a sense of ease or sustained enthusiasm about setting goals or making changes, even if I believe the outcomes I’m hoping for will support me long-term.
But there’s still so much goodness in goal setting
Fresh energy to try something new or go back to something you’ve lost touch with that you really enjoyed? Good!
Feeling excited about what’s possible? Great!
Leaning into exploration and experimentation? My favorite!
So… What shall we do instead?
Enter - weekly goals
One outcome. One behavior. One week at a time. Rinse. Repeat.
Why I love weekly goals
Weekly goals are short-term and encourage weekly reflection, tweaks, or all-out changes.
The short-term nature feels like an experiment that I get to approach with lots of flexibility and curiosity, which aligns very well with my energy.
It feels very low-pressure, with plenty of built-in opportunities to hit “reset.”
My goals are focused more on day-to-day behaviors than the end result, which actually allows room for discovery around other outcomes/behaviors/etc.
How I set my first weekly goal
As I mentioned above, this all started for me in January. So, I identified what I was hoping to experience in the New Year - have a more rested and focused start to my day.
I thought about what interfered with that most - I often stay up too long watching TV, fall asleep on the couch, wake up and still have to walk the dog (love you R-dog, RIP) before doing my bedtime routine and going to bed, which often meant difficulty falling back to sleep and waking in the night.
I picked one change that I thought would make a big difference - not watching TV after putting Michael to bed during the work week.
I committed to that one behavior for one week.
And then, at the end of the week, I got to reflect back and see how it went, if it actually created the outcomes I was hoping for, and if I wanted to keep any of it moving into next week.
What I noticed with my first weekly goal
Since I wasn’t going downstairs to watch TV, I brushed my teeth and washed my face right after putting M to bed, and headed out to walk Roscoe.
Without the cat-nap on the couch, I was able to get to sleep quickly and stay asleep all night.
I did not actually go to bed earlier and I wasn’t ready to wake up when my alarm went off at 5:15 (this could be related to the fact that I’m not feeling great and maybe just needed more rest).
I missed watching TV. It’s really something I enjoy at the end of the day, and it’s a nice way for Sean and me to wind down together.
Conclusion:
I think it’s safe to say that the biggest game-changers were doing my bedtime routine and the dog-walk right after M went to bed and not falling asleep on the couch.
But also, I wanted to test that theory. Fortunately, we were heading into a new week 😃
My next weekly goal
The next week, I committed to doing my bedtime routine and the dog-walk before turning on the TV, AND making sure I turned off the TV before falling asleep on the couch.
And the process continued/s…
Bottom Line
New year’s resolutions - not for me
What I implemented instead this year - setting weekly goals
How I do it:
Decide what I want to shift
Pick the behavior that I think will get me there
Do it for a week
At the end of the week reflect: What changes did I notice? What made the difference? What do I want to keep? What do I want to change?
Pick my next weekly goal
Questions for self-inquiry
I love sharing my ideas and experiences, but also honor that your takeaways will be based on your experiences. Check out the questions below to connect this content to what feels relevant and supportive for you.
When have I felt most inspired by a goal and why?
What can I learn from past goal setting experiences?
What about this post resonates that might inform my path forward?
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