Goals

Goals:

By Founder of "The New Hollywood" Brianna Brown
www.brianna-brown.com

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -Marianne Williamson

Words are powerful and words can sometimes be daunting because they are powerful. Goals: the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.

It's the new year and many of us have set resolutions for 2014.  I believe that the difference between a fleeting intention and an accomplished desire is not just the intention itself but the commitment behind the intention.  Commitment when it is uncomfortable.  Commitment when life throws a curve ball.  Commitment when you are resistant.  The best way to get around all of that is to understand WHY this specific goal is so important to you.  How will your life improve and do you REALLY want it to?  Also I feel it is important to look at yourself, to be honest with yourself and acknowledge if you follow through with your word.  Do you say you are going to do something and then bail on yourself or others?  Those seemingly small actions add up to a disbelief in yourself and inevitably dampens your follow through.  Like the book "The Four Agreements" mentions "be impeccable with your word".  If you say you are going to do something, do it.  It's not about being concerned about how others see you but it's about having integrity and trusting yourself.  When you know, without a doubt, that you will figure it out when you set your mind to something, the world is yours.  Because you know what it takes.  You know to be realistic as well as envisioning something grander then what you know to be true (at this moment). 

Goal setting, intention setting, creating habits or systems are all about knowing yourself and what phrasing and techniques work best for you.  Perhaps the word GOAL seems too structured.  Whereas setting INTENTIONS seem feasible.  Perhaps you'd rather just focus on developing a new habit and creating a consistent system to create that desired outcome. Habits take 21 days to form, then about three months to solidify and usually about 3 years for it to just be who you are.  We are constantly creating habits for ourselves unconsciously by the actions we take day in and day out and usually we want to create a different "goal" to shift the trajectory of our old habit.  In our instant gratification culture where patience and consistency aren't always highlighted we sometimes have to pull ourselves back so we don't burn out.  Everyone knows that you don't want to start sprinting out the gate when you are running a marathon because you will burn out and then your brain or body will stop you.  The same is true with creating new habits.  We ease into them so we feel like we can run forever.  That is our best pace.  Then when you have trained for a while you up your pace so that becomes your new norm.  Again the same is true for goals.  

I know for myself that some years I really want to push myself.  And some years I need to be easier on myself.  I find that mid-year I more then likely will readjust my goals as my priorities shift and as opportunities arise. I find that to be the blessing with goals.  Set them and then allow for the fluidity of life to shift them according to your highest good.  You will hit road blocks and then parts of yourself will be revealed that you then have the opportunity to work on.  For example if you have a body fat goal and you consistently sabotage yourself with emotional eating at night please know that isn't something to beat yourself up over but instead it's an incredible opportunity showcasing the root of why dieting hasn't been working.  So create a method to address the emotions that cause the emotionally eating and then that helps you accomplish your goal. It may not happen in the exact time frame you originally wanted but you are less likely to be a yo-yo dieter because you addressed the real issue behind the need to lose weight in the first place.  The same is true with almost every area of our lives when it comes to setting goals.

I always try to remind myself that it's easy to focus on the obvious accomplishments--the ones that others compliment you for or where you are rewarded fiscally.  But I have found that the most beneficial goals are the ones that no one really knows but you. Like taking a moment to breath and count to three instead of screaming at your kids, making sure to get enough sleep, calling loved ones every month to deepen our important relationships, creating a habit around money and finances, keeping a gratitude journal at night and writing down blessings that were experienced that day.  Whatever those seemingly small goals are they are often times the most worthwhile and the most transformative to be happier and healthier in our lives.  And when we are happier and healthier versions of ourselves we have more to give and then we can truly lead by example.  We can create more opportunities for ourselves and others.  More creativity flows to us and we are then in a space to run with the ideas instead of sabotaging them.  A great book that looks at the many forms of sabotage is "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield.  

So as you set your goals this year really solidify WHY they are important to you and allow yourself to be like a willow tree.  To be deeply rooted (committed) in what you want, to be consistent and strategic in your plan to achieve your desire (even when it becomes mundane) and to allow yourself to embrace and flow with the winds of change.  Your accomplishing your goal(s) will also inspire those around you to grow too.  Unknowingly you will be adding value to others because you are taking care of yourself and listening to that still small voice inside that is begging you to grow, to explore, to be abundant, to run with that business venture, to be healthy, to be in a loving relationship, to be calmer with your loved ones, to receive and acknowledge all the blessings that you already have, and to be happy.  If we all can be loving toward ourselves while we grow and learn, and remember to be loving toward others (because we are all growing) the world will be a much brighter place for us all.   Happy goal setting and I hope you enjoy creating the journey that is about to unfold!

*Please note that not all experiences, beliefs and ideas are shared by each member of the “The New Hollywood.” We are a group of shepherds, not sheep. 

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