It’s tempting to write these weeks off as the bit we have to get through before Christmas. I see them differently. These long evenings are the perfect time to sit down with a cuppa and have a think about what we want our new year to look like.

Nature is showing us how it’s done. The trees have dropped their leaves, the garden has gone to sleep, and everything is resting and gathering its energy for spring. Nothing in nature blooms all year round, and neither can we! We spend the summer out and about, busy, and then December arrives with its lists, its parties, and its expectations. November is a good month to turn our attention inwards and listen to what we want. The seeds we plant in the dark are the ones which come up in the spring.

Journaling

Now, you might be thinking, “Goals? In November? Surely that’s a job for January!” Well, January is when most of us pick one huge resolution, throw ourselves at it and give up by the middle of the month. If we start now, with something small, by the time the new year arrives we’re already on our way.

Your goal can be anything you like, and it doesn’t have to be about work at all if you don’t want. Maybe you want to spend quality time with yourself. Maybe you want to set better boundaries, or do more of what brings you joy. You might want to eat a less processed diet, or explore new places.

If you’re not sure what your goal is yet, your journal is a good place to find out. Pick an evening this week, light a candle, grab a notebook and a pen, and write down whatever comes when you ask yourself these questions:

• What did I love doing this year?

• What has been draining me?

• What do I want more of in my life?

• If I could change one thing by this time next year, what would it be?

Write the first thing that comes into your head, as the first response is the true one. (Nobody is going to mark it- it’s not school!) Read it back, and you will usually find your goal in what you have written.

Credits: envato elements; Author: furmanphoto;

Take action

A big goal can feel daunting, which is why I like an exercise I call “Baby Steps”. It’s really simple- you break the goal down into steps so small that you can take the first one this week.

• Choose one goal and write it down.

• Ask yourself, “What is the smallest thing I could do towards this?”

• Do that one thing this week.

• Next week, choose the next small thing.

So, if you’d like a less processed diet, start by checking food labels when you’re shopping. If you want to explore new places, make a list of the places you’d like to visit. Want more time with yourself? Put half an hour in the diary with your name on it. Being more boundaried could start with saying ‘let me get back to you’ before you say yes to something. It’s that easy!

Credits: envato elements; Author: Sonyachny;

Be present

When a step is that small, there is nothing to dread and no reason to put it off, and each one you tick off gives you a boost to take the next. By the time everyone else is making their resolutions on the first of January, you’ll have two months of small steps behind you!

Every small step you take tells the universe (and yourself!) that you mean it. One step leads to the next, the goal begins to feel within reach, and before you know it you’re in the flow, and things start falling into place.

My own goal has come from realising that I’ve been too immersed in building my coaching business. I have been working long days, and little by little my workload has crept up to a level which isn’t acceptable. Here I am, someone who knows all the tools and techniques, and I’ve started to forget to use them in my own daily life!

So my goal is to be more present. I want to enjoy the moment more, and trust that I’m in the flow of creation.

My first baby step is to start doing mini gratitudes in my planner. Before I start my tasks for the day, I write a gratitude or affirmation. I have even bought some affirmation stickers ready!

What about you? What goal do you feel called to work towards?

With Love,

Sally

www.heaven2heart.com

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