Here we are, nearly three-quarters of the way through 2015. So… how are you doing on the goals you set at the start of the year?
If you’re on track to accomplishing all, most, or even part of what you set out to, congratulations! But if there are some goals still on the table, or you haven’t made the progress you had expected or visualized in achieving your goal by now, you may be getting frustrated, discouraged, angry with yourself — or even doubting your ability to get that thing you wanted so much.
If you want to get some wind back in your sails so you can start moving in the direction of your dreams again, the first thing you must do is STOP and forgive yourself. And by that I don’t mean a simple self-conversation. You must go through a process of forgiveness to get the real impact.
To begin this process, you must become aware of three points. My good friend Mary Manin Morrissey has three easy steps to help you with this process.
First, you must separate who you are from what you have done. In other words, not having achieved everything you wanted to by now does not change the fact that you are still the good-intentioned person who has a beautiful vision of what they really want.
Secondly, sometimes hard work and goal achieving activities are not the only ingredients required to make the progress you have visualized. You can choose to keep your attitudes positive and work as productively as you know how. This will empower you to move forward regardless of the circumstances surrounding you.
Finally, realize that there is a toxic element of resentment and doubt. This toxicity can invade your self-image if you haven’t made the progress that you’d expected by a certain point in time. It may not be the type of thing that throws a person into clinical depression, but it may creep into your belief about your worthiness to have the goal that you desire. It’s a rationalization; you think “maybe I didn’t achieve the goal because I’m not good enough, smart enough or fast enough, etc.” These are excuses, which cannot help in the advancement towards your goal.
Having an awareness of these three points on an intellectual level is only the first step. You must also do something on the emotional level to feel that you really have forgiven yourself.
As you may already know, there are only two ways to impress an idea into your subconscious mind. One is with sudden impact; the other is with repetition.
Using repetition, repeat this affirmation every day for the next week:
I recognize that my results and my being are not the same thing, and I reaffirm that I am a good person. I go forward in a spirit of expectation and understand that I cannot know all of what the universe has in store for me, but I will remain open to all things. I am so happy and grateful in knowing that the good, which I desire, is worthy of me. I forgive myself completely and release myself from self-doubt or fear. I move forward with the joyful expectation that I will achieve my goal. I willingly release the thoughts and things that clutter my mind.
These may seem like simple exercises, but they have power beyond their words. Use them, and you’ll be ready to move forward again with a goal that is worthy of you and your abilities.