New Moon, Full Moon, Well-being SMART Goals
If ever there was a year that needed a second opportunity for a “New Year,” this is it. At the beginning of January, I shared with you my intentions for well-being, rest, and playfulness. So far, so good, but February offers us another opportunity to revisit any 2021 intentions and put more focus and energy into realizing them.
The new moon later this week is recognized by many cultures around the world as a time of new beginnings, while the month as a whole can be seen as a seasonal transition between life and death. In China, Tibet, Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia and other Asian countries, this new moon represents the Lunar New Year. Indigenous peoples throughout North America and Europe have for time immemorial referred to the full moon in February as the Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Bone Moon, Moon of Ice, or other names that invoke cold and deep winter.
One of the common sentiments I have heard throughout the pandemic has been: “How can I possibly plan for the future?” Sometimes this has been said purely due to the uncertainty we are all facing. Other times it has been said with the implication of hopelessness for the future. I will admit to see-sawing between these two, not just during the pandemic, but also during other challenging times. What has allowed the scales to tip to living with uncertainty and away from drowning in despair has been keeping a (very) long view and an emphasis on flexibility and adaptation.
Due to my work as a reflexologist being inherently heart-centered, people often comment that I come across as a very “go with the flow” type of person. In reality, routine allows me to thrive. Structure does not feel restrictive. Instead, it provides guidelines that allow me to explore and create with something larger in mind, while avoiding getting overwhelmed by infinite possibilities. That is one of the reasons I set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) both for Mpath Well-being and in my personal life.
As an example, let’s take the wellness intentions from January and create a SMART goal for February that aligns with the energy of dreaming big, starting fresh, and looking forward to the future while embracing its inevitable uncertainties.
Well-being SMART Goal
I will keep a racquetball on my nightstand and use it each morning when I wake up to roll my feet for at least one minute per foot as a mini-reflexology session, then will make a check mark on my calendar once this daily routine is complete.
Specific: Mini-reflexology session for 1 minute per foot every morning.
Measurable: I can track whether or not I am achieving the goal by looking at the checkmarks on the calendar.
Achievable: I have the materials needed (racquetball, calendar, and my own feet) to make this possible and it requires a minimal time commitment.
Realistic: A two-minute routine seems like something I can do right now.
Timely: Morning routines are important to me and I have been feeling stressed. This is something I can do immediately to empower myself to feel better regardless of external factors.
When I set SMART goals, I always acknowledge that they may need to change. Setting a goal provides structure and new goals can (and must) be created to adapt to the current circumstances.
Have you set any goals related to well-being this year? What are your hopes for the rest of 2021 and beyond?