Let it go

I like to look at the end of the year as a time to let go. Let go of things that aren’t working. Let go of things that have run their course. Let go of things that are no longer serving me. These can be habits, relationships, routines, or anything you don’t want to bring into the new year. One of the most challenging things to let go of is a goal that you want but is not working for you. So how do you know when it is time to double down versus letting it go?

Revisit your why

The first step is to revisit why you want this goal. The only reason we ever want things is because of how we think it will make us feel. Maybe initially, you had a really good reason for wanting this goal, and now it no longer makes sense to you. Or maybe, on reflection, you realize that you never actually wanted this goal. Perhaps it was something you thought you should want or someone else thought you should do. Perhaps there is a different way you can achieve that same feeling or result. The point is it is ok to let go of goals that no longer speak to your inner values. 

Are you committed or interested?

This is another concept I learned from Jody Moore. Decide if you are committed to this goal or just interested. What is the difference? If you are committed to a goal, when things are not working out, you will pivot, try new tactics, and keep going until you reach your desired result. If you are just interested, you may dabble around inconsistently, try a couple of things, and start and stop. Both options are 100% ok. Just be honest with yourself. Are you committed to putting in the full effort to achieve this, or are you just interested in the concept? If you are just interested, you may want to put this goal on hold for the year and return to it again later.

Do you have the time?

There are a million things I would like to do and learn in this life. But if I try to do them all, I end up doing nothing. You may like your why for this goal. You may be committed to it. But maybe you have a bunch of other goals that are more important right now. It is ok to let it go for now and revisit this goal in the future. It is better to constrain yourself to one or two key goals you want to accomplish to ensure that you have the time, energy, and commitment to achieve them. Rember, once you have completed one goal, you will have more space to move on to the next.

Things I am letting go:

• A consistently clean house. 
• Waking up at 5 am to get work done.
• Being on a national committee no longer interests me.
• Morning yoga.
• More work projects until I finish the ones I am currently doing. 

What were your goals for 2022? Which ones can you let go of to make room for what is really important to you in 2023?