“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King Jr
How’s 2019 been for you so far? Have there been some ups and downs, some high points and some low points?
Perhaps you celebrated your birthday or enjoyed a lovely day out with your family.
Perhaps you came down with the flu or faced another unexpected setback that has meant you haven’t been able to do as much as you wanted to.
Perhaps you’re frustrated with yourself because you haven’t kept your new year’s resolutions (if you made any!).
Or maybe you’re disappointed because you haven’t yet started to achieve the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year.
If so, don’t worry. Because, like all years, 2019 will be a marathon, not a sprint.
Life Will Happen
Our goals will take longer to achieve because – along the way – life will happen.
There’ll always be niggling little things we have to deal with every day … and urgent things that have to be dealt with right now.
Paperwork that needs to be filled in and bills that need to be paid – today.
All these things – and others – can mean that we have less time to devote to working towards our goals.
So, achieving our goals will take longer than we expect – or want.
Keep Moving Forward
But that doesn’t mean that we should give up on our goals.
Keep moving forward towards your goals, even if it’s at a snail’s pace.
Do something today to move yourself forward, even if it's just a very small thing.
If you’ve only partly achieved one of your goals for 2019 by the middle of February, you’re doing well!
Keep going! You have another 10 and a half months to go!
But, if you haven’t started doing anything towards achieving a goal, don’t give up on it.
Write down a few concrete steps you can take towards achieving that goal in the rest of February and March.
Be Kind to Yourself
If you feel discouraged that you haven’t achieved enough in January and February, don’t be too hard on yourself. January and February aren't the easiest months to get things done.
In the cold, miserable weather and the still-dark mornings, our natural tendency is to stay inside and keep warm. We may also feel hungrier when it’s cold, so that may affect our diet plans.
When these things happen, it’s important to pick yourself and continue on the path you’ve set.
Take Time Out
Since 2019 is a marathon, not a sprint, make sure you rest along the way.
Take time out for yourself. Do something you enjoy.
Don’t feel guilty for taking time out. You’ll feel much better afterwards, and you’ll have more energy for achieving your goals.
Be kind to yourself along the way. Never give up. And most of all, enjoy every minute of the
journey towards achieving your goals, with all its twists and turns.
“Success is a journey not a destination.” – Ben Sweetland
Roz Andrews is the founder of RA Writers For Hire. Her mission is to help businesses improve their written communications.
She writes and edits blog posts, web pages, website content, newsletters, eBooks, and other communications on behalf of busy business owners. Other services include proofreading non-fiction books and eBooks.
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